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BAN KI-MOON
THE SKY IS THE LIMIT
MOHAMED NASHEED
CLEAR AND
PRESENT DANGER
GORDON BROWN
ENGINE OF GROWTH
CLIMATE CHANGE
Copenhagen: seal the deal
Our Planet, the magazine of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
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2 OUR PLANET SEAL THE DEAL
Ban Ki-Moon : The sky is the limit page 6
Describes the opportunities, as well as the threats, posed by climate change.
also
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON : Taking responsibility and taking action page 20
books page 4 Describes the United States commitment to combating climate change.
reflections page 5
people page 14
products page 22
YVO DE BOER : Decisive moment page 23
awards and events page 26 Sets out the requirements for success in Copenhagen.
www page 33
star PAGE 34
reflections
Through the UNEP Finance Initiative, insurers, banks and
investors have been mobilized to foster investments that move
markets towards low-carbon companies.
The sky is
the limit
Towards the end of September, as As its impacts increase, it threatens
more than 100 Heads of State and to deliver personal tragedy and
Government gathered in New York social and economic turmoil across
to consider their response to climate the globe.
change, nearly four million people
in Kenya the home of the UN This was the message I delivered to
Environment Programme stood world leaders at UN Climate Change
in urgent need of food aid. Across Summit. I told them that the worlds
Ban Ki-Moon
the Horn of Africa, 24 million people leading scientists warn that we have
Secretary-General of the were dependent on food assistance. less than ten years to halt the rise
United Nations As the Kenyan Nobel Peace in global greenhouse gas emissions
Prize laureate Wangari Maathai to avoid the worst-case scenarios
noted at the time, insecurity and projected by the Intergovernmental
environmental mismanagement play Panel on Climate Change. I called
a significant role, but climate change on the leaders of the industrialized
provides an overarching backdrop. countries to take significant first
6 OUR PLANET SEAL THE DEAL
steps forward so that others would how creative and ambitious our
A deal in Copenhagen
take bold measures of their own, mitigation efforts, the fact remains
and I asked leaders from developing can that we have started processes
countries to accelerate their own and must that may take decades or more to
efforts. If we are to beat the provide the policy slow and reverse. Climate change
climate challenge all countries must is upon us. It will affect the most
signals needed to
do more now. vulnerable nations first and worst.
deliver it. At the September climate summit
The consequences of failure are It must also support world leaders discussed a fast-track
chilling to contemplate. Climate adaptation, funding mechanism for adaptation,
change threatens markets, economies as well as a $100 billion per annum
for no matter how
and development gains. It can fund that would support mitigation
deplete food and water supplies, creative and ambitious and adaptation needs over the next
provoke conflict and migration, our mitigation efforts, decade.
destabilize fragile societies and even the fact remains
topple governments. Hyperbole? Instead of suffering the impacts
that of climate change, developing
Not to the impoverished pastoralists
of northern Kenya or the increasingly we have started countries, such as those in East
beleaguered farmers of California. processes that may take Africa, can be part of the solution.
Not to the citizens of the Maldives, decades or more Kenya, for example, has abundant
already wondering how long they geothermal resources that can be
will have a country, or the tens of
to slow and reverse. harnessed to generate electricity
millions of people in cities as far that can power an electrification
apart as Shanghai and New Orleans, energy. Policy specialists are programme that could underpin
Amsterdam and Karachi, who face considering the impact of energy significant progress towards its
inundation as seas rise. Not to the subsidies and the potential of Millennium Development Goal
hundreds of millions of the worlds carbon markets. targets. It has forested highlands
poorest people who have little that, if protected and restored,
defence against storms, floods and Many government stimulus packages can guarantee the water supplies
droughts that each year seem to get devised in the wake of the global its cities, agriculture and tourism
more intense. economic downturn feature a strong industry need. The story is the same
green component. Countries such elsewhere in Africa. Rwanda has
According to the UN Office for as China, the United States and my substantial methane reserves and
the Coordination of Humanitarian own country, the Republic of Korea, has chosen to invest heavily in green
Affairs, climate-related disasters have recognized that by working to growth. The Democratic Republic
drove 20 million people from their reduce greenhouse gas emissions of Congo is working with the World
homes last year, nearly four times as we can also boost job creation and Bank to generate hydropower that
many as were displaced by conflicts. kick-start the industries of the could in theory supply much of
Such statistics demonstrate that future. Other countries are looking Europe. Similar schemes to harness
climate change is the pre-eminent at the vast potential of forests and the solar energy potential of the
geopolitical issue of our era. It is a other ecosystems to soak up carbon Sahara are also under consideration.
