I
50 THE ENVIROMENT
THEGUARDlAN,Monda)< June20,20U
Report unveils fast lane to avoid rocky road of climate change 1 A. 1HILE the Unlt~ Nations
YY climate talks in Bonn this wttk creep forward. a new WWF report s.ays that fast and sut«l up support for Innov,1tlV't apprOil cn es [0
d C'vtl oping a
Jow-4:.1rbon
economy il possible.
Enabling the Transi tion Climate Innovation Systems
for a low Ca rbon Future,
released rtcently. ulls for
lnd usin actions of equal .1 nd scale And stAtes that "t he speed, scale and
s~ed
complellity
of
climate
~hange is
flaving a multiply109 effect on other environmenta l StresseS." "The Internatio nal Energy
Agency has juS( repon~d rtcord hi~h emissIons in 2010 . \VWl S new report on Innova tion shows that gov-
ernments GIn creatl! t he last
lane to g1000I deployment of
clean technologies," said
-----
Silmanth;l Smith, leader of
The report says that increased collaboration and investments must be facil~at ed and reinforced with carefully dcsi~ed policies, the report states, These policies should include re-dirccting the existing S200-500 billion global fossil fuel subsidies into sustainable energy solutions, as well as, rewarding transforma-
tive solutions in public procurement and economic stimulus packages, \-I/Wf"s Globa l Climate and Energy Initiative. -..Vhlle industry b starting to get on board, govern· menU arc called upon to make clean technology rmr· !teu grow;u a fast pace. They need to introduce st ronger national legislation as much as nnalisi ng the internation· OIl framework currentl y negotIated In 80nn: The report assesses nine economies - China, India, Kenya, Tanlc1nla, Uganda, Ghana, th e Netherlands, Sweden, and the European Union. It shows a range of common conditions for moving rast towards a low carbon economy. They include suengthenlng
domestic and international techno logy col labo ration, establishing n'ew low carbon markets, stimulating demand, and attracting pliVolle capital. Providing rtllable, afford· ab le and clean energy on the sca le required wHi need large inldal invest ment. But the bt.ndits would be. much gTrater!n the long term, providi ng economic and d~l· opment opportunities and massive cost w\<ing.s.. -Every country and region has Its own uniqur starting point and ability to create enabling envimnmenlS for climate entreprrneurshlp: wid Samantha Smith. -However, they also share a
great dea l of the challe nges and the opportunities g<llned from strengthenin~ climate Innovation systems. Increast'd collaboration and InvestmenlS must be facl!ttated and reinforced with carefully deslgnc:d poli. d es, the report states. These policies shou ld Include r~ directing the existing S ZOO500 blUfon global fos sil fuel subsidies Into sustainabl e energy solut ions. as well as, rrwarding lr"nsformatlve solutions In public procure.ment and economic stlmu· Ius packages. "The overwhelming major· Ity of capital requfred for rmklng the transltJon to 101Y
carbon will come from prl~te sources.and thilt money will flow where it Vlpects to aChlrvr the highest return on inve.stments. We need to di scuss how to ilttract private capital to climatr Innl> vat Ions, Including tilrgeted su pport from publlc funds." said Magnus Emfel. manager, Climate Innovatio ns at WWF SlYedrn and rdltor of the
report. "The UNFCCC should send a clear signal to co untries about the level of ambition for low cilroon Innoviltlon," said Samilntha Smith. ·Unfortunately, progress in
Bonn Is sluggish at best -our report shows how govern· menlS could move into the filst lane: The on·going United Nations meeting In Bonn Is prepilrlng for the climilte conference in SOuth Africa at the end of 2011 (UNFCCC COP t7, Nov 28 to D« 9, 2011 ). WWf says that progress and agreem e nts should be fr"ached In Bonn on anum· ber of crit iCill strp ping stones, incl uding public dl· milte finance, ilil o f which can then be success fully finillised in Durban. South Africa.
The overwhelming majority of cap~aI required for making the transition to low carbon will come from
private sources, and that money will flow where it expects to achieve the highest return on invest· ments. We need to discuss how to attract private capital to climate innovations, including targeted support from public funds
Action to curb pollution could help limit global temperature rise U\ST action on pollutants CsochasbbckarbongJOUnd Ie\~ ozone and methane may help limit near term ~10b;J 1 temperatlJre rise ilnd Stgnln. antly Increase the chances or k~lng temperarure rise below two degrees Celsius, and perhaps even 15 d~ C. a newassessmentSi1)5. J>nxeaing the nrar-tmn dimate is antral to si~iflcanti}' cutting tile risk of amplified gIob.tr dimate chilTlge" Hnked y,ith r.lpid and ClIIensI\~ kiss of Nctk Ice on both the Iilnd and
,,"'-
fast action nughtalso reduce losses of mountOlin glaciers linked in pan with blade Gr· bon deposlu while reducing ~role'Cled wannlng In the Arcdc O\"er the coming decades byl\YOthirds. The scientists behind the assessment, co-ordinated by the United NatJons Progr.Imme Environment (UNEJ» ilnd the World Metrorologlul Organls.ttlon (W}.lO~also IlOintlO ni.llnerous public health and food S«lIriry opportu nities a~ and beyond those Iinkrd \\ith IiIck· ling dlmate chilnge. Illg cuts In emissions of black carbon wiIJlmprove respiratory heallh. rc:dua hospital iKlmissions and days lost .n work due to stckness, says the ilSSeSSIllf'llty,~Xcmariatls
provided by the Stockholm &Mronmem Institute Indeoed
dose: w 2.S million
pmna~
ooths from outdooc air pollution could on aVl$lge be avoidr"CIannuaUyworidwideby201O ....ith many of lh(R m-es ~ being in As1a.lt Is estimated.. Big cuts in ground ml ozone could illso contributr [0 lftIucm ClOp doIrmge equal 10 betYo'f'm one to four pn- ant of the annual global maize. r1ce. soybean ana whl"at produc. Oon.
