More Climate Hopes for 2010 & Beyond

Global green energy leader Jeff Harding (Ceramic Fuel Cells & Carnegie Corporation) hopes that in 2010 the view that “climate change is real and caused by man and therefore able to be tackled by man”, becomes the consensus in Australia, while Peter Stewart, General Manager of Carbon Market & Eco Voice, would like to see 2010 as “a watershed year of action whereby all facets of society recognise and work towards a sustainable existence”.

Hopes and Comments from Jeff Harding and Peter Stewart

Jeff Harding, who is Chairman of Ceramic Fuels Cells and Director of Carnegie Corporation, and former CEO of Pacific Hydro, provided this message:

“I hope that 2010 sees the view becomes the consensus in Australia that climate change is real, caused by man and therefore able to be tackled by man, as it is in most of the educated western world.

I am amazed by the number of people I meet who believe it is a lefty plot aimed at getting research funds from the government. Someone recently said it was a hoax in the same way as the 2000 bug fiasco was a hoax. God help us.  

Unfortunately Australia continues to be controlled by the coal lobby – infecting both sides of politics.

I would like to see action to encourage energy efficiency – at the generation and the consumer end.

Ceramic Fuel Cells, for example,  has an excellent product that generates energy in the home at more than 60% efficiency, compared with the 30% efficiency from conventional generation by the time the power is delivered.

There are no government programs to assist the installation of these units.

We need to encourage distributed generation as well as new technology renewables such as wave and geo-thermal generation.”

From Peter Stewart, General Manager of Carbon Market/Eco Voice:

“In the decade ahead I would like to see a recognition by business and government to the plight of the planet. To show leadership, encouragement and a consciousness to address the issues of climate change and the environment, and maintain a solution based ethic that can only help to create a positive outlook.

I would like to see 2010 as a watershed year of action whereby all facets of society recognise and work towards a sustainable existence. In this time of post Copenhagen confusion, it would be a sad state of affairs if we were to slide backwards when so many have fought to recognise that there is a need for immediate action.

We have the opportunity and indeed the responsibility, to implement change on a local and worldwide basis that can snowball in to the next decade. The willingness of governments to prop up banks with billions of dollars in a short time last year, indicates that there is a worldwide mechanism already in place to help bankroll the necessary changes required to avoid catastrophe.

Why is it then that there is an inability for governments to make the desired decisions? There are departments dedicated to climate change, yet there is still a debate on whether or not it is actually happening.

It seems politicians are reluctant to commit to anything until climate change becomes an issue which will keep them in or out of office. The responsibility for making a difference rests solely on the shoulders of every individual on the planet, so the time is now to get moving and make this year the beginning of the decade of sustainable progress.”