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A chance to kiss and make up in Copenhagen

2009-11-20

Have we lost trust in each other?

Is there a chance can still kiss and make up?

The upcoming climate change conference in Copenhagen is our best chance to reafirm our love for our one and only, cuddly blue marble.

Share the video and help us fight for our planet’s love!

NGO Copenhagen Treaty support documents

2009-11-16

Some voices now say that we have run out of time for a comprehensive climate change deal in Copenhagen; that we should only focus on some of the early action and implementation issues and tackle the politically difficult issues later; that a scientifically-based, comprehensive and ratifiable outcome is not feasible at this point in time; or not necessary.

Our response is: we do not need more time, it is not impossible, what we need is the political will to take the hard, ambitious decisions to reach agreement on a comprehensive and legally binding deal in Copenhagen, in December 2009.

Biodiversity Briefing
In version 1.0 of the Copenhagen Climate Treaty consideration of biodiversity and ecosystems is implicit in the carbon budget and the related targets. More explicitly, biodiversity and ecosystems are referred to in the shared vision, adaptation and reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation sections.

Shipping and Aviation Briefing
This paper describes a change in the approach to international bunker emissions from that taken in Treaty Version 1.0.

ZCAPs Briefing
Version 1.0 of the Treaty proposed that all developed countries, including newly industrialized countries (NICs), submit a Zero Carbon Action Plan (ZCAP) for their country to the proposed Copenhagen Climate Facility.

The Real Deal
A climate deal at Copenhagen is not impossible: we do not need more time, what we need is the political will to take the hard, ambitious decisions to reach agreement on a comprehensive and legally binding deal in Copenhagen, in December 2009.

This document demonstrates that all the core elements are on the table: it is a compilation of text put forth by Parties themselves, taken from the most recent non-papers. Text has been adjusted and edited where it is not ambitious enough, or where linkages are missing, and sorted into a coherent legal framework. In a few cases, it has been supplemented by paragraphs to address gaps in the current non-papers.

Economists fail to account for ‘natural capital’ – report

2009-11-13

Gland, Switzerland: Many economists are failing to assess the value of their countries’ natural resources, putting billion’s of people’s well-being at risk and contributing to catastrophic species loss, according to a new United Nations Environment Programme report.

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity for National and International Policy Makers 2009 (TEEB), released today, states that governments must adopt better accounting systems that measure the true value of natural resources, and integrate them in government decision-making.

WWF welcomed the report, urging governments to heed the call to reform their economic policies to halt the destruction of natural resources.

“Governments need to pay attention to this report and start looking at nature in a more holistic way”, said WWF Director of Global and Regional Policy Gordon Shepherd, “With smarter approaches to economics this can change but right now we are paying for their ignorance.”

Investing in conservation, management and restoration of ecosystems will provide economic returns and services to society that outweigh the immediate monetary returns of unchecked use of natural resources, such as the clear-cutting of forests or overfishing, according to the report.

“We are running down our natural capital stock without understanding the value of what we are losing” the report states.

“Degradation of soils, air, water and biological resources can negatively impact on public health, food security, consumer choice and business opportunities. The rural poor, most dependent on the natural resource base, are often hardest hit,” according to the report.

“The problem is that economists do not give market prices for ecosystem services and biodiversity,” according to the study. “This means that the benefits we derive from these goods (often public in nature) are usually neglected or under-valued in decision-making.” “This in turn leads to actions that not only result in biodiversity loss, but also impact on human well-being.”

The report also makes several recommendations for policy-makers.

They include, for example, that policy must address reforming environmentally harmful subsidies – up to a third of which currently support fossil fuel use – and invest in ‘ecological infrastructure’. The latter “can provide cost-effective opportunities to meet policy objectives, such as increased resilience to climate change, reduced risk from natural hazards, and improved food and water security as a contribution to poverty alleviation.”

In addition, Shepherd said businesses must likewise re-evaluate their use of the natural resources on which they depend to ensure their long-term profits. In doing so, they can be part of the solution to current environmental crises, such as species loss and deforestation.

“Ultimately, this must be a wide-ranging effort to re-evaluate natural resources and it must involve everyone, including private industry, governments, international agreements like the Convention on Biological Diversity, and indigenous and local people,” said Shepherd. “It will take a concerted effort to make our planet healthy again.”

TEEB’s study on The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity was launched by Germany and the European Commission in response to an earlier G8+5 Environment Ministers proposal to develop a global study on economics of biodiversity loss.

Communication Solutions for Low Carbon Cities

2009-11-13

Low Carbon ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Solutions is an umbrella term for the information technology field that can contribute to reductions of CO2 emissions. It includes any communication device or application, encompassing: mobile phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as well as the various services and applications associated with them, such as videoconferencing and m-health.

ICT is often simply referred to as “IT” and solutions that focus on the communication aspect can be called “low carbon communication solutions”.

Talk climate and money, not climate vs money, WWF tells APEC

2009-11-13

Singapore – Leaders gathering in Singapore for the APEC summit this weekend must commit to strong and ambitious climate actions if they want to achieve sustainable growth for their region and help their countries to avoid disastrous consequences of global warming.

The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation – bringing together world leaders like US President Barack Obama, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama – must look beyond the group’s usual areas of interest and focus on the common challenges posed by climate change.

