Global coordination and national action are vital in addressing the dangers of global climate change, writes Maher Nasser* At long last the world appears to be waking up to the reality that human activity is contributing to changes that are affecting the earth's climate and subsequently the planet's delicate ecosystems and overall environment. Much credit for this goes to a series of scientific findings and reports by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), expert groups, environmental advocates and the secretary-general of the United Nations. The IPCC was recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its climate change awareness efforts. Earlier this month Mr Ban Ki-moon was the first UN secretary-general to visit Antarctica as part of an official trip to South America and the frozen continent to take a firsthand look at efforts to combat climate change and deforestation. Visiting Antarctica, Mr Ki-moon said that he was greatly disturbed by the changes he saw. With glaciers on King George Island having shrunk by 10 per cent, Antarctica appears to be on the verge of catastrophe. Recent studies have shown that 138 tons of ice is now being lost every year, mostly from the Western Ice Shelf. Scientists told the visiting secretary-general that the entire Western Antarctic Ice Shelf (WAIS) is at risk. The WAIS is all floating ice and represents one fifth of the entire continent. If it were to break up, sea levels could rise by six meters or 18 feet. Such developments ought to alarm us all, stressed Secretary-General Ki-moon during his visit. Scientists working in Antarctica warned the secretary-general that visible changes in Antarctica would soon be felt elsewhere in the world. The urgency in ringing alarm bells on climate change comes from the need to reduce the carbon footprint associated with human activity and the short time left to reach and ratify a new convention to succeed the Kyoto protocols, which contains legally binding targets for reducing such emissions but expires in 2012. As part of the build-up process for the major climate change conference to take place in early December in Bali, Indonesia, a high level meeting focusing on climate change was organised by the UN in New York on 24 September 2007. The high level meeting was attended by more than 150 member states including 80 represented at the level of head of state or government. High on this meeting's agenda were issues of adaptation, mitigation, technology and financing. Discussions included steps needed to reduce emissions, implement early warning systems, adopt renewable energy and environment friendly technologies and pool financial resources to help developing countries cope with climate change without undermining prospects for development. While the meeting recognised the importance of national adaptation programmes, a global framework for action was deemed indispensable. The meeting also stressed the need for public-private partnerships as well as agreement on long-term goals and legally binding targets. With many technological solutions dealing with adaptation and mitigation already available, the challenge remains in creating efficient policy frameworks and cooperation mechanisms to accelerate their deployment. The IPCC's latest report launched on 17 November 2007 highlighted the necessity for states to go to Bali with an open mind and willingness to reach agreement on a new protocol to succeed Kyoto that sufficiently addresses the challenges ahead. During the September high-level meeting, member states were also told by Secretary-General Ki- moon that the highest burden was on industrialised countries and that all must collectively place the highest value on action. This sentiment was also reflected in the statement by Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, who called for "the recognition by the international community of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities" as the basis for global collective action. The minister stressed that this was an issue of priority for Egypt being among those most vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change. While there appears to be no single economically and technologically feasible solution to climate change today, research and development of non-carbon emitting energy technologies is needed to arrive at feasible alternatives in the long run. This is essential not only for finding "clean" energy sources, but also because such information is necessary to change long-term policy on energy and to encourage investment in alternative resources. In the medium term, much can be done by deploying already existing technologies, such as solar energy and wind power. In Egypt, a remarkable example is the Zafarana Wind Park project, which was established as a joint venture between Egypt, Germany and Denmark. According to the UN Environment Program, the application of renewable energy has grown steadily over the last 25 years. However, despite this expansion, modern renewable energy technologies account for less than five per cent of global power sector capacity. Widespread adoption of renewable energy is limited by policy, regulatory and financial barriers and gaps. While the Kyoto Protocol and ongoing UN initiatives attempt to enhance policy coordination at an international level, regulatory environmental policy frameworks are much more prevalent on a national level. One example is the National Biodiesel Programme in Brazil. It was created with the intent of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by progressively increasing the share of bio-diesel content in diesel fuel. From zero use in 2006, the goal is to have at least three per cent of bio-diesel added to fossil diesel by 2008 and five per cent by 2012. Meanwhile, countries such as Japan and Denmark both have "green" taxation plans for automobiles, providing tax relief for low polluting vehicles. A different kind of carbon taxation was implemented in New Zealand. As of 2007, firms and industries that as a result of the carbon tax face significant competitiveness problems vis-à-vis producers in countries with less stringent climate change policies are eligible to receive full or partial exemption from the tax in exchange for moving to world best practices in emissions management. On a regional level, the EU Greenhouse Gas Emission Trading Scheme of 2005 is the first international trading system for carbon dioxide emissions and concerns about half of the carbon emissions in the EU. Allocations of emissions allowances are done on the basis of historical emission trends, expected production levels and respective carbon dioxide emission reduction commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. Fundamental change towards environment friendly behaviour on a macro-level is closely intertwined with behavioural patterns on a micro-level. Despite our knowledge about climate change, few of us think about the long-term consequences every time we take the car instead of walking or using public transport, or taking a bath when a quick shower would do. Sustainable solutions to climate change need to be supplemented by changes in lifestyle and behaviour patterns in the private sphere. Governments influence behaviour through the examples they set. If consumers are asked to become more environmental friendly, governments have to show a serious and unequivocal intention to do the same. The key is sustainable spending through government procurement policies that include environmental as well as social considerations. * The writer is director of the UN Information Centre in Cairo.