food crisis, a humanitarian crisis and emissions. Scientists, entrepreneurs
a financial crisis rolled into one. and policymakers around the globe With imagination, the sky is
are realizing that there are almost the limit. We must harness the
Yet, it is also an opportunity. As limitless possibilities to mitigate political will needed to overcome
realization dawns that business as climate change and promote inertia and realize these and other
usual is no longer an option, the sustainable prosperity. Given the transformative changes. There is
worlds best minds are working right incentives, a green economy is only one change we should fear
overtime to find creative solutions. within our grasp. climate change. That is why I will
Geo-engineers are looking to white keep climate change at the top of
roofs to cool cities and algae to A deal in Copenhagen can and my priority list until we have an
absorb carbon. Entrepreneurs are must provide the policy signals ambitious, fair and comprehensive
racing to capitalize on the growing needed to deliver it. It must also political solution to the defining
demand for clean and renewable support adaptation, for no matter challenge of our generation.
OUR PLANET SEAL THE DEAL 7
Deadline
Lars Lkke Rasmussen
Prime Minister of Denmark
Copenhagen
The call for global urgent action on
climate change is loud and clear.
Apathy is not an option. It is my
sincere hope that the world lives
up to its responsibility at the 2009
United Nations Climate Change
Conference (COP15) in December
in Copenhagen and that the
Conference will be remembered
as a landmark event in our efforts
to turn developments around. At
COP15 we have a choice to make.
The moment will be in our hands.
Bruno Perousse/thebiggerpicture
A
convenient truth
Climate change is not impossible to Guyanas contribution to this
overcome. The convenient truth is solution is our forests which
that the natural systems that have cover three quarters of our nation.
developed over millions of years on If we chose aggressively to cut our
this planet offer solutions to it. But in forests and convert the land where
order to take advantage of what we they stand to agriculture or other
Bharrat Jagdeo
have, we first have to be pragmatic commercial activities we could
President of Guyana about the costs that we face to reduce generate hundreds of millions of
emissions, and practical in the ways dollars every year and in the
that we think about and use the process increase climate change,
worlds resources. thus costing the global economy.
Duncan Walker/iStockphoto
its economy through a series of low with an historic opportunity to
-carbon investments. prove that climate change is not
insurmountable. If proposals for
Since the strategy was unveiled, the the Reduction of Emissions from
world has lost an area of forest larger Deforestation and forest Degradation
than my entire country. This has not (REDD) are embraced they will bring
only released more carbon into the benefits that go far beyond simply
atmosphere than every motorized reducing carbon emissions as
vehicle on the planet in the same they will secure freshwater sources,
period, but has also reduced the help protect food security and
Earths ability to remove carbon provide opportunities for economic ... we must make it
from it. development in nations like Guyana. more
The unchecked loss of forests has If the parties have the vision to do
economically prudent
not happened out of malice or this, and agree to provide adequate to keep forests standing
ignorance, but because most of the funding for REDD as well as agreeing than
worlds forested nations have no to deep cuts in emissions from to cut them down.
alternative but to generate income industry, then we will have delivered
by cutting our forests. There is really a message to future generations
only one solution to this we must that we were worthy stewards
make it more economically prudent of this planet.