“Solving problems of protectionism, trade zones, banks and exchange rates is very important, but what is all of this worth if the world slips into chaos because of devastating climate change?” said Kim Carstensen, Leader of the WWF Global Climate Initiative.

“APEC leaders must open their eyes and look into the real threats and challenges of this world and their region. We cannot talk about sustainable growth without solving the most intractable problem the planet is facing.”

UN climate talks are floundering due to attempts by some governments to lower expectations for a new treaty and efforts to delay the deal.

The production of a legally binding framework at Copenhagen together with an amended Kyoto Protocol will help secure the survival of countries, cultures and ecosystems and clear the way towards a low carbon economy.

“If APEC countries would tackle the climate crisis with the same rigor they showed in protecting their economies from the financial meltdown, the world wouldn’t have to worry about a lack of political will or insufficient levels of ambition in the UN climate talks”, said Carstensen.

“We urge APEC leaders to bring economic recovery and climate recovery in sync, so that money spent on keeping growth levels high also helps bringing emission levels down.”

In WWF’s view, the Pacific region should become a model of technology cooperation, where developed APEC countries assist their developing country partners with adaptation and mitigation, through clean technologies, financial support and capacity building.

“Many want the APEC region to become a free trade zone, but they should also exploit its potential as a clean tech zone”, said Carstensen.

“There is probably no better regional network of countries in the world for piloting smart concepts for technology cooperation like those discussed in the UN climate talks. To boost the international negotiations, we urgently need pioneers who show what’s possible and how to make it happen.”

Dhaka, Manila and Jakarta top list of Asian cities facing brutal climate future

2009-11-12

Hong Kong – Dhaka, Manila and Jakarta are topping a WWF ranking of the climate vulnerability of 11 major cities in Asia.

As Heads of States gather in Singapore for the APEC summit, WWF says that developed and developing countries must cooperate to prepare these cities for a brutal climate future, highlighting that their vulnerability is yet another compelling reason for a fair, ambitious and binding deal at the Copenhagen Climate Summit in December.

According to Mega-Stress For Mega-Cities, many of the cities analyzed are extremely exposed to threats such as storms and flooding, while huge numbers of people and assets at stake result in worrying levels of socio-economic sensitivity. At the same time, the cities often lack capacity to protect themselves from devastating impacts.

“Climate change is already shattering cities across developing Asia and will be even more brutal in the future”, said Kim Carstensen, Leader of the WWF Global Climate Initiative. “These cities are vulnerable and need urgent help to adapt, in order to protect the lives of millions of citizens, a massive amount of assets, and their large contributions to the national GDP.”

“The APEC summit this week in Singapore provides an opportunity to exploit the true win-win potential offered by low carbon growth strategies for countries in the Asia Pacific region, with benefits for both the economy and the climate.”

The WWF report covers 11 urban centers across Asia, all located in coastal areas or river deltas. Following Dhaka (9 out of 10 possible vulnerability points), other cities at high risk are Manila and Jakarta (8 each), Calcutta and Phnom Penh (7 each), Ho Chi Minh City and Shanghai (6 each), Bangkok (5), and Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Singapore (4 each).

“Asia is urbanizing rapidly, and we can be certain that urban areas will be crucial battlegrounds in the fight against climate change”, said Carstensen.

“Cities are responsible for most of the world’s energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, but they are also pioneers when it comes to developing innovative solutions. We can’t afford to surrender them to climate change. Instead, we must empower them to become change agents and protect both rural and urban areas from devastating impacts.”

The report also includes rankings for sub-categories such as environmental exposure, socio-economic sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Poorer cities often lack sufficient adaptive capacity and generally rank higher in terms of their overall vulnerability.

“Leaders in hotspots of danger like Dhaka, Manila or Jakarta need urgent support from their counterparts in the industrialized world. Effective near-term and long-term adaptation will depend on financial support, technology cooperation, and capacity building”, said Carstensen.

According to WWF, this week’s APEC summit in Singapore provides leaders from developed and developing countries around the Pacific with a great opportunity to boost cooperation on adaptation to climate impacts as well as low carbon economic growth.

“Now we are only a couple of weeks away from the Copenhagen Climate Summit, but so far leaders have failed to clear the way for success next month in Denmark”, said Carstensen.

“APEC is the last chance before Copenhagen for leaders from a number of key countries to show that they really want to protect the planet from climate change.”

Yangtze warned to prepare for more droughts, floods and storms

2009-11-10

• First-ever large-scale report on the Yangtze and climate change adaptation released in Beijing
• Experts recommend taking “no-regrets” adaptation strategies

Beijing, China－ Temperatures across the Yangtze River Basin could increase from 1.5 - 2 Degrees Celsius over the next 50 years, while extreme weather events will also become more frequent, according to the largest river basin climate vulnerability assessment yet done.

The Yangtze River Basin Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Report, released today in Beijing, not only describes the impact of climate change but also offers specific adaptation strategies for the Yangtze.

“Extreme climate events such as storms and drought disasters will increase as climate change continues to alter our planet,” said Professor Xu Ming, the report’s lead researcher.

“Given the complexities and uncertainties associated with climate change, adaptation should firstly consider a ‘no-regrets’ strategy,” which does not require additional cost. If we take the right steps now, adaptation measures will pay for themselves.” he said.

Specific adaptation measures discussed in the report include strengthening existing infrastructure, such as power supply, transportation as well as river and coastal dike reinforcement. Other steps involve promoting Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM), switching to more flexible cropping systems, and reducing human impact on fragile ecosystems.

