A way out for the world´s environment
Surya B. Prasai
June 04, 2008
This year, weather patterns globally have shifted more ever since the great El Nino in 1997 when the world witnessed the first major devastating effects of shifting weather patterns on global agriculture. It took nearly a decade fro world agriculture to recoup before world food prices started jumping up again recently. But the focus in commemorating world environmental day in 2008, thanks to the UN Environmental Program, is on a low carbon economy with building stakeholder interests from the private sector as well. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon suggests commemorating this day in 2008 by focusing on worldwide environmental action, both political and social in nature. Starting from Washington DC, the world´s capital, to Nairobi, where the UNEP headquarter is located, June 5 focuses on "Kick the Habit! Towards a Low Carbon Economy.´
As Americans and global citizens share the World Environment Day to rejuvenate their environmental thinking, it is pertinent to remind ourselves on President George W. Bush´s statement on September 28, 2007 on the correct use of U.S. alternate energy security and promoting renewable and lighter energy resource use which all contribute to a low carbon economy. President Bush had mentioned, "Energy security and climate change are two of the great challenges of our time. The United States takes these challenges seriously. The world's response will help shape the future of the global economy and the condition of our environment for future generations. We represent the world's major economies, we are major users of energy, and we have the resources and knowledge base to develop clean energy technologies." America´s guiding principle in commemorating such global events has been to focus on actions that will produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions, which must be done in a way that it does not undermine economic growth or prevent nations from delivering greater prosperity to their people.
The main events this year will be held in New Zealand. The day's agenda is to give a human face to environmental issues; empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; and advocate partnership, which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future. Some of the global community oriented events suggested are: holding street rallies, bicycles parades, green concerts, essay and poster competitions in schools, tree planting, recycling efforts, clean-up campaigns and much more. It will also be a day to mobilize political action and attention to specific environment issues. UNEP is also asking countries, companies and communities to focus on greenhouse gas emissions and how to reduce them.
Today, global weather patterns are showing more melting ice caps, changes in oceanic currents, increased rise in average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans. In 2008, climate models referenced by the UN-IPCC forecast global surface temperatures to increase by 1.1 to 6.4 °C (2.0 to 11.5 °F) between 1990 and 2100. The range of values reflects the use of differing scenarios of future greenhouse gas emissions and results of models with differences in climate sensitivity. Although most studies focus on the period up to 2100, warming and sea level rise are expected to continue for more than a millennium even if greenhouse gas levels are stabilized. This reflects the large heat capacity of the oceans and the dangers of melting, including the Himalayan snows. It can result in sea level rise, and changes in the amount and pattern of precipitation resulting in floods and drought. A mere two degree Celsius rise in temperatures globally will make the agriculture system go haywire in most developing countries.
Thus, UN-SG Ban Ki-Moon stated in Bali recently, "In this sense, climate change is as much an opportunity as it is a threat. It is our chance to usher in a new age of green economics and truly sustainable development...We must ensure an incentive structure for countries, businesses, and individuals. There is no trade-off between fighting climate change and pursuing development. In the long run, we can prosper only by doing both."
Recently President George W. Bush had discussed renewable and alternative energy technologies and America´s commitment in developing them at the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference. For the past few years, President Bush has been talking actively on the need to enhance clean energy technology globally, in which the US has made substantial research investments already. President Bush´s recent and important remarks on April 18 come at a time when significant debates and discussions are taking place in Washington DC and other world capitals on the role of various global agreements, including the Kyoto Protocol, and their implications on halting global climate change. According to President Bush, "We must all recognize that in the long run, new technologies are the key to addressing climate change. But in the short run, they can be more expensive. And that is why I believe part of any solution means reforming today's complicated mix of incentives to make the commercialization and use of new, lower emission technologies more competitive. Today we have different incentives for different technologies -- from nuclear power, to clean coal, to wind and solar energy. What we need to do is consolidate them into a single, expanded program with the following features."
Outlining various steps the Bush administration considered as important, he stated that first, the incentive should be carbon-weighted to make lower emission power sources less expensive relative to higher emissions sources -- and it should take into account the US´s energy security needs. Second, the incentive should be technology-neutral because the government should not be picking winners and losers in this emerging market. And third, the incentive should be long-lasting. President Bush stated specifically, "It should provide a positive and reliable market signal not only for the investment in a technology, but also for the investments in domestic manufacturing capacity and infrastructure that will help lower costs and scale up availability."
