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Nasheed: cut out carbon, consume renewables

NEW DELHI: The Maldives, like India, believes that any deal on climate change must start with the international framework in existence.

“We must start with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, set out under the Kyoto Protocol,” Maldivian President Nasheed said at the Delhi High Level Conference on “Climate Change: Technology Development and Transfer” here on Thursday.

“How