Data collected from 147 monitoring stations across the 1.8 million km2 river basin points to a 0.33℃ temperature rise during the 1990s. This hotter weather led to a spike in extreme climate events and flooding across the Yangtze basin, a trend that is expected to become increasingly dire over the next 50 years.

Other findings show that from 2001 – 2005, the basin’s climate grew even hotter, increasing by an average of 0.71℃.

According to the new report, wetlands will be the hardest hit. Lower water levels will reduce the number of aquatic birds in the Central and Lower Yangtze while climate change strips wetland ecosystems of important resources.

Other impacts that could affect the 400 million people whose livelihoods depend on the basin include more frequent snowstorms and drought.

‘The Yangtze Vulnerability Assessment is an important symbol of China’s commitment to fighting climate change,” said Mr. James Leape, Director General of WWF-International.

“Beyond setting out the vulnerabilities, the Yangtze assessment also underlines how investment in climate change adaptation is a prudent investment in safeguarding the continuing functioning of a landscape vital to many millions”

Countries facing fiercest climate impacts call on conscience of the wealthy world

2009-11-10

Leaders of countries vulnerable to climate change have called for a redoubling of efforts to reach an ambitious outcome of the Climate Summit in Copenhagen in December and for world leaders to come to Copenhagen themselves.

The vulnerable countries are asking for immediate climate action in all countries and are committing themselves to green their economies as a contribution towards carbon neutrality.

The Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) in the Maldives brought together delegates from Kiribati, Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam, Kenya and other countries. They asked rich states to acknowledge their responsibility for climate change and provide at least 1.5 percent of their GDP annually by 2015 to assist developing countries in their transition to a low-carbon economy.

In a joint declaration after their meeting today, the forum expressed concern about downgrading of expectations for a positive outcome at the climate conference in Copenhagen.

“WWF shares the concerns expressed by these countries,” said Kim Carstensen, the head of WWF Global Climate Initiative. “Vulnerable developing countries have everything to lose from climate change, they are fighting for their future existence, and it is therefore very good to see them come out with a strong common voice.”

“We sincerely hope that their message will be heard by those countries that are actually responsible for climate change and who have the means to solve the climate crisis.”

“The world’s expectations for a climate treaty in Copenhagen are rising and leaders around the world need to understand that failure will come at a huge price.”

According to WWF, an ambitious climate treaty can still be achieved in Copenhagen despite most policy makers’ focus on what they cannot achieve rather than what they can do to prevent the worst consequences of climate change.

Governments at Copenhagen need to create a legally binding framework with an amended Kyoto Protocol and a new Copenhagen Protocol, which secures the survival of countries, cultures and ecosystems. They should also create a framework for immediate adaptation action, especially for vulnerable countries and ecosystems, including the provision of insurance and compensation.

“In Copenhagen, we need to listen to the voices of those who suffer from the consequences of global warming. That should already bring us on the right track,” Carstensen said.

International Energy Agency fails to light the way to a safe climate future

2009-11-10

London: The keenly awaited 2009 World Energy Outlook contains some remarkable analysis but does not light the way to a safe carbon future, WWF said today.

Emissions cuts canvassed in the outlook, the flagship annual publication of the International Energy Agency (IEA), are too small and too slow to keep the world out of the danger zone of unacceptable risks of catastrophic climate change, said Dr Stephan Singer, WWFs Director of Global Energy Policy.

Scientists, the UN and many governments including the G8 group have accordingly endorsed an objective of keeping average global warming less than two degrees Celsius over pre-industrial times - an objective WWF maintains would require developed nations cutting their emissions 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.

But IEAs low emissions scenario sees OECD fossil fuel CO2 emissions down just 4.5 percent from 1990 levels by 2020.

“The proposed CO2 emissions reductions by the IEA for the energy sector of the rich nations are dismal,” Dr Singer said. “The reductions seen as low carbon by the IEA are less even than the inadequate reductions so far on the table from developed nations for the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen next month.”
Also according to the IEA, global energy emissions would be one quarter more in 2030 than in the 1990 reference year.

"World-wide fossil fuel emissions in twenty years must be on a pathway to be reduced to more than 80% below 1990 levels by mid-century to curtail the climate crisis. The IEA's scenarios violate this trajectory," Dr Singer said.

For WWF, with about two thirds of global greenhouse gas emissions, the energy sector has to lead the way to a low carbon future.

And although its alternative lower emissions scenario is clearly inadequate, WWF is pleased that the IEA identifies energy conservation as the measure with the best potential to bring it about.

“The IEA also finds most of the emissions savings mechanisms it identifies will be cost effective through the saving of fuel costs and this is a useful rebuff to those urging slow action or no action on climate on the basis of costs,” Dr Singer said.

“It is a pity that the IEA couldn’t stay up to date with the science on the level of emissions the atmosphere can safely digest and use this to point the way to a fully renewable power sector by mid-century.”

“What they are suggesting is not only dangerous, but it is much below what is technically possible.”

G20 finance ministers fail to reach green on climate financing

2009-11-07

St Andrews, Scotland – Finance ministers of the world’s dominant economies failed to reach agreement on the financing required for a global agreement to stave off catastrophic climate change, WWF said today as the G20 finance ministers meeting here broke up with no resolution to issues dividing developed and emerging economies.

