Greensolutions Expo, Cancún

By Björn Stigson *

CANCÚN, Dec 7, 2010 (IPS/TerraViva) – While negotiators in Cancún are struggling to make progress there is something interesting happening in the world. And it is good news. Countries have started to recognize and act upon the economic value in meeting the demand for green technology.

As a result there is “Green Race” emerging towards a more resource efficient economy. This presents huge opportunities for national and international economies which are recognised not only by business but also by countries.

More and more countries are taking note of this Green Race and start participating with serious ambitions. Take for example the recent speech by U.S Energy Secretary Steven Chu. He labeled the success of China and other countries in clean energy industries a new “Sputnik Moment” for the United States which requires a similar mobilization of America’s innovation machine so that it can compete in the global race for the jobs of the future.

“When it comes to innovation, Americans don’t take a back seat to anyone – and we certainly won’t start now,” said Secretary Chu. “From wind power to nuclear reactors to high speed rail, China and other countries are moving aggressively to capture the lead. Given that challenge, and given the enormous economic opportunities in clean energy, it’s time for America to do what we do best: innovate.”

The European Union, under the direction of the new Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, has also changed their approach to climate change. They are now putting forward the Green Race arguments – the EU should act on climate change to protect its economic interests, jobs and economic growth. This is a clear shift from the “moral crusade” for global climate actions which sidelined the EU at COP15 in Copenhagen.

Leveraging New Technology

In the next 40 years the global population is expected to increase to 9 billion, and, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), reducing carbon emissions effectively will require investments in low-carbon technologies of approximately $750 billion per year by 2030, and more than $1.6 trillion per year from 2030 to 2050.

About 70 percent of the reductions needed could be achieved with existing technologies, but there is also a requirement to create new technologies.  At the current rate, global low-carbon technologies are not progressing fast enough to keep up with the challenges of global climate change.

With this urgency in mind I must admit to being somewhat puzzled to see that in Cancún governments are debating a new international Technology Mechanism to help transfer and deploy technologies to developing countries and ignoring that a global  solution already is in place – it’s called business.

We develop, deploy and transfer technologies on a massive scale every day. Governments should try to further our ability to do this rather than try to duplicate the work of business. Current negotiations should aim to enhance this system and to ensure that there are specific incentives put in place so the poorest countries can also benefit from these investments. They should not try to replace or duplicate it.

Trillions of dollars are needed to achieve the goals of emissions reductions and stabilization of the climate, nevertheless, it is not a lack of funds that is holding investment back, but mobilising financing dollars into circulation.

What Needs to Happen

The leading economies of the world have “seen the writing on the wall” – if they want to be a leading economy tomorrow, they must be able to supply resource-efficient, non polluting systems, products and services as of today.

And, to succeed a transformation of their domestic markets is needed to build demand, capabilities and scale. This level of change can only be achieved in a new partnership between governments and business. Market forces alone are not strong enough to achieve such massive transformation. We need help from supportive regulatory frameworks to stimulate demand for new products and services.

During COP 16, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) released a report called “Innovating for green growth: Drivers of private sector RD&D”.

The report demonstrates that the Green Race between countries and companies offers significant opportunities for businesses to invest in the fast-growing, low-carbon technology market. It offers suggestions to governments on how to leverage research, development and demonstration (RD&D) to drive private sector investments.

Focusing on these recommendations will help ensure acceleration of innovative low-carbon technologies that will be the foundation to any global agreement.

Countries will ultimately determine the playing field, but they cannot achieve success without business as the partner which provides the bulk of the solutions. That isn’t to say business can continue to sit idly by, the private sector has been lacking in action as a result of the financial crisis. When it’s given the appropriate triggers, business must and will spring to life.

* Björn Stigson is President of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. This column is part of a series of opinion articles and interviews about corporate social and environmental responsibility, supported by Anheuser-Busch InBev. COPYRIGHT IPS.

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Gunter Pauli, author of "The Blue Economy"

Gunter Pauli *

THIMPHU, Dec 6, 2010 (IPS/TerraViva) – A decade ago HM Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, the Queen of Bhutan visited the ZERI pavilion at the World Expo in Hannover, the largest bamboo building in modern times, constructed with a German building permit.

The Pavilion demonstrated new emerging business models, proven to work in Colombia, Brazil, Namibia, and Sweden. As the driving force behind these innovative development models, Her Majesty thought I should come to Bhutan.

