Work Harder to Get Agreement

A meaningful global agreement on climate change would unleash a wave of innovation and investment in renewable energy and low carbon products and services, but rich countries’ pledges to cut emissions are falling well short of what scientists warn is needed and the climate talks in Bangkok this past week failed to deliver consensus between the world’s developing and developed nations.

From the GlobeScan survey report:

London, Toronto, and Washington DC – A meaningful global agreement on climate change would unleash a wave of innovation and investment in renewable energy and low carbon products and services, according to a new global poll of sustainability experts conducted in August 2009

Findings from The Sustainability Survey Poll on Climate Change, conducted by GlobeScan and SustainAbility, show that thought leaders across the world believe that the achievement of a strong international agreement at the UN conference in Copenhagen in December would lead to tremendous growth opportunities in the areas of renewable energy and low carbon products and services.

Further, the survey of 1,400 influential thought leaders from companies, governments, NGOs, and academia from over 80 countries also predicts that a meaningful deal in Copenhagen would increase government regulations of emissions, raise public awareness, and result in greater leadership from global companies to limit emissions, compared to what would occur if no meaningful agreement is reached.

However, an overwhelming majority of experts do not believe that COP-15 negotiations will result in a meaningful agreement. While few experts predict a complete failure to reach an international agreement to limit climate change, more than eight out of ten experts say the meetings will likely result in an agreement that is not sufficiently stringent to avoid major, irreversible damage to human, social and ecosystem health.

Irrespective of the COP-15 outcome, experts expect increasing pressures – including higher energy prices, increased public awareness/concern, and more intense NGO campaigning – pointing to the need for companies to act now to take on more active roles in shaping government climate change policies, and enacting more aggressive corporate climate change strategies.

Jeff Erikson, Vice President at SustainAbility, comments: “The economic downturn and the climate change challenge together present the ideal opportunity for businesses to carve out new sources of competitive advantage and market leadership. Those companies that develop low-carbon solutions now will be best positioned to mitigate the risks and capitalize on the wealth of opportunities posed by climate change.”

Chris Coulter, Vice President at GlobeScan, adds: “If experts are right and a ‘Plan B’ agreement is negotiated in Copenhagen, we can expect an increase in activism from civil society, with greater attention on individual companies and industries.”

Source: www.GlobeScan.com

By Environment reporter Sarah Clarke for ABC News (9 October 2009):

The United Nations climate talks in Bangkok have failed to deliver consensus between the world’s developing and developed nations.

The meeting finishes today after two weeks of intense negotiations.

The gathering of more than 190 nations was hoped to deliver the foundations for a new global climate agreement to be negotiated in Copenhagen in December.

Instead, the world’s two biggest polluters are deadlocked, with the United States calling for the existing Kyoto protocol to be abandoned, and a new treaty to be discussed. China disagrees.

And a stalling point remains over finance, with developed countries including Australia yet to commit to funding clean technology to help the poorer countries adapt to climate change.

Environment groups are concerned time is running out, with less than 60 days before world leaders gather for the final round of climate talks in Copenhagen.

Source: www.abc.net.au

Adam Morton, environment reporter for The Age (8 October  2009):

RICH countries’ pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions are up to 15 per cent short of what scientists warn is needed to avoid a two-degree temperature rise.

With 60 days until the Copenhagen climate summit, an analysis found targets proposed by rich countries would cut emissions 10-24 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020. These were not enough to reach the 25-40 per cent the industrialised world has agreed is necessary based on the advice of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The analysis by US-based think tank World Resources Institute is consistent with a United Nations analysis reported in The Age in June.

It found current targets added up to a 16-24 per cent cut.

Australia’s target is equivalent to a 4-24 per cent cut below 1990 levels.

A spokeswoman for Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said the Government believed all countries must increase their ambition on emissions.

”That is why, as one of the most carbon-intensive economies in the world, and 18 months after ratifying Kyoto, we increased our offer on mitigation – in an effort to provide momentum to the negotiations,” she said.

A separate report by the International Energy Agency found the financial crisis could lead to world emissions falling by 3 per cent this year, the biggest decline in 40 years.

Released at UN climate talks in Bangkok, the report said it would lead to emissions in 2020 being 5 per cent lower than estimated a year ago.

To avoid two degrees of warming, the agency estimates energy emissions must be just 6 per cent higher in 2020 than in 2007.

Source: www.theage.com.au