The lack of progress made by the G20 in St. Andrews, follows another week of inconclusive negotiations in UN climate talks in Barcelona as the world heads towards the crucial UN climate conference in Copenhagen in a month’s time.

With the G20 now having considered the climate financing issue three times without reaching common ground, WWF remains sceptical about today's promise to make further progress before Copenhagen.

“The G20 Finance Ministers meeting turned out to be a mostly irrelevant sideshow on the way to the talks in Copenhagen in a months’ time," said Dr Richard Dixon, Director of WWF Scotland.

"Failure to come to agreement here is a major disappointment.

“This is a group that can throw money at collapsing banks but cannot find adequate figures for the far worse challenge to the global economy of a collapsing climate system."

In detail, the G20 ministers acknowledged the need to increase significantly and urgently the scale of funding but failed to make any reference to the sums required, estimated to be around $160bn a year of public financing.

They also failed to agree on new sources of funding for a climate deal, such as auctioning emissions credits and levies on aviation and shipping.

"Talk of a financial transaction tax which has the potential to raise hundreds of billions in new funding every year turned out to be a red herring without solid political support," Dr Dixon said.

The G20 agreed some principals on a mechanism to administer and distribute these funds but failed to turn these into concrete proposals and - despite last week's pledges from Europe - no new money was put on the table to help the most vulnerable countries adapt to a changing climate.

It is estimated the immediate need for the most vulnerable nations is around $10bn a year.

WWF endorsed the G20s continuing professed interest in winding back fossil fuel use subsidies, but said the group needed to focus its main attention on getting an effective global deal on climate.

“If we are to keep the planet below the danger threshold of a 2ºC temperature rise, the rich nations of the world are going to have to help developing countries follow a low-carbon development path and help them cope with the impacts of current and future climate change," Dr Dixon said.

"We wanted to see solid proposals on how the money would be raised, managed and distributed and an indication of how soon the countries most vulnerable to climate change will receive assistance. The G20 has failed to deliver and the real work will now have to be done at Copenhagen.”

Famed climate change researcher snags WWF award

2009-11-06

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – WWF Brazil has given a special award to Dr. Carlos Nobre, who has conducted pioneering research on the impacts of climate change on the Amazon and helped deepen the world’s understanding of global warming.

WWF Brazil last month awarded Dr. Nobre with the 2009 WWF Brazil Environment Personality Award for his research.

Dr. Nobre currently serves as Head Researcher and General Coordinator of the Scientific Centre of the Brazilian National Space Research Institute -INPE's Terrestrial System.

He received the award on Oct. 13, during the visit of the Darwin Expedition to Rio de Janeiro, with a ceremony on board the clipper 'Stad Amsterdam' moored at the Mauá Pier. The exhibition is retracing the journey made by naturalist Charles Darwin to the Southern Hemisphere during the 19th century.

In addition to his work as an INPE researcher, Dr. Nobre is the executive secretary of the Brazilian Climate Change Research Network (Rede CLIMA), executive coordinator of the Global Climate Change Research Programme run by the FAPESP and President of the Scientific Committee of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP).

Dr. Nobre was also one of the authors of the Fourth Assessment Report of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2007 along with former US Vice-president Al Gore. In 2007 he received the Conrado Wessel Foundation Environment Award. In 1991 Dr. Nobre formulated his pioneering hypothesis on possible savannization of the Amazon which today is an important reference theory worldwide.

"The award is a way of recognising and paying homage to personalities that have carried out consistent, systematic work in the environmental field in alignment with the terms of WWF Brazil's mission and with the organization's ideals" said Álvaro de Souza, president of WWF Brazil’s board.

"The choice of Dr. Carlos Nobre is the fruit of a scientific career that has made a great contribution towards a better understanding of the relations between tropical forests and climate, the effects of deforestation on climate change and the potential impacts on the Amazon stemming from global warming" said Álvaro de Souza.

The WWF Brazil Environment Personality Award is given bi-annually for outstanding work in the conservation of nature and in fostering the country's sustainable development. The first edition of the Award went to Marina Silva, at that time, Brazil’s Minister for the Environment.

The Darwin Expedition is an initiative of the Dutch Public Television Network VPRO, the Darwin Expedition is part of the commemorations for the 150th anniversary of the publication of "The Origin of Species". With support from the WWF Network, the expedition is re-tracing the route of HMS Beagle in its voyage to the Southern Hemisphere with Darwin aboard. By May 2010, the vessel will have visited 12 countries altogether.

The expedition, with the participation of biologist Sarah Darwin, the naturalist's great-great-grand-daughter, left England at the end of August and arrived in Fernando de Noronha, Brazil on Sep. 30th. The expedition then went to Salvador, Bahia where it stayed from Oct. 5-7, and on the 12th arrived in Rio where it tied up at the Mauá Pier. It remained there until Oct. 17, and then continued around the southernmost tip of the continent towards Chile.

WWF clasifica las políticas de lucha contra el cambio climático en los países del G-20

2009-11-05

WWF ha presentado hoy en la Conferencia sobre Clima de la ONU, que se celebra en Barcelona durante esta semana, un ranking sobre las medidas de lucha contra el cambio climático desarrolladas en los países del G-20. Este documento constata que las buenas políticas climáticas no sólo reducen las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero y traen beneficios ambientales, sino que también mejoran y diversifican la economía.