Clear and
Mohamed Nasheed
present danger
President of the Maldives,
speaks to Our Planet
Why are you, the President of the threaten the Maldives; it threatens As well as being a security
Maldives, such a strong voice on us all. If we cant save the Maldives multiplier, climate change could
combating climate change? today, we cant save Tokyo, New wipe out decades of development
York or Hong Kong tomorrow. in poorer countries and threatens
When you live in the Maldives, fundamental human rights. Left
where the highest point of land is Youve said that climate change is a unchecked, rising temperatures will
no more than 2 metres above the security concern and a human rights submerge low-lying countries and
sea, it is hard to deny that climate issue as well as an environmental one swamp some of the worlds great
change is happening. We experience in what way? coastal cities, killing and displacing
the effects of climate change every millions of people.
day. Climate change is, in part, Climate change is no soft
responsible for coastal erosion on environmental issue. It is The Maldives is taking the lead in
one third of our inhabited islands. increasingly being viewed as a reducing greenhouse gas emissions
This erosion causes a loss of land, hard military threat multiplier. with a plan to reach carbon neutrality
property and contamination of A 2007 report by CNA Corporation, within 10 years. Why is the Maldives
groundwater. a Pentagon-funded think-tank, doing this when it has comparatively
co-authored by a dozen former very low emissions?
Maldivians have lived in these American generals, states that
islands for more than 2000 unless carbon dioxide emissions I am sceptical of the conventional
years. We do not want to trade are rapidly reduced, climate change wisdom that suggests that small,
these beautiful islands for an will: Create sustained natural and developing countries shouldnt cut
environmental refugee camp. humanitarian disasters on a their greenhouse gas emissions.
The defence of the Maldives is my scale far beyond those we see I am also against finger pointing
top priority and we have run out today. These disasters threaten at developed countries. Climate
of time to pass the climate buck to to destabilize entire regions, change is everyones problem and
future generations. foster[ing] the conditions for therefore everyone needs to be part
internal conflicts, extremism and of a global solution.
The Maldives is a front-line state in a movement toward increased
the battle against climate change. authoritarianism and For the Maldives, we know our
But climate change does not just radical ideologies. greenhouse gas emissions are
12 OUR PLANET SEAL THE DEAL
drawn up by British climate and atmosphere was at most 350 parts
energy experts Mark Lynas and per million. Anything higher than
Chris Goodall. The eco-plan that limit, warns Hansen, could seed
proposes that 155 1.5 megawatt wind irreversible, catastrophic effects on
turbines would cover the nations a global scale.
entire electricity usage. Half a
square kilometre of solar panels We are already above that figure
and a biomass power station would the current concentration is 385
provide backup energy. ppm and rising. For the Maldives,
climate change is no vague or distant
The plan also proposes that the irritation but a clear and present
Maldives purchases EU carbon danger to our survival. But the
credits to offset the emissions caused Maldives is no special case; simply
by transport, especially international the canary in the worlds coal mine.
tourist flights. Organic waste can be Neighbouring Asian countries like
used to produce fertilizers and other Bangladesh are already suffering
waste can be incinerated to reduce from saltwater intrusion as seas rise;
pollution and produce electricity. Australia and the American south-
west are enduring epic drought;
You have noted that there is hope, that forests across western North America
global warming can be reversed. What are succumbing to pests which are
has to be achieved to make this happen? multiplying in the growing heat.
And all of this is with temperature
We can solve the climate crisis increases of less than 1 degree
tiny and our environmental efforts but to do this requires radical why On Earth would we be aiming
alone will not stop global warming. action. The G8 Group of industrial for 2 C?
Nevertheless, we have decided to lead nations have pledged to halt global
by example and become the worlds temperatures from rising above The world has the resources and
first carbon-neutral country. In doing 2 C from pre-industrial levels, technological know-how to make
so, we want to put together a survival implying carbon dioxide in the massive cuts in global greenhouse
kit, a carbon-neutral manual that atmosphere will not rise above gas emissions. What is lacking is not
others can replicate, so saving us all 450 parts per million. A couple of scientific knowledge but political will.
from the impending catastrophe. years ago, this goal would have Many politicians are making laudable
been considered laudable. efforts to fight global warming. For
Going carbon neutral is not only Recent scientific studies, coupled the most part, however, politicians
the right thing to do, it also makes with events on the ground, will not act radically unless their
economic sense. Oil supplies now show the 2 C target to be electorates demand radical action.