Cutting these soc;aIled 'shan· Uved dirt\ilte I'orcers' an haw: Immediate d lmalr, health and agricultural benefits, the report condudes. 1111s Is because unlike Cilrbon dioxide (C02~ whlchcan remain In thealmOS-~ for centurif's bbck car· bon for example on1y persim forda)Sof\\'e!:ks. Therese.archm,hO\~'ef;also
underline the fact that while fist action on blade carbon and
Without measures to cum climate change emissions, temperaf1nS are projected to rise On average by afurther 1.3 de@"eesC·bynid-centuiy'brilgingtlietotaiWaimilg from pre-irdustriallevels to about 22 de@"eesC. Near fll(m warning may occur i1 sensitive regions and could cause essentially irrevernibIe Chai\ges ~ as loss of An:tic Iand-ice, release of methane and CO2 from An:tic pennaIrost and 5pe!:ies
i=
.
lVound I~I ownecould playa K9' role in Iimldng ncar-«rn1 climate, immediate and sustained action tocutbackCDZ is crucial lf tf'mper.lt~ rues ilre to be limited O\o1!r the long. t"",
It Is thf'combinaoonof action on short·llved climate fomrs and 10ng·lJved grtenhouSf' g.asH whkh ImpRMS the Chanas oCkeeping beiowthe 2 d~ wgrt: throughout the llSlCmtu~
nlf'findm~lea.sedrKrflt.
Iy In Bonn. ITIf'f'ting of the UN
during a rk
Com~ntiononQlrmteChange
(UNFCCC) ~ been compUm
by an international (earn of more thiln 50 rt'Searchers
chaim:I by Drew Shindell of the
N.ltionalkmnauooandSp;Ke
Administration (NASA.~ UN Undrr·Sccreury Genu.l1 and UNEP Executivf' Director; AchIm SteIner said, "thin ilre now dear, powerful. ilbundant and compeUing reasons to reduce 1~1s of POUutanlSsuch as black carbon and UlJpospheric ozone along with i'nethane, their growing contJ1.. bulion to cllmatechi!ngr being Just Oflf' of thmt.ihls asst'SSment underlines hoo.v the science of short lived climate forcers has MlIvtd to a levrl of milturlty that now requires and noquests a robust policy reponse by nations. The
"!"ItS 'J'OIIlght haw • sm.ll number of emission reductlon meas\Jll5o- targeting for example ~ of methane in the roa.I, oil and gas sectors
through to the provision of cleanf'l' burning cook stOYr"S, partide baps for diesel ~hJdes and the banning of open bumIng or aJ!1'ocultuial wastes- offf'l' dr.ulliItX public health, agricultunl, f'(Dnomlc and envirnllmmtal be.nefir.s,- heaclded. n le ~10 lntegrilted Assessment of Black carbon
"'" "",,",ph"" """" rug· gests that action could be: Cltal· )-sed through not only the UN climate corrvendonprocm but also via. for r"Xilmple. suengtt\: ening exisung nationa l and regiona l air quality agrtt"
m,"',
5<a<a"l<'<""'" of tit<
WMO, Michel ,amud wid, -most "ttmOOn Is focused on lftIudng the main gR'f'flhouse gas, CO2 to combat climate
change. HO\YeYer, ~nt years It tw:btcomt:dearthilla range of other pollutants such as black catbon and tropospher1c ozone ilI1! a&gr.JVilting the chal-
I",.,". -rhis report underlinr"S the need fora strongerOOseMtiOllaI basis ilnd ~ eUon: to Increase notffic understanding. of the role of these other potIutants In the changing d lmate system. \VMO's Grobal Atmosphere Wiltch
,"""""",, ••dd"""'_"""
challenges as a priorit}( he
...,'"
Drew ShlodcU of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Stud)es said, "this: report tw bmu~t darity ro the comp{cl· Ity or the heating and cooling effects of a range of pollutants and uses the $dena to show that there are dur and c0ncrete measures thilt GIn be undertaken to help protect the gklbal climate in the short 10 medium lmTl.~ps the most intriguing link Is between emissions oT methane and the formation of troposphmcozone.~kthanels
pCl\\~rful ~nhouse gas In its own nght, bu[ It has emerged tha[ it IS also l:t"iggff. log a great dral ITlOrt: glOOal wilnnlng by conttibutlng to the fonnadon of Significant leY- • .. of ground """ """'" "tn<ff"f'd more than was pmiowly su~ The lvin·wln hf'Jl' for limiting dlmale change and improvingilir qualIty is Sf'lf~mt and the ways to achieve it haw: become far deall!r as iI result of this assessmml- he added T(II:1i!y the gtI''tI'rUTleTlt of Sw~en announced support for a comprthenslve and for· .....ard·!oo]dng policy assessmmt to assist goyernmmts on the next S[r'pS towards fast action on shon·lived dirmte forcers. This Is linr with Sv."r"dm'sSlRtegyonSlCfsand Its policy (0 Integrate climate change imd air poUution poli-
a
O...
The work. to be coordinated
by UNEp, is""",,,, to "m"'Y In adva.n« of the nett almale Convention meeting scheduled Iilter In the year In Durban. South Afria.