El informe: ‘Las mejores y peores políticas para el clima y la recuperación económica’, realizado por Ecofys y Germanwatch para WWF y E3G, evalúa las herramientas utilizadas por los países del G-20, es decir, aquellos que suman las tres cuartas partes de las emisiones globales de gases de efecto invernadero, identificando los mejores y los peores ejemplos, así como las lecciones aprendidas.

WWF pide a los ministros de economía del G-20, que se darán cita este fin de semana en Reino Unido, que den los pasos necesarios para asegurar que la próxima ola de se rija por criterios ecológicos. Esto incluye propuestas concretas en financiación para ayudar a los países emergentes a desarrollar una economía baja en carbono y adaptarse al cambio climático, tal y como se acordó en la Cumbre de los líderes del G-20 en Pittsburgh el pasado mes de septiembre.

Una de las principales conclusiones de este análisis de WWF es que las medidas para combatir el cambio climático aplicadas en Europa, EE.UU. y Japón figuran a la cabeza de la lista, al igual que las de algunos países emergentes como México, Brasil y China.

En el primer puesto de la clasificación se encuentran los programas de ‘Eficiencia energética en edificios’ implantados por el gobierno alemán y las primas que este país ha aprobado para las energías renovables. Este sistema garantiza a los productores de renovables una ayuda económica durante 20 años. Además, el plan de edificación alemán reduce las emisiones, crea puestos de trabajo en la construcción y es emulado en otros países.

Asimismo, un sistema de transporte de autobuses en México ha demostrado que las soluciones ecológicas tienen un fuerte potencial para aumentar el confort y la calidad de vida – aspectos importantes en los países de crecimiento económico acelerado. Igualmente, el programa chino, basado en objetivos de eficiencia energética para las 1.000 empresas más intensivas en consumo, ha logrado mejoras permanentes en su gestión de la energía.

En el caso de España, el nuevo Código Técnico de la Edificación se encuentra en el séptimo lugar de las medidas más eficaces. Su objetivo principal es instalar energía solar térmica y fotovoltaica en edificios residenciales y comerciales de nueva construcción. Sin embargo, el sistema de primas para energías renovables en España no se ha considerado como una de las mejores herramientas por los recientes cambios en la legislación que han supuesto un freno al desarrollo de la energía solar fotovoltaica.

“Este informe muestra que los gobiernos que aplican medidas para combatir el cambio climático tendrán éxito y ocuparán una posición de liderazgo”, ha manifestado Kim Carstensen, líder de la iniciativa global de cambio climático de WWF. Y concluye: “Hacemos un llamamiento al G-20 para liderar una estrategia de inversión en economía verde”.

Por otra parte, el informe también expone un número de malas políticas, que suspenden a la hora de generar beneficios económicos, y, además, impiden un futuro bajo en carbono. Esto incluye medidas como la subvención a la minería de carbón, el tratamiento preferencial de industrias con un uso intensivo de energía y la falta de gestión integrada del agua.

WWF considera que los gobiernos de los países industrializados necesitarán aporta r 160.000 millones de dólares al año para adaptación y mitigación en los países en desarrollo, especialmente, en los más vulnerables al cambio climático.

Según la organización, mientras que los ejemplos individuales pueden marcar la diferencia, existe una necesidad urgente de una mayor integración de todas las políticas y, sobre todo, coherencia. Por ello, WWF solicita planes de acción de carbono cero para los países desarrollados.

Listado de las mejores medidas analizadas en el estudio de WWF:

Eficiencia energética en edificios (Alemania)
Sistema de primas a las renovables (Alemania)
Sistema de tránsito rápido de autobuses (México)
Programa de ayudas para el aislamiento de edificios (EE.UU.)
Incentivos fiscales para las energías renovables (EE.UU.)
Programa de reducción de emisiones por deforestación (Brasil)
Instalaciones solares obligatorias en nuevos edificios residenciales y comerciales (España)
Sistema de mejoras de estándares de eficiencia energética (Japón)
Obligación de consumo de combustibles GNL (India)
Compromiso de eficiencia energética (Reino Unido)
Sistema de Comercio de Emisiones de la UE
Programa de Objetivos de eficiencia energética para 1.000 empresas (China)

New recipe for a fast acting Europe to profit from going it alone on climate action

2009-11-03

Berlin, Germany – A major new European study of the costs of climate protection shows that avoiding dangerous consequences of climate change at manageable costs is only possible with early action – but Europe would profit from taking a leadership role even if other countries continued to hesitate.

RECIPE – a Report on Energy and Climate Policy in Europe, conducted by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and four other European research institutes and supported by global financial services provider Allianz and WWF, also found that distributing the costs of climate protection would not overburden any region of the world.

“Climate protection is economically manageable and feasible,” said Professor Ottmar Edenhofer, chief economist at PIK. “For Europe, getting an early start on comprehensive climate protection, even unilaterally, will pay for itself through significantly lower costs.”

Professor Edenhofer, also Chairman of the Response Strategies Working Group of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), said globally a key mechanism for keeping overall costs of climate protection down would be financial transfers to emerging nations.

“The key to affordable climate protection is to create binding political conditions to take effect immediately for the coming decade,” Professor Edenhofer said..