are running out and oil prices are woefully inadequate.
unpredictable. Renewable energy We need a global movement to force
lessens our dependence on foreign After the rapid Arctic Sea ice melt rapid change. To this end, the United
oil, minimizing uncertainty and in the summer of 2007, scientists Nations has launched a global petition
enhancing energy security. Moreover, realized that global warming that people can sign online, urging
while renewable infrastructure is was happening more quickly world leaders to Seal the Deal on
quite costly, once it is in place the and on a larger scale than they climate change at the Copenhagen
operational costs are lower than fossil had anticipated. Wherever they conference this December. And
fuels because raw materials such as looked high-altitude glaciers, activist organizations such as 350.org
the sun, the wind and the waves are hydrological cycles, the spread are staging big global protests to
free. So renewables offer long-term of mosquitoes they found ensure that the voices of ordinary
cost savings. change happening decades ahead people are heard by the Copenhagen
of schedule. In January 2008, negotiators. Climate change is too
How do you achieve carbon neutrality? James Hansen, one of the worlds important to be left to politicians and
leading climatologists, published a negotiators to solve on their own.
The decision to achieve carbon series of papers showing that the It is everyones responsibility to make
neutrality is based on an eco-plan actual safe limit for carbon in the their voices and votes heard.
OUR PLANET SEAL THE DEAL 13
people
Connie Hedegaard
Yumi Someya
Bill Weihl
Tokyo eco-entrepreneur, Yumi Somera powers vehicles
Bill Weihl is Googles green-energy czar leading the Internet and generates electricity with used cooking oil. In
giants charge into clean power and carbon neutrality. Under the early 1990s her family-owned recycling company
Weihls guidance Google is striding into the renewable-energy together with Hokkaido University produced the
economy. Not only has it reduced its own power consumption worlds first biodiesel derived from the oil cooks throw
by more than 50 per cent, the company has invested hundreds away every day. Today this innovative biofuel, called
of millions of dollars in renewable energy both by providing Vegetable Diesel Fuel (VDF), powers the companys
seed funding to small solar and wind energy start-up companies, used oil collecting vehicles, some of Tokyos buses and
and by supporting a lab of its own researchers. With its power service vehicles, and it also generates electricity at
savings, its use of renewable energy and carefully selected music and cultural events in the city. The exhaust from
carbon offsets, the company has become carbon neutral. In VDF has half the particulate matter of conventional
recognition of his contribution, Weihl, a former professor at diesel, emits no sulfur oxides, and smells more like a
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was named one of kitchen than a car. Someya is a 2009 Time Magazine
Time Magazines 2009 Heroes of the Environment. Hero of the Environment.
Yugratna Srivastava
Engine of growth
Two centuries ago, Britain exploited
its plentiful supplies of coal to
fire an industrial revolution which
transformed it into a global economic
powerhouse. Today, twenty-first
Gordon Brown century Britain will reap the rewards
Prime Minister of the of a new industrial revolution built
United Kingdom of Great Britain on green energy.
and Northern Ireland
Determined again to be at the
forefront of change, the UK is the
worlds largest producer of electricity
from offshore wind; leading a
new wave of nuclear power; and
pioneering the technologies which
make fossil fuels clean.
Why? Because tackling climate of unchecked global warming could goods and services across a wide
change is not only essential to amount to 520 per cent of global range of low-carbon and energy-
preserve the future health of GDP an economic cost in the efficient technologies and in their
the planet; it is also an engine of twenty-first century greater than accompanying infrastructure,
economic growth and prosperity. In the losses caused by the two world construction and service sectors.
the UK and many other countries, wars and Great Depression of the Already larger than defence and
the low-carbon transformation is twentieth century. aerospace combined, the global
already helping to drive recovery environmental sector could by 2015
from the present downturn But what is now even more striking be worth 4.3 trillion and sustain
providing new growth, new jobs, new are the benefits of moving to a low- tens of millions of jobs. A wave of
industries and new export markets. carbon economy. In the first place, innovation will also accompany the
more efficient consumption of energy decarbonization drive. And as
Achieving a new international will bring greater overall productivity, innovations in one area feed into
agreement in Copenhagen is as resources once directed to meet others, the economic potential and
therefore not just an environmental fuel bills are released for investment. benefits will ripple out across the
necessity; it is an economic At the same time the need for low- global economy.