I came and was enchanted with the country, its people. I was impressed with the visionary approach of HM Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth King who not only brought democracy to his Himalayan Kingdom, but who stated early in his reign that happiness is more important than growth.

That vision is now known to the world as Gross National Happiness (GNH). There is no doubt, a nation that enshrines forest protection into the constitution, and establishes every citizen’s right to traditional medicine, embraces a different type of development.

On top of that, the government banned the sale of cigarettes and the use of plastic bags. However, the pressure to grow is high, unemployment poses a new challenge, and access to satellite television and internet entices many to emulate a consumption model desiring junk food that recently has been subjected to a special tax.

After crossing the country from West to East, four extended visits enriched by dialogues with government, private sector, and civil society, I submitted a portfolio of possible initiatives “to grow and be happy”.

Based on my experience in creating initiatives that respond to people’s needs, with what they have, I designed businesses that go beyond cutting costs, and rather generate more value, especially for remote rural communities.

And one of the core values is happiness. A portfolio of 6 top projects emerged, each based on a benchmark somewhere in the world, inspired by pioneers who have demonstrated a sense for competitiveness while having the capacity to reach out to the unreached.

These opportunities offer a platform for entrepreneurship, job generation and investments, provided the government creates the policies to make this happen.

Working sessions with the Prime Minister and his colleagues lead to the formulation of government resolutions to set the stage for implementing this GNH portfolio backed up by an independent GNH Fund.

The Prime Minister’s goal that Bhutan will revert to 100% organic farming, forever. As a first step to achieve that goal, he wishes to decree that all food served in restaurants and hotels must be certified organic.

This guarantees higher income to farmers. The second policy option may even do better: turn Bhutan into the first country committed to bioplastics. An inspirational encounter between HM the Queen with Dr. Catia Bastioli, the founder of Novamont (Italy), who is already converting agro-waste of 600 Italian farmers into bioplastics, set the stage for a promising collaborative effort.

Bhutan said no to plastic bags. Now it says yes to bioplastics made from left-overs which after use, are composted and returned to soil.

The rise of petroleum imports is hurting the Bhutanese balance of payments. The Prime Minister already declared that the country will be carbon negative. Now he is prepared to commit to eliminate all use of fossil fuel.

He is inspired by the pioneering work of Las Gaviotas, Colombia. Las Gaviotas taps pine trees, and generates all the fuel it needs. Bhutan has a 72% forest cover. We can imagine an army of “happy tappers”, generating fuel from the trees.

The capital city of Thimphu, and emerging urban centers are struggling with an increasing flow of black water, a danger to public health and costly to treat. The Prime Minister is ready to turn Bhutan into the first country committed to eliminate septic tanks, sewage and water treatment.

Instead, Bhutan wishes to opt for the Swedish technology proven to work in homes, schools, apartment blocks and city quarters by the architect Anders Nyquist in Sundsvall. This “dry” approach, that does not smell at all, eliminates viruses at source, recycles water on site, regenerates nutrients and is cheap.

Each policy decision proposed is backed by technologies, competitive business models, investment opportunities, … based on the Blue Economy, a development model that does not require anyone to pay more to be sustainable.

Everyone in the government read my book with the same title, now I realize the power of publishing! These policy decision made on December 7, 2010 inspired me to create the GNH fund with local partners. Over 100 personalities signing a letter of support go beyond the clapping hands and tapping shoulders.

We are delighted to advance on an investment rather an aid strategy and expect the fund will be operational by Spring 2011. Imagine if the big neighboring countries would opt for the same strategy.

* Gunter Pauli author of “The Blue Economy” and entrepreneur. (COPYRIGHT IPS)

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Wangari Maathai

By Wangari Maathai *

NAIROBI, Dec 4, 2010 (IPS/TerraViva) – 2010 A year after much touted climate change summit in Copenhagen, country negotiators from around the world are together again to work out an international response to climate change.

While many believe we should lower our expectations for this year’s climate change summit being held in Cancun, this would be a mistake. As global temperatures rise, so do the challenge’s for the world’s poorest citizens­women, especially those living in developing countries.

Women are living on the frontlines of climate change, and are ready to be active partners in dealing with climate change. The negotiations in Cancun should be an opportunity to empower women and make concrete commitments that will turn some promises of earlier negotiations into a fair, binding and legal document.