Wasting the next decade would increase costs by nearly half

The scientists compared three energy economy models and used them as a basis for climate policy recommendations for Europe. RECIPE drew up pathways to reduced emissions for the major CO2-intensive sectors of energy, cement & steel, transportation and agriculture, finding that effective climate protection measures would cost just one year of delayed economic growth by 2050.

Delays in implementing such measures would decrease the likelihood of avoiding dangerous climate change further by having to accept overshooting emissions concentrations. It would increase the costs of mitigation, with wasting the next decade to take meaningful action on climate change resulting in an increase of mitigation costs of at least 46 % compared to early action.

These scenarios also did not take into account the massive costs of damage due to climate change caused by not implementing climate protection measures, making climate protection measures look even more manageable.

The study estimates that the window for ambitious climate action would close completely by 2020.

Convinced of the overwhelming importance of investing in the transformation to a low-carbon economy, Allianz and WWF formed a climate partnership on climate change in 2007 after two years of joint activity globally and at regional levels which included significant studies of climate risk and costs in the US. The company noted that the fact that in global industry some 40 percent of insured losses were now attributable to climate effects was a compelling reason for it to be involved in climate protection.

“There is no other market that needs and will experience such a sudden and sustainable growth in investments in the next ten years as the market for climate protection and the decarbonization of the economic processes,” said Joachim Faber, member of the Allianz SE Board of Management and CEO of Allianz Global Investors.

“But the willingness of our customers to invest depends upon reliable conditions. It is now up to governments to provide these conditions. This includes no t only reliable paths toward reduction targets but market-based economic elements such as the auctioning of all CO2 certificates, the establishment of global cap and trade systems, rapid implementation of the EU Directive to promote renewable energies that guarantees investors reliable feed-in tariffs, and stronger subsidies for research into low carbon technologies.”

Significantly, as countries shape up to the Copenhagen UN climate change conference in December unwilling to move themselves in the absence of commitments from others, the report finds that Europe has little to lose from bold and unilateral climate action.

Important not to give carbon intensive industries a break

One interpretation from the report is summed-up by Allianz and WWF: “The real world requires real first-movers and RECIPE demonstrates that Europe has every reason to move first,” they said. “By moving first in implementing ambitious carbon reduction targets, Europe’s economy benefits as it foregoes investment into carbon intensive infrastructure that otherwise would have to be dismantled well before the end of its economic life.”

Central to avoiding dangerous climate change was a global carbon price, best achieved by integrating regional carbon markets. However, it was important not to give carbon intensive industries a break from carbon pricing as this distorted crucial investment decisions by both industry and financial investors. Full auctioning of permits was the preferred option.

To link developing countries into such a global carbon market, clear incentives for decarbonization and financial transfers not immediately based on binding reduction targets for developing countries need to be developed. One possible framework were Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions which need to be supported by capacity building, technology transfer, financial investments, and reporting requirements that help encourage mitigation efforts.

Of the largest emitters, the USA would minimize its costs with an immediate introduction of carbon targets while China would face expensive costs in replacing costly infrastructure unless it significantly diverted from its current carbon intensive pattern of development.

The study also examined various options for distributing the greatly reduced global carbon budget required to keep the world below the threshold of unacceptable risks of catastrophic climate change.

“Based on the RECIPE results, Allianz and WWF conclude that a per capita allocation that gives developing and emerging economies some headroom for development with a subsequent participation in the reduction efforts represents one possible compromise accommodating most of the negotiation asks on the table prior to Copenhagen,” the report said.

Too many A-Grades lead to failure on European appliances

2009-11-03

Brussels, Belgium: Negotiations between Europe’s Presidency, Parliament and the European Commission have failed to reach agreement on new energy labeling requirements for electrical appliances.

The debate on the energy label has been very heated so far, with the European Parliament strongly voting in favour of a simple closed scale from A to G to grade the energy efficiency of the products, which was the option supported by WWF. The Commission favoured a complex, open scale and introduced percentages to the A grades, i.e. A-20%, A-40%. This proposal was rejected by the European Parliament, as well as consumer and environmental organizations for its confusing layout.

These opposite positions mirror the clashing interests of the industry on one hand, and consumer and environmental groups on the other hand.

The Swedish Presidency, leading what was supposed to be the last Trialogue on the new Energy Labelling Directive for appliances to have the new statndards ready for adoption in early December, published a compromise text suggesting the introduction of additional A grades (A to A++++).

WWF felt the proposal took into account most of the industry-driven demands, would confuse consumers and would make an A-grade accessible to products with low energy efficiency.

“Not everybody deserves an A-Grade. That’s why WWF is very pleased with the European Parliament’s determination to find a solution which serves the best interests of consumers and the environment,” said Mariangiola Fabbri, Energy Policy Officer at WWF's European Policy Office.

A new Trialogue on Energy Labelling is yet to be scheduled.

Also upcoming is the last Trialogue to revise the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) on 17 November. Currently, Europe’s buildings account for 40% of EU final energy use - which they waste in large proportion.

This energy warms the climate instead of homes, wastes money in the family budget, and increases the EU’s dependence on foreign energy supply for absolutely no benefit to Europe or its citizens.

Improving energy efficiency is a relatively cost effective way of reducing energy related emissions that are a major contributor to climate change, and can also help reduce the need for expensive and often environmentally damaging new power infrastructure.

