by frog
A bit tongue in cheek perhaps, but there is no doubt that the principles of the Green New Deal spelled out by Russel at last week’s Picnic for the Planet resonate widely as the real solution to the world’s economic woes. Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary General, called on all governments at Davos to adopt policies that we have been calling for all along:
“Climate change threatens all our goals for development and social progress,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the world’s business and government leaders today at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. “On the other hand, it also presents us with a gilt-edged opportunity.”
Ban’s comments came as the World Economic Forum released a report warning that unless at least US$515 billion a year is invested in clean energy between now and 2030, carbon emissions will reach a level considered unsustainable by scientists, causing global temperatures to rise by two degrees Celsius.
“Green Investing: Towards a Clean Energy Infrastructure” identifies eight emerging, large-scale clean energy sectors critical to the clean energy infrastructure of the future – onshore wind, offshore wind, solar photovoltaic, solar thermal electricity generation, municipal solar waste-to-energy, sugar-based ethanol, cellulosic and next generation biofuels, and geothermal power.
Ban urged the high-powered audience to use the current economic crisis to launch a global Green New Deal that creates jobs and fights climate change by investing in renewable energy and technological development.
“By tackling climate change head-on we can solve many of our current troubles, including the threat of global recession,” said Secretary-General Ban. “We stand at a crossroads. It is important that we realize we have a choice. We can choose short-sighted unilateralism and business as usual. Or we can grasp global cooperation and partnership on a scale never before seen.”
Published in Economy, Work, & Welfare | Environment & Resource Management by frog on Fri, January 30th, 2009
Tags: ban ki moon, climate change, Davos, environment, Picnic for the Planet, politics, Russel Norman, speech, State of the Planet, UN
on the trolls and those who are unable to keep on topic
Barack who? Ban is the Man!
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Well, now that I’ve watched Russ’s speech (*blush* got behind for a coupla days), I get the reference ..
Funnily enough, it was a french fashion magazine that alerted me to the existence of Obama’s head-of-the-green-team, Carol Browner, already nicknamed the ‘tsarina of the climate’ within Washington’s corridors.
[Elle, #3287, week 27 Dec - 2 Jan '09]
Very good political stories in French women’s magazines..
I caught up on where Ingrid Betancourt is now, too, through Paris Match, who flew her on a whistle-stop tour of South America, getting the exclusive pix and story. You have to read about a month’s worth of that one, though, to do the catch-up! I love it when the Embassy staff have all gone home, and I can get the newest mag’s from the library without interruption
I wish Ban Ki-moon luck; but with long-serving green politicians such as Betancourt and Browner making strong cases in Europe, South America, and even Obama’s Washington, we may all begin to hope for some substantive changes to spread around the world.
It’s about time …
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So the World Economic Forum has released a report warning that unless at least US$515 billion a year is invested in clean energy between now and 2030, carbon emissions will reach a level considered unsustainable by scientists.
Second, the International Energy Agency released its ever-popular annual World Energy Outlook. Using a modest 1.6% annual energy demand assumption through 2030, the world will need 45% more energy. Assuming some conservation, new energy alternatives and a mere $26 trillion in capital investments, daily oil production would need to rise 25%. This is the equivalent of four Saudi Arabias going into production between now and 2030.
So staying dirty will cost as much as coming clean
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Not only is tecnology going green as a result of the economic crisis, so is politics – http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/01/30/1232818725574.html
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Can we just all agree that we are too stupid to change anything until its too late and all we do is bitch about how we can’t change it. I can’t stand it anymore.
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