The fact is, despite all these great noble leadership efforts, if we fail to do our part in solving the problem, we in effect, become part of the global warming problem. Therefore, let us turn the climate change debate around now by working towards an adjustable scenario whereby closer political bridges between the developed and developing world can be built favoring lesser carbon use starting with a revision of the Kyoto Protocol 2009 deadlines. This will certainly be a positive way forward and help accommodate the US led G-8´s recent Kobe voicing that a more realistic appraisal is needed on the challenges ahead with their projected total caps in 2050.
As Americans and global citizens share the World Environment Day to rejuvenate their environmental thinking, it is pertinent to remind ourselves on President George W. Bush´s statement on September 28, 2007 on the correct use of U.S. alternate energy security and promoting renewable and lighter energy resource use which all contribute to a low carbon economy. President Bush had mentioned, "Energy security and climate change are two of the great challenges of our time. The United States takes these challenges seriously. The world's response will help shape the future of the global economy and the condition of our environment for future generations. We represent the world's major economies, we are major users of energy, and we have the resources and knowledge base to develop clean energy technologies." America´s guiding principle in commemorating such global events has been to focus on actions that will produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions, which must be done in a way that it does not undermine economic growth or prevent nations from delivering greater prosperity to their people.
The main events this year will be held in New Zealand. The day's agenda is to give a human face to environmental issues; empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; and advocate partnership, which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future. Some of the global community oriented events suggested are: holding street rallies, bicycles parades, green concerts, essay and poster competitions in schools, tree planting, recycling efforts, clean-up campaigns and much more. It will also be a day to mobilize political action and attention to specific environment issues. UNEP is also asking countries, companies and communities to focus on greenhouse gas emissions and how to reduce them.
Today, global weather patterns are showing more melting ice caps, changes in oceanic currents, increased rise in average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans. In 2008, climate models referenced by the UN-IPCC forecast global surface temperatures to increase by 1.1 to 6.4 °C (2.0 to 11.5 °F) between 1990 and 2100. The range of values reflects the use of differing scenarios of future greenhouse gas emissions and results of models with differences in climate sensitivity. Although most studies focus on the period up to 2100, warming and sea level rise are expected to continue for more than a millennium even if greenhouse gas levels are stabilized. This reflects the large heat capacity of the oceans and the dangers of melting, including the Himalayan snows. It can result in sea level rise, and changes in the amount and pattern of precipitation resulting in floods and drought. A mere two degree Celsius rise in temperatures globally will make the agriculture system go haywire in most developing countries.
Thus, UN-SG Ban Ki-Moon stated in Bali recently, "In this sense, climate change is as much an opportunity as it is a threat. It is our chance to usher in a new age of green economics and truly sustainable development...We must ensure an incentive structure for countries, businesses, and individuals. There is no trade-off between fighting climate change and pursuing development. In the long run, we can prosper only by doing both."
Recently President George W. Bush had discussed renewable and alternative energy technologies and America´s commitment in developing them at the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference. For the past few years, President Bush has been talking actively on the need to enhance clean energy technology globally, in which the US has made substantial research investments already. President Bush´s recent and important remarks on April 18 come at a time when significant debates and discussions are taking place in Washington DC and other world capitals on the role of various global agreements, including the Kyoto Protocol, and their implications on halting global climate change. According to President Bush, "We must all recognize that in the long run, new technologies are the key to addressing climate change. But in the short run, they can be more expensive. And that is why I believe part of any solution means reforming today's complicated mix of incentives to make the commercialization and use of new, lower emission technologies more competitive. Today we have different incentives for different technologies -- from nuclear power, to clean coal, to wind and solar energy. What we need to do is consolidate them into a single, expanded program with the following features."
Outlining various steps the Bush administration considered as important, he stated that first, the incentive should be carbon-weighted to make lower emission power sources less expensive relative to higher emissions sources -- and it should take into account the US´s energy security needs. Second, the incentive should be technology-neutral because the government should not be picking winners and losers in this emerging market. And third, the incentive should be long-lasting. President Bush stated specifically, "It should provide a positive and reliable market signal not only for the investment in a technology, but also for the investments in domestic manufacturing capacity and infrastructure that will help lower costs and scale up availability."
The fact is, despite all these great noble leadership efforts, if we fail to do our part in solving the problem, we in effect, become part of the global warming problem. Therefore, let us turn the climate change debate around now by working towards an adjustable scenario whereby closer political bridges between the developed and developing world can be built favoring lesser carbon use starting with a revision of the Kyoto Protocol 2009 deadlines. This will certainly be a positive way forward and help accommodate the US led G-8´s recent Kobe voicing that a more realistic appraisal is needed on the challenges ahead with their projected total caps in 2050.
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