Barcelona must pave the way for global deal

2009-11-02

Barcelona, Spain – The UN climate talks in Barcelona, the last ahead of the big conference in Copenhagen, will be a litmus test of whether government leaders have given their delegates a mandate to move towards a legally binding deal that has the potential to save the world from climate change.

Signals from some politicians suggesting the climate deal would not be sealed in Copenhagen but in an unforeseeable future are irresponsible and could trigger a domino effect where one country after another will try to give up and lower the level of ambition.

Countries who will not take action will be responsible for climate chaos, the weakening of the authority of public institutions and finally loss of trust of their populations around the world who believe that these negotiations must have an ambitious and binding outcome.

“Delegates who gathered here must show the rest of the world, their leaders and voters back in their countries that a deal can be made and that an understanding between rich and poor nations is possible,” said Kim Carstensen, the leader of WWF Global Climate Initiative. “We ask them to show unity on key issues including finance, legally binding character of the treaty and ambitious emissions reductions.”

“We call on the delegates to kill the rumors about delaying the deal. They must show that they can do it and show willingness to agree the legally binding climate deal.”

According to WWF the argument that a Copenhagen treaty would not be legally binding is unacceptable.

“After all these months spent in talks and negotiations we cannot come out now and say that all this was just informal chat, can we?” Carstensen said. “A lot of political momentum has been built up around Copenhagen, and the world expects leaders to show courage and cut the deal in Copenhagen. Any talk about delaying the deal is extremely dangerous because it takes pressure off the negotiations.

European Council on climate change: Vague messages, no concrete measures

2009-10-30

The European Council opted for vague messages on most of the essential issues blocking international climate change negotiations today, further diminishing hopes on strong European leadership in the global fight against climate change.

“It is especially frustrating that no clear European financial offer to developing countries has been agreed, and that the increase in CO2 emission reduction targets is made conditional upon comparable efforts by other developed countries“, says Jason Anderson, Head of EU Climate and Energy Policy at WWF.

"Europe is being particularly relaxed on mid-term emissions reductions - in order to reach its current 20% reduction pledge, it would actually have to slow the current pace of emissions reductions. What kind of signal about being ambitious on climate is Europe sending to the rest of the world ahead of Copenhagen?"

“We do welcome the new goal of CO2 emission reductions in Europe of 80-95% by 2050: the upper end is in line with what’s needed. To meet that goal, however, we have to pick up the pace.“

The EU’s emphasis on the need for a legally binding agreement is a step in the right direction as is introducing language around innovative financing. This can give impetus to the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Negotiation in Barcelona from 2-6 November as well as the EU-US summit on 3 November which also has climate change as one of the main items on its agenda.

Can we make a climate deal is not the right question. We must make it.

2009-10-29

Gland, Switzerland – Every day of delay in taking action against rapidly progressing climate change would have severe consequences for us and future generations.

Delegates gathering for yet another round of climate talks in Barcelona next week should show their leaders back home that progress can be made and a safe and ambitious climate deal not only can but must be sealed.

Signals from some politicians suggesting the climate deal would not be sealed in Copenhagen but in an unforeseeable future are irresponsible and could trigger a domino effect where one country after another will try to give up and lower the level of ambition.

Leaders who will not take action will be responsible for climate chaos, the weakening of the authority of public institutions and finally loss of trust of their voters around the world who believe that these negotiations must have an ambitious and binding outcome.

“Asking whether we should strike an ambitious climate deal in Copenhagen now or later is comparable to debating whether to move out of the way of a fast and heavy lorry that is driving straight towards us immediately or wait and see what happens,” said Kim Carstensen, the leader of WWF Global Climate Initiative.

“If we don’t agree on an ambitious and binding treaty we will be remembered as the generation which spent billions on credit cards, spread environmental vandalism and did nothing to confront the most intractable problem of our times.”

“I am sure none of the leaders would want to be remembered this way.”

When delegates gather in Barcelona next week it will be a litmus test of whether their political leaders have given them a mandate to move towards a political deal in Copenhagen that has the potential to save the world from climate change.

A fast moving, open and ambitious progress on the political essentials of the deal at this meeting would send a strong signal back to the world that yes, a climate deal can be done.

“We call on the delegates to kill the rumors about delaying the deal. They must show that they can do it and show willingness to agree the political essentials.”

WWF also calls on leaders to get together ahead of Copenhagen and give new, honest and powerful political impetus to bring the talks forward. In the United States the domestic legislation process must be moved forward and the US and other major players need to live up to their roles and inspire the rest of the world with ambitious greenhouse gas cuts and generous financial commitments.

The debate whether the agreement should be legally binding is not helpful. We need a strong climate agreement, and Copenhagen has to set the direction by agreeing the necessary political substance.

“After all these months spent in talks and negotiations we cannot come out now and say that all this was just informal chat, can we?” Carstensen said.

“A lot of political momentum has been built up around Copenhagen, and the world expects leaders to show courage and cut the deal in Copenhagen. Any talk about delaying the deal is extremely dangerous because it takes pressure off the negotiations.

Stopping climate change can no longer be dependent on which political party you belong to, how many lobbyists you have waiting in front of your door and how many banks you need to bail out. We need a worldwide political climate coalition to prevent the worst.”

Europe's choice: fall behind or forge ahead on climate

2009-10-28

Brussels, Belgium - Europe can choose a path to prosperity on a new economic footing or continue to fumble along the dead end track of propping up fading industries, WWF said today in advance of tomorrow’s key European Council meeting which is expected to largely shape the EU position heading into the UN climate summit in Copenhagen in December.

