Taking on the Energy Crunch
Patali Champika Ranawaka- Minister of Power and Energy
Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka
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It was a sunny day with clear skies. The aircraft, having taken off
from Dubai and being airborne for about nine hours, was nearing its
destination. The bird’s eye view, I had through the window of the
descending aircraft been fascinating. There, I saw a vast stretch of
sandy beach towards which dark blue waters of the Indian Ocean, cursing
relentlessly and creating milky waves of some pattern. At last, the air
craft made a perfect touchdown at its destination, the airport in
Durban-South Africa.
Durban always reminds me of Mahatma Gandhi. About 150 years ago, the
British colonials brought Indian indentured labourers to South Africa
for sugar cane plantation work. Gandhi was a practicing lawyer who
subsequently ventured into politics, using nonviolence as a novel tool
to deal against violent Western imperialism. Presently, in Durban -
South Africa, a new form of nonviolence movement is under way. It is the
crusade against global warming, perpetrated by the same violent Western
imperialism in the name of development.
The latest Climate Change Conference or COP 17 was held in
Durban-South Africa. It is one of the BASIC countries in which others
are emerging super powers- Brazil, China and India. Playing host to the
Summit Conference, South Africa which leads 56 countries of the Arabian
Union is now a key player in climate change deliberations. Once been a
neglected and exploited continent, Africa is now rapidly growing at a
rate of six percent, surpassing its former conquerors and exploiters,
such as North America and Europe and it is presently open towards China,
India and Asia at large.
Fossil fuels
It is common knowledge that our planet is getting warmer and warmer,
endangering the very existence of its living beings. What makes it so,
and who could be held responsible for it? Human beings have achieved
their so called development over the years as a result of burning fossil
fuels such as gas, oil, coal and perhaps shales. Eighty percent of
present day activities depend on fossil fuels, without which the global
economy may crunch and vanish. However, the negative effect of burning
fossil fuel is that it releases carbon dioxide and other gases,
resulting in global warming.
The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) were instrumental in formulating the
Inter-governmental Panel Committee on Climate Change (IPCCC) in 1988, as
a new independent scientific body. Having studied matters related to
climate changes and global warming patterns, with their causes and
effects, the IPCCC published its first assessment report in 1990.
Based on that report the United Nations framework convention on
climate change (UNFCCC) was established. Its final text of the agreement
was adopted in United Nations headquarters, New York, in May 1992 and
the Convention was opened for signatures at Rio Earth Summit in June
1992. The next Earth Summit -Rio 20 Plus- is scheduled to be held in Rio
de Janeiro in June 2012. In this regard, it is interesting to note that
although the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997; it was
activated only in September, 2005.
Global warming
According to IPCCC assessments, the global warming should be
restricted to two degrees centigrade and the emission of carbon dioxide
should also be curtailed to a level below 450 ppm, if we are to prevent
the planet from heading towards a catastrophic environmental disaster,
at 50: 50 probabilities.
It also has been warned that beyond 2 degree Centigrade bio carbon
hidden underneath icecaps (Thermo frost) would be released causing
serious problems to the atmosphere. In the wake of these alarming
findings, the Kyoto Protocol, having identified 39 most developed (or
polluted) countries as being high emitting countries, wanted them to cut
their emission level, collectively by 5 percent, with respect to 1990
emission level.
However, as a concessional measure, it was proposed that the relevant
countries be allowed to adhere to the stipulated emission cut levels
only after the first commitment or transition period, beginning from
2008 and ending in 2012. Joint implementation, Emission Trading and
Clean Development Mechanism are the three mechanisms been included in
the first commitment period.
The joint implementation was assigned to industrialized countries
whilst the emission trading was assigned to West and the former Soviet
Federation countries. The under developed and developing countries were
to make clean energy and conservation efforts, avoiding fossil fuels,
and they were made eligible to get emission trading permits from
Annexure 1 countries. That was how the Carbon Trading was initiated.
Industrialized countries
At the Summit, it was noted that for the bargaining purposes of the
industrialized countries, various inter-governmental bodies, such as the
least developed countries (LDC), the small island nations and the
tropical forest associations were been formed. Also, the other
inter-governmental organizations like G-77 China, African Union, Arab
League and SAARAC countries were seen playing a significant political
maneuvering at the climate discussions.
Adaptation and mitigation were identified as two processes to meet
the challenges of climate change related issues.
Accordingly, Technological Transfers, Capacity Building and formation
of climate green fund was suggested and ratified. Many discussions took
place and COP meetings held. Having identified many matters related the
crisis; experiences, ideas and information related to cyclones, floods,
droughts, sea level risings, earthquacks, spread of vector bone diseases
and extinction of bio-diversity etc. were exchanged. However, the root
cause for the problem remained unresolved.
Environmental disasters
Burning fossil fuels has increased many folds. Since 1990 the
emission level has risen by 50 percent. It had been 8,309 million tons
in 1990, whilst 12,493 million tons in 2009. Also, the intensity and the
frequency of environmental disasters have increased significantly.
However, there had been no way of preventing any further addition of
fossil fuel.
As I entered the conference venue in Durban, I noticed that the
atmosphere prevailed there was less enthusiastic than what we
experienced at Bali (2007), Poznan (2008) and Copenhagen (2009). In view
of the Fukushima disaster, it seemed that everybody was playing safe, by
keeping silent about the use of Nuke as an alternate energy.
It was obvious that due to the economic crisis prevailing in
countries in Europe and North America, they were only interested in more
growth and not in any unpopular austerity measures. So, in order to
continue with their burning of fossil fuels, they had no alternative
than to defer the problem, perhaps to be solved by the next generation.
A scientist who was much concerned about the impending calamity, at
the conference, clearly spelt out that the future generation is our
generation and that disastrous two degree centigrade increase may happen
in 2035. He further said that if we are not going to cut our emission
level by 2015, we will be faced with very serious environmental problems
in 2030. A calculation showed that in order to put the environment in
order, for at least 40 percent probability, all the coal plants in the
world should be shut down by 2030.
The million dollar question is as to who is going to cut their
emissions? The United States and Canada backed out from the Kyoto
Protocol, manifesting the fact that their Anglo-Saxon arrogance is far
from over.
It is a pity that the United Nations Organization and other world
bodies are being incapacitated from imposing any sanctions against these
countries for their crime against humanity. The so called developed
countries, shamefully relocate their pollution in free trade zones and
export zones in developing countries and adding insult to injury, the
former ask the latter to cut their emissions.
Under these circumstances it is quite natural for the least developed
and developing countries to fault the developed countries for their
carbon debts and agitate for their right to develop.
I observed two emerging trends in Durban. The first is that North
America getting increasingly marginalized by Europe and the other is
China and India, embroiled each other in many issues, coming forward
with new proposals. The Chinese presence in Bali, Poznan or even
Copenhagen was hardly noticed. However, the presence of China is now
getting increasingly noticed, especially due to its possession of the
most cost effective renewable energy technology (solar and wind) and
more importantly, its sound financial position, required for
implementation of its plans.
When China proposed emission cuts to be made effective from 2020, the
developed countries, excluding European Union, raised objections to it.
However, they finally settled down for a second commitment period for
the Kyoto Protocol and accordingly, go in for mandatory agreements in
2015. By that time I hope China, India, Brazil, South Africa and
Indonesia would be able to lead climate discussions with the progressive
support from the European countries.
Since Asia is now moving and shaping the new world, it is high time
it leads the sustainable development and green growth, whilst imposing
green sanctions against the USA and Canada. This double dip global
economic crisis may end up creating a new sustainable future if we were
to fulfill our historical responsibility. |