Climate matters

Eija-Riitta Korhola continues her series on energy and climate change

Thanks to Hans Christian Andersen, Copenhagen holds a magical place in our hearts. It continues today as we all refer to the ‘Copenhagen treaty’ as if it already exists, more than a year ahead of the summit aimed at producing it. Today it is little more than a dream: an idea, even a fairy tale.

Whether this dream could become a reality or nightmare depended so much on the political wisdom shown in the G8 in Hokkaido. Like many, I am sorely disappointed at the lack of short-term targets and technological commitments from the world’s richest nations.

I have studied and followed the whole process called Kyoto since my student days. Though I was a supporter of this protocol, I very soon could see its limitations and its flaws.

There were two main flaws: Kyoto was based on other unrelated UN protocols – a kind of cut-and-paste job that was never going to work for such a complicated challenge. Next, it assumed that whilst the industrialised world was improving its emission releases and energy efficiency, other relevant criteria would remain constant.

However, industrial growth in the fast-developing parts of the world has wiped out all the emission reductions and energy efficiencies.

We in the EU like to think we are in the global warming driving seat. Well maybe we were, but we are no longer. Simply, emission reduction depends on applying the best available technologies everywhere – and not just on commitments. Japan and the US have shown the way.

Unless we incentivise industry to cut emissions by adoption of best technologies, sustainable reductions in emissions and energy usage will just not happen. With so little happening to prevent global warming and sea level rises, it may be apt that Copenhagen has a mermaid as its symbol.