necessity. carbon energy production and
infrastructure will require $26.3 It is unsurprising, therefore, that over
The costs of climate change are trillion of investment up to 2030, the last year governments across the
now understood. Three years ago, according to estimates from the world have made green investment
the Stern Report I commissioned International Energy Agency. This a major part of their economic
concluded that the economic damage in turn will create huge markets for stimulus packages.
UN General Assembly President Ali Treki, addressing world leaders at the United
10
Percentage cut between 2006 and 2008 in
Nations Summit on Climate Change in September 2009 Chinas energy use per unit of gross
domestic product
Hindustan Times
Climate changes such as rising sea levels, floods, droughts, hurricanes and
other changed weather patterns are threatening not only hard-won progress in
the battle against poverty, but the existence of entire nations. 23,000,000
People facing severe hunger due to climate
change-exacerbated drought in East
Africa Oxfam UK
John Rowe, CEO of Exelon, an electric utility company, in a speech at the national
conference of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy
4
Number of days in which it would take a
typical British person to equal the
Putting a price on carbon is essential, because it will force us to do the cheapest
annual carbon emissions of someone
things, like energy efficiency, first. in Tanzania
Times Online
WWF International Director General, James Leape, at a survey launch on the margins of
the climate change negotiations in Bangkok in September 2009 60
Number of Latin Americas largest cities
expected to be affected by rising
Agreement in Copenhagen coupled with progress on national initiatives will be sea levels over the next 50 years
a signal to investors that REDD can and will succeed, and will ensure forests are Reuters
more valuable standing than cut.
15.2
Potential Arctic warming in degrees Celsius
Kenyan Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, addressing delegates at the UN General Assembly by 2100 The Met Office, UK
in New York in September 2009
60
We are the victims of the rich worlds acts and omissions, and so we do need Percentage of plant species in Europes
large amounts of money in assistance and private sector investment to reverse Alps facing extinction by 2100 due to
the course of events. climate change Treehugger
OUROUR
PLANET
PLANET
PRACTICAL
SEAL THE
ACTION
DEAL 19
Taking
Responsibility
and
Taking Action Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State, USA
Fredrik Skold/Getty Images
Portable hydropower
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A well-Kast light
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events
Environment Forum will take place on 2126
February 2010. The overarching theme for
the meeting will be Environment in the
Speci a l
multilateral system, and this will be broken Session
down into three areas to reflect key topics
on the international agenda: international of the
In a year when global leaders environmental governance and sustainable
GC/GMEF
UNEP Sasakawa Prize
meet for the most important development; the green economy; and
climate conference since 1997, biodiversity and ecosystems. In addition to
the 20092010 Sasakawa Prize government ministers, UN heads and leaders form trade unions, civil society
is appropriately themed Green and business will also attend.
Solutions to Combat Climate
Change. The Prize honours www.unep.org
deserving laureates in the
sustainable development field. The
The 2010 International Year of Biodiversity will be launched in Paris on
2010 International Year of
Biodiversity
winners also receive a cash prize of
21 January 2010. It is an opportunity for the entire world to recognize the
$200,000 to enable the growth and
importance of biodiversity for all life on Earth, reflect on our achievements
replication of their groundbreaking
to safeguard biodiversity and focus on the urgency of our challenge to
initiatives. The 20092010 prize
reduce the rate of biodiversity loss. Through activities around the world
will be awarded in February at the
during the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity and beyond, the global
meeting of UNEPs Governing Council.
community will work together to ensure a sustainable future for us all.
