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Conclusiones Post Cop 15 Del WBCSD

1. The current approach to climate negotiations, which tries to regulate economic growth through mandatory carbon emissions caps, is bound to fail given differences in living standards globally and developing countries' focus on poverty alleviation. 2. The climate problem is primarily an economic one about sharing costs and benefits, so it can only be resolved by heads of government and finance ministers, not environmental ministers. 3. Actions to improve resource efficiency in energy, water and food make sense as these will grow scarce, posing national security risks; nations must deal with resulting challenges themselves with some global support for vulnerable states.

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62 views

Conclusiones Post Cop 15 Del WBCSD

1. The current approach to climate negotiations, which tries to regulate economic growth through mandatory carbon emissions caps, is bound to fail given differences in living standards globally and developing countries' focus on poverty alleviation. 2. The climate problem is primarily an economic one about sharing costs and benefits, so it can only be resolved by heads of government and finance ministers, not environmental ministers. 3. Actions to improve resource efficiency in energy, water and food make sense as these will grow scarce, posing national security risks; nations must deal with resulting challenges themselves with some global support for vulnerable states.

Uploaded by

inesmanzano
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DEDICATED TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE

World Business Council for Encl. 1


Sustainable Development December 2009 Executive Member Update

The World Post COP15

Some characteristics and conclusions for actions

1. The main problem with the present climate negotiations is that they
indirectly try to regulate economic growth via a mandatory cap on carbon
emissions. In a world with major differences in living standards/quality of
life and where the developing countries are focused on poverty alleviation,
this approach is bound to fail.

Contributing to this is also that yesterday’s, today’s and tomorrow’s major


polluters are not the same.

The equity dilemma of who has got the right to what resources, who is
responsible for what pollution and who is going to pay for what cannot be
resolved in a global negotiation led by environmental ministers. The fact
that environmental ministers are normally the main country
representatives means that the climate problem is seen by governments
as an environmental problem. It has environmental consequences.
However, it is primarily an economic problem about sharing of benefits
and costs in a way which is acceptable to national political constituencies.

2. The UNFCCC negotiations are bringing together the wrong people


(environmental ministers) to try to solve a resource and economic
distribution problem that can only be resolved by heads of
governments/states and finance ministers.

3. The future world is going to be resource and pollution constrained.


The driver is The Growth Story, with 50% more people within 40 years,
inertia for change in the political process, consumer behavior and turnover
of capital stock.
Resource consumption will grow and counteractions to move to a
resource efficient, low pollution world will be slow.

4. It makes sense to drive actions to improve resource efficiency, (energy,


water, food) as these will be scarce and needed. The rationale is that
national security is related to securing the supply for these resources.
These are national issues and the consequences will have to be dealt
with by the nation states.

5. Some countries will not be able to deal with the resource shortages and
therefore will risk destabilization.
Therefore, the global community needs to help avoid failing states, mass
migration and terrorism.

4, chemin de Conches Tel : +41 (22) 839 31 00 E-mail : [email protected]


CH – 1231 Conches-Geneva Fax : +41 (22) 839 31 31 Web: www.wbcsd.org
Switzerland VAT nr. 644 905
WBCSD page 2

6. Climate change is happening but the extent and consequences are


uncertain. We can live with some global warming and adapt to that.
However, at some level of warming the consequences for human life risk
being disruptive.

7. As the most severe consequences pose risks to the global civilization, we


need to insure against these consequences. This means taking actions
that reduce the probability of extreme climate events.

8. How do we do that?
8.1. By focusing on resource efficiency, (in particular energy), natural
carbon sinks (forests and land use) and national actions, with
support for poor countries.
8.2. R&D for taking CO2 out of the air as a potential risk mitigation
measure (CCS, use of CO2). This should be a global cooperation.
8.3. Continued climate research to reduce uncertainties of potential
climate outcomes.

9. Which are the practical management actions needed?


9.1. A correct pricing of resource use.
• Eliminate energy subsidies
• A global carbon price
• Create a value for natural carbon sinks
9.2. Regulations where market mechanisms are not strong enough to
change behavior and investment patterns.
• Buildings (building codes)
• Land transport (fuel efficiency standards)
9.3. National action plans with a limited number of KPI’s (Key
Performance Indicators)
• Energy intensity (energy use/GDP)
• Carbon intensity (CO2 emissions/GDP)
• Forest cover (hectares)
• Land use changes

10. What do we need on a global cross-border level, i.e. what should be part
of a global climate agreement?
11.1 A global ambition level for acceptable global warming
11.2. Inventory of NAMA’s (National Action Plans) based on common
principles / KPI’s
11.3 A global carbon market based on connected national carbon
markets, sectoral and programmatic actions via a global “docking
station” setting out common principles.
11.4. Sectoral roadmaps for technology, energy and carbon intensity.
11.5. Continued climate science research and monitoring
11.6. Global R&D efforts for taking CO2 out of the air and for geo-
engineering.
11.7 Support to developing countries
• Help with NAMA’s
WBCSD page 2

• Establish local carbon markets


• Support to facilitate private sector investments, primarily
risk reduction measures.
11.8. Support for systems solutions
• Energy, water, food, climate
• Urban infrastructure
• Global logistic systems
• The energy system
Fuel mix, grid, renewable.
11.9. Credible long-term signals to investors and providers of financing
that give them sufficient certainty to judge risks and the probability
for acceptable returns on investments.

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