“The choices on climate change in front of Europe’s leaders on Thursday and Friday are not complicated,” said Jason Anderson, Head of EU Climate and Energy Policy, WWF European Policy Office.

“In a world where other countries are counting the economic costs of climate catastrophe and assessing the economic benefits of new clean energy sources, Europe can either fall behind or forge ahead on the basis of this week’s decisions.

“Europe can support and play a fair role in financing a legally binding climate deal in Copenhagen or it can be a spectator to others taking the opportunities.”

It has been estimated that the global market for environmental goods and services will more than double to around EUR 1.4 trillion by 2020. In the EU, jobs in the environmental sector have already overtaken sectors such as car manufacturing, but this growth is influenced by regulatory certainty globally, regionally and nationally.

“Europe’s dilemma is clearly illustrated by the wildly differing outcomes of the ministerials running up to the Heads of State gathering,” Anderson said.

“Economics ministers couldn’t agree on the vital question of helping the developing world adapt to climate change and create its own low carbon economy.

“Environment ministers were the ones out laying the basis of a new economy and a future less fraught with costly climate chaos. It was the environment ministers who pointed out that the European way of handing out carbon pollution permits to big polluters is continuing to stifle the fledgling carbon markets. And it is the environment ministers who are starting to edge towards the binding emissions reductions targets that are going to be necessary.

“WWF - and the world - would prefer that Europe’s leaders go with the clarity of the environmental advice rather than the confusion of the economic advice,” Anderson said.

“Otherwise the bloc that once considered itself the leader on climate and the environment will just slip further and further behind. If they mirror their economics ministers in not being able to make a decision, Europe will end up not even following in any satisfactory way.”

For further information:
Jason Anderson, Head of Climate and Energy Policy, WWF European Policy Office
Tel: +32 2 740 09 35
Mobile: +32 474 837 603
E-mail: janderson@wwfepo.org

Stephanie Rhomberg, Communications and Press Officer Climate & Energy, WWF European Policy Office Tel: +32 2 740 88 06
Mobile: +32 495 273 319
E-mail: srhomberg@wwfepo.org

Monte Rosa - melting glaciers and changing borders in the Alps

2009-10-28

Monte Rosa, Italy / Switzerland - High alpine areas are feeling the impacts of climate change harder and faster than many other areas.

The Monte Rosa massif, one of the highest montains in Europe which sits between Italy and Switzerland, is seeing it borders beeing thrown into confusion.

There are nine glaciers in the massif, including the Gorner glacier, second largest in the Alps but also the glacier that is shrinking the fastest losing 290 metres during 2007 to 2008.

Glaciers might seem remote, but hundreds of millions of people worldwide depend on them for water supplies.

Forests fundamental to effective climate deal

2009-10-25

Buenos Aires, Argentina – The world’s ability to control climate change could be crippled if global leaders do not support clear and effective targets to arrest deforestation at climate talks in Copenhagen in December, WWF said at the conclusion of a key global foresty summit.

As the XIIIth World Forestry Congress finished Friday, WWF called for an ambitious and bold climate deal at Copenhagen to give clear guidance and incentives for the forestry sector to do its part in stopping catastrophic climate change and adapt to predicted changes.

“Setting immediate deforestation targets is a key component of any climate change agreement,” said Rodney Taylor, Director of WWF International’s Forest program.

“If the global deal on climate change ignores the dangers of unchecked deforestation, it will set the world on an accelerated path to savage climate change.”

Despite conservation efforts, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate – 13 million hectares per year, or 36 football fields a minute. It generates almost 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and halting forest loss has been identified as one of the most cost-effective ways to keep the world out of the danger zone of runaway climate change.

To this end, WWF during the Congress proposed a global target of zero net deforestation by 2020 to avoid runaway climate change and stop the current catastrophic trend of species loss.

“A zero net deforestation by 2020 target will set the scale and urgency needed to gather the political will to stop forest loss,” Taylor said.

WWF will continue to advocate for a strong deforestation target to be included in all other relevant international treaties and agreements, including in the Convention on Biological Diversity.

In Copenhagen, negotiators need to agree to strong financial and emissions reduction commitments to craft a climate deal that enables developing countries to halt forest loss.

“WWF received strong feedback at the Congress from various sectors, including governments, other NGOs, and the private sector to support our target on deforestation,” said Gerald Steindlegger, WWF International’s Forest Manager on Global Policy.

Many developing countries already are adopting major deforestation policies that mirror WWF’s call for zero net deforestation by 2020.

On Wednesday, government representatives from Argentina and Paraguay pledged during a special ceremony co-hosted by WWF and its partner organization Fundacion Vida Silvestre at the Congress to work towards zero net deforestation in the Atlantic Forest, and to implement a package of measures that include national legislation to enforce those commitments.

The Atlantic Forest initially spanned 500,000 square kms, shared between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. However, only 7.4 percent of the forest is left today – or about 35,000 square kilometers, making it one of the most threatened and fragmented subtropical forests in the world.

Meanwhile, the Brazilian government already has established a zero deforestation target by 2010 for the Atlantic Forest. Brazil also has pledged to establish protected areas covering at least 10 percent of the forest.

This year, the World Forestry Congress brought together more than 4,000 participants in Buenos Aires, Argentina.