www.unep.org/sasakawa
www.cbd.int/2010
UNEP
SASAKAWA
ENVIRONMENT PRIZE
www.time.com/time
Remember
the grass roots
Climate change is a poverty issue. about 70 million people will face the growing effects of climate change
It is the poorest of the world who risk of coastal flooding because of being experienced in rural areas
are the most vulnerable to its sea level rise by 2080 and there will will certainly increase it. The urban
impacts and who will be hardest be a significant increase in health poor generally live in informal
hit and yet they did not cause it. impacts. The most vulnerable the settlements with limited access
Global solutions must therefore poor and, especially, women will to clean water, decent housing and
be pro-poor. bear the brunt . electricity often in the most
environmentally degraded and
Up to 2 billion people live in Rural and coastal African unsafe areas, particularly vulnerable
extreme poverty worldwide. In communities largely depend to frequent flooding, spreading of
sub-Saharan Africa alone about on natural resources for their diseases and, in some regions, fires.
314 million people one in every livelihood, and these will be
two live on less than a dollar threatened by climate change. Climate change is thus an economic
a day: a third of Africas people Agriculture and fisheries and humanitarian, as well as an
suffer from malnutrition, less than which are already on the edge of environmental, crisis. So African
half have access to health care survival in many parts of Africa countries are justified in calling
and over 300 million cannot get will become even less viable. on developed nations to take
safe water. Fewer than a quarter Even minor changes to rainfall the lead by drastically reducing
of African households have access patterns and increased severity of their domestic emissions and by
to electricity. Climate change droughts and floods threaten providing funding, technology
will worsen existing poverty and food security and livelihoods. and capacity-building support
vulnerabilities, particularly in to developing countries to build
countries heavily dependent on African cities are growing rapidly. climate resilience and take
natural resources. The urban population grew tenfold actions to reduce emissions.
from 30.7 million to 309.6 million They argue that developed
The Intergovernmental Panel on between 1950 and 2000: by 2025 countries should bear the historical
Climate Change shows that the more than half of the continents responsibility for the global
threats to Africa are severe. It is population will be living in towns warming problems we face today,
expected that agricultural yields and cities. that developing countries have the
will decrease by 50 per cent by 2050, right to develop and that sharing
75250 million people will be Migration to cities is largely driven the remaining atmospheric space
exposed to increased water stress, by the hope of survival, and the should provide for this.
28 OUR PLANET SEAL THE DEAL
Peter Sherrard/Getty Images
Yet while developed nations must the planet first, promote sustainable demonstrate a different approach to
take the lead in the transition to growth and development and growth and development and value
a low emission future, it is critical aim at eradicating poverty and and measure progress differently,
for developing ones especially ending inequality. Investing in rather than by GDP alone. A just
in Africa not to be left behind. renewable energy, for example, transition to a low-emission economy
African leaders and decisionmakers would not only provide access to would lay the basis for this. We all have
should not believe that they need the clean electricity, but create jobs, to take responsibility for the future.
current dominant economic growth provide business opportunities and even if developed countries have the
model of the developed world to deal improve everyones quality of life. historical responsibility to provide
with their countries development Empowering local communities leadership. This generation has the
challenges. We should learn from and building local economies would moral and ethical responsibility to
the failures of the existing economic be key features, while drawing on make decisions to secure the survival
system which has increased the gap indigenous knowledge, especially of future generations. Africa must be
between rich and poor worldwide rich in Africa, would be a good part of this: if we cant be a voice for
and placed the planet and its people basis for promoting sustainable the poor and vulnerable, and act on
at risk through unsustainable agricultural practices. their behalf, who else will be?
consumption and production; the
solution is not to be found in using All developing countries, including If a fair, ambitious and binding new
the same model as caused these the least developed, must plan climate deal is not reached, the
problems or by taking a business- for this transition. We need to worlds poorest, especially in Africa,
as-usual approach. It is a false ensure that they all participate in stand to suffer the most.
notion that climate protection is an and benefit from a future green The powerful must keep this
economic disincentive. In reality economy. It is vital that least uppermost in their minds when
there can be no trade-off between developed countries leapfrog to reaching agreements. There is an
the environment and the economy. such a transition and not remain in African proverb: when the elephants
their present poverty trap. fight it is the grass that suffers.
Africa needs to define its own path. Recently a Zambian diplomat made
It can simultaneously deal with the African countries have rightly an interesting observation: the same
dual crises of poverty and climate made adaptation to climate change is true for when elephants make
change by building a low-emission, a priority, but we also have an love the grass still suffers. When
climate-resilient society and important opportunity to set a leaders reach agreement they should
economy. This would put people and new agenda, provide leadership, remember the grass.
forgotten half
& Sustainable Development
cutting forests is only responsible cases, there are laws in place that
for about half of anthropogenic address them and they could delay
global warming, even though it has warming by up to 40 years.
received the most attention from
policymakers deliberating how to A combination of non-CO2 climate
control climate change. mitigation strategies can therefore
help avoid the growing threat of
Aggressively reducing CO2 pollution abrupt and irreversible climate
is essential for a safe climate system, changes. Four such fast-action
but it is not sufficient. Indeed it is strategies are discussed by Nobel
not only just half of the problem, Laureate Dr. Mario Molina and
but the slow half. Carbon dioxide colleagues in a recent paper in
emissions remain in the atmosphere the Proceedings of the National
for centuries or even millennia, so Academy of Sciences reducing
reducing them wont lead to cooling hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, black
for at least a thousand years. We carbon soot and tropospheric ozone,
need to reduce CO2 by 100 per cent and expanding bio-sequestration
by the middle of the century but through biochar.
we need to do more as well.
Rapid growth in the production of
This is where the other half of HFCs synthetic chemicals used
human-caused global warming in air conditioning, refrigeration
comes in the effects of aerosols and in making foams will
and other gases, largely overlooked make them a major contributor to
by policymakers. This is the fast climate change, responsible for up
half that can produce cooling in to 10 per cent of warming by 2050.
days to decades, and the one that Dr. Molina and his colleagues point
may be easier to solve quickly in the out that the Montreal Protocol
near term. It deserves the urgent ozone treaty is ready, willing, and
attention of policymakers. Much able to phase down HFCs, just as it
is already known about how to has done for 96 other chemicals
reduce these pollutants and, in many a process that has already provided
Climate change: Useful Links Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign
www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign/
This page contains links to websites from governments, People, communities, organizations, business and industry, civil society and
international organizations, non-governmental organizations, governments are being encouraged to plant trees and enter their tree planting
businesses, media, and other groups from around the world pledges on this website. The objective is to plant at least one billion trees
to help you research issues related to climate change. We have worldwide each year.
compiled these links from our own review of the vast amount of
information available on the Internet to help you to find the most UNEP-Risoe Centre on Energy, Climate and Sustainable Development
relevant sources for your research. Our Planet magazine does not, http://uneprisoe.org/
however, endorse the viewpoints of any of the groups to which we link, UNEP-Risoe supports UNEP in its aims to incorporate environmental and
and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information posted on development aspects into energy planning and policy worldwide.
these sites. Rather, we hope to provide you with a broad range of opinions
and perspectives. Energy website
www.unep.org/themes/energy/?page=home
www.unep.org Information on UNEPs key activities to address environmental consequences of
energy production and use at the global and regional levels.
Climate change website
www.unep.org/climatechange/
This is UNEPs homepage for climate change, one of our 6 priority areas. It has a Action
depth of information on UNEPs Climate Change Programme, and relevant science,
policy, publications, campaigns, news and events. Unite for Climate
http://uniteforclimate.org/
Seal the Deal Unite for Climate is an entry point into the world of youth action on climate
www.sealthedeal2009.org/ change. Find out how young people are responding to climate change, learn
The UN-led Seal the Deal Campaign aims to galvanize political will and public about their experiences, and join campaigns from around the world.
support for reaching a comprehensive global climate agreement in Copenhagen
in December. Time for Climate Justice
www.tcktcktck.org
Unite to Combat Climate Change This website was launched by a formidable coalition of non-governmental
www.unep.org/unite/ organizations calling themselves the Global Campaign for Climate Action.