From food shortages to forest degradation and new and more complex health risks, as well as an increased likelihood of conflict over resources, the impacts of climate change threaten to further jeopardize the lives of women and girls.

But just as many women are bearing the greatest burden of climate change because of their role as providers for their families, it is women who are developing the solutions that will save our world from the impacts of global warming.

Take, for example, the challenge of ensuring our world shifts to a “low carbon” future. The success of investment in developing states to circumvent development reliant on fossil fuels depends on local co-operation, and capacity on the ground. This is where women are key.

Through its green technology initiative in India, the Self Employed Women’s Association has helped provide over 150,000 women with microcredit and training required to take advantage of new green technology. While the developed world talks about action, women from the poorest sectors of India’s economy are cutting carbon emissions by ending their reliance on coal, re-using forms of solid waste and promoting the merits of alternative energy.

Similarly, in regions where women are able to be decision makers over land-use and resources, they are proving to be a positive force for sustainable change. With women at the forefront, the Green Belt Movement in Kenya has planted ten of millions of trees to restore local habitats and reduce fuel wood reliance on precious finite forest resources.

In Malawi, women farmers have joined together in ‘farmers’ clubs’ where they share information on seeds and cultivation techniques that are able to adapt to the degradation of soil and changes in rainfall patterns caused by global warming. This reduces their vulnerability to climate change induced drought and prolonged crop failure.

But it is not just women in the developing word who are taking on the challenge of climate change. As the research from North America, Europe and India demonstrates, women around the world demonstrate greater scientific knowledge of climate change, show more concern and are more willing to adopt policies that are designed to address global warming.

Internationally, women leaders are at the forefront of a global civil society network working to hold government, international institutions, and the private sector to account for their promises on climate action.

Yet despite their willingness to take political and individual action, entrenched inequality between men and women continues to pose a critical obstacle to global efforts to address climate change.

The most fuel-efficient stove ever produced will do little to bring an end to deforestation or reduce carbon emissions if women do not have access to the training required to use it, micro-credit needed to buy it or the financial freedom to control household expenditure. For example, it was shown that in Zimbabwe in the 1990s solar cooking stoves failed to be adopted largely because men objected to women purchasing or learning how to use the new devices.

In many parts of the world women do not own collective or individual title to the land from which they live. This lack of control means they are less able to implement sustainable agriculture or adapt forest management strategies that contribute to climate change mitigation as their voices are not heard when decisions are made. It also impedes their ability to participate effectively in programs such as REDD+, which offers financial incentives for reducing emissions from deforestation.

REDD+ will only work if policy makers are willing to learn from grassroots women. One of the key lessons is that focusing on carbon as the sole measure of the success of a climate change project has the potential to derail international efforts to combat climate change. Moving forward, we need to also take into consideration community rights to land and carbon, the livelihoods of people in communities, and issues related to governance.

Women need to be part of the decision making process. At present women are vastly under-represented in decision-making roles. In March this year, when UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced a climate finance panel expected to mobilize $100 billion dollars a year to help those most affected by climate change, the 19-person panel did not include a single woman.

This is unacceptable. Not only should women be represented on a climate change finance panel. As well, every effort possible must also be made to ensure that women have access to the education, training and finances needed to adopt sustainable technologies and participate in the green economy.

Women and girls also need the land and resource rights to implement progressive forestry or agricultural practices. Last and certainly not least, women need the basic democratic rights that will enable them to vote for and promote green policies at the local, national and international level.

Citizens everywhere are waiting for real action on climate change. If the international community is serious about addressing climate change, it must recognize that women are a fundamental part of the climate solution.

* Wangari Maathai won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her work on the environment and democratic participation in Kenya. She and her five sisters Nobel Peace Laureates created the Nobel Women’s Initiative in 2006 to work on human rights and climate justice. (IPS COPYRIGHT)

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Maurice Strong

Por Maurice Strong *

BEIJING, 29 nov (IPS/TerraViva) – Como el Ártico se convirtió en preocupación de la opinión pública mundial recientemente, nos falta mucho para comprender la verdadera naturaleza y la magnitud de los cambios que están afectando al Ártico.

Aunque no soy un experto en esa región, sentí un profundo interés en el Ártico desde que trabajé entre 1945 y 1949 para la Hudson’s Bay Company en su factoría de Chesterfield Inlet, ubicada al sur del Círculo Ártico, en el norte de Canadá.

Mi estrecha relación con el pueblo inuit en aquellos años y lo que aprendí de ellos fueron los cimientos de mi interés por el ambiente. No podía sino maravillarme de que este pueblo resistente e ingenioso, gracias a su propia cultura y su modo de vida, fuera capaz de vivir y de prosperar durante milenios en uno de los climas más adversos del mundo.

Pero también me entristecía ver su vulnerabilidad ante la modernización, que ya entonces estaba socavando el tradicional modo de vida de esta pequeña población dispersa sobre un vasto territorio. Cuando Canadá se convirtió en una nación, los inuit formaron parte de ella. En realidad vivieron al margen de la sociedad canadiense, con exigua influencia política en un país del que eran cada vez más dependientes.

Hoy debemos considerar a los inuit y a otros pueblos del norte como la primera línea en los cambios que están transformando radicalmente la naturaleza, y valorizar nuestras percepciones sobre el aporte de estos pueblos para Canadá y el mundo.

Es positivo que la reciente declaración oficial sobre la política exterior canadiense reconozca que nuestra reivindicación de soberanía sobre el Ártico debe mucho a la presencia allí de los inuit y de otros pueblos indígenas desde tiempos inmemoriales.

La declaración admite los impactos del cambio climático y la necesidad de proteger el ambiente en el Ártico y de preparar a la región para su adaptación a mudanzas climáticas ya irreversibles. Este es un viraje bienvenido en la posición que Ottawa ha tenido en estas cuestiones. Más vale tarde que nunca, pero, por supuesto, el movimiento se demuestra andando.

Los recursos biológicos del Ártico, tanto terrestres como marinos, son especialmente vulnerables. La minería, el petróleo y la construcción de oleoductos tienen impactos que pueden ser evaluados y regulados.

Pero los impactos del cambio climático tienen su origen fuera del Ártico y están más allá del control de Canadá y de otras naciones y requieren un grado de cooperación internacional sin precedentes.

Las pruebas científicas han puesto en claro que el Ártico es particularmente susceptible a esos impactos y puede convertirse en una fuente de ellos.

La descongelación de los hielos permanentes puede liberar grandes cantidades de metano que a su vez contribuirá al calentamiento global. Incluso pequeños cambios en la temperatura pueden provocar migraciones tanto de especies terrestres como marinas, afectando a otras. Ha suscitado mucha atención la grave situación de los osos polares ante la reducción de los bancos de hielo que son su hábitat.

Un artículo en el periódico de la Academia Nacional de Ciencias de Estados Unidos advierte que la magnitud del cambio climático empeora las perspectivas de extinciones de especies y pone en riesgo a muchas más que actualmente están protegidas.

La política de protección basada en la presunción de que la naturaleza puede ser conservada en santuarios aislados de los efectos de las acciones humanas puede volverse inadecuada para los recursos que se intenta proteger.

Se estima que las extinciones que es capaz de provocar el cambio climático pueden alcanzar a 1/3 de todas las especies, incluyendo plantas, vertebrados, hongos y microbios, todas las cuales están en el Ártico.

Aunque podemos ver con satisfacción la cantidad de nuevos parques nacionales y áreas protegidas que hay en nuestro Ártico, ahora advertimos que se debe ir más allá y adoptar un enfoque más completo y radical para la conservación de las especies.

El cambio climático nos obliga a hacer complicadas compensaciones entre los costos y los beneficios de la conservación de recursos biológicos en relación con la explotación de recursos.

La declaración de Canadá también tiene el mérito de poner en claro la necesidad de fortalecer los mecanismos existentes para el gobierno del Ártico, particularmente del Consejo Ártico. Aunque confirma el incremento potencial en materia de desacuerdos y conflictos, y particularmente de desafíos a las reivindicaciones canadienses de soberanía, también sugiere que esas situaciones pueden ser manejadas pacíficamente con los mecanismos existentes.

De todos modos debemos prepararnos para un creciente número y una mayor intensidad de los conflictos, en la medida en que el valor potencial de los recursos del Ártico sea objeto de más y más competencia y otras naciones reivindiquen su derecho de pasaje por sus aguas árticas.

* Maurice Strong fue secretario general de la Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Medio Humano en 1972 y fue el primer director ejecutivo del Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Medio Ambiente (http://www.mauricestrong.net). Derechos exclusivos IPS.

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