This is the website of the United Nations campaign to encourage civil society and
communities around the world to unite and act now to combat climate change. You Control Climate Change
www.climatechange.eu.com
Climate Neutral Network CN Net The European Commissions website provides information about climate
www.unep.org/climateneutral/ change in 21 languages, including tips on how individuals can help bring it
A UNEP initiative to promote global action and involvement in moving towards to under control.
a low-carbon and eventually climate-neutral society.
Global Action Plan
UN-REDD www.globalactionplan.org.uk
www.un-redd.org/ A UK environmental charity that helps households, workplaces, schools and the
REDD reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in wider community to reduce their carbon footprints.
Gateway to the UN systems Work on UNFCCC The United Nations IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Climate change websites
many UN partners on climate change. warming and to cope with temperature consequences.
increases. The Kyoto Protocol is an
The World Tourism Organization addition to this treaty. The website WMO The World Meteorological Organization
www.unwto.org/climate/index.php contains numerous resources for www.wmo.int/pages/about/index_en.html
A climate change and tourism site of this beginners or experts relating to The WMO is the UN systems authoritative voice on
specialized UN agency. climate change and the UNFCC. the state and behaviour of the Earths atmosphere.
OUR PLANET SEAL THE DEAL 33
ZXHUO U
N
She may be one of the
best-loved actresses
in the most populous
country on Earth, but
Zhou Xun is not above
her own brand of direct
grassroots green action.
She likes to recall how she has twice given an earful to interested in the environment for many
complete strangers who she saw throwing rubbish out of their years but became aware of the extent
car windows. How they reacted after being shouted at by one of of the crisis through Al Gores film,
Chinas most famous faces is not recorded, but they are unlikely An Inconvenient Truth, and through Live
to have forgotten the experience. Earth, a chain of concerts beginning in July
2007 to call attention to climate change.
In fact Zhou, who now spends much of her time encouraging
people to reduce their carbon footprints through simple changes of Degradation of the environment is the
lifestyle, believes in starting with herself. She caused a stir, after same as a person getting an incurable
being appointed a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) disease, she says. But most people consider
Goodwill Ambassador, by promising to give up baths and wearing environmental consciousness and global
fur. And she does not stop there. warming to be distant from their daily routine.
Nobody wants to leave their children with
If the light is on, I switch it off, she told Our Planet. When I wash fewer trees and less-reliable rivers. So why sit
my face or clean my teeth, I use little water. I start drying my hair and wait for others to move?
with a towel and then blow dry, instead of using the drier when it
is still wet. These may seem like odds and ends, but every bit of Thus she spends much of her time promoting tips
energy saving counts. There is no limit to the possibilities. for green living through Our Part, a campaign
she runs jointly with UNDP. She urges people to
She takes her own chopsticks, mugs and shopping bags with her use less water, leave computers on standby, and
wherever she goes and tells how, on her last film set she insisted turn off lights, to wear (currently very trendy)
that the whole crew also abandon disposables. She says she organic cotton clothing, buy green products
now walks or bicycles where possible, rather than using her car wherever possible, and make reusable bags your
and driver, and offsets her emissions when she does end up new best friend.
burning petrol.
Zhou, who will be the Green Ambassador for next
She plants three trees for every 200 km of her car travel and years World Expo in Shanghai, points out that if
is planting another 238 to offset the massive 149,483 km every car-owning family in China drove just 200
she flew last year. But should she be flying at all? It is very km less in a year, carbon dioxide emissions would be
difficult for me not to take flights because my schedule is so cut by a whopping 460,000 tons and adds: With
tight, she answers. Today Im in Beijing, tomorrow Ill be in 300 million TV sets and 500 million mobile phones
Shanghai and, after that, Ill have to fly to Hong Kong. in China alone, unplugging appliances can make
a difference.
The 35-year-old daughter of a film projectionist in Quzhou,
a city of some 2 million people south-west of Shanghai, She concludes: Environmental protection is the
Zhou has become the most decorated performer in the responsibility of everybody and a little effort from all will
country, with seven best actress or best supporting go a very long way. But, as it happens, she stops short
actress awards to her name. She says she has been of advising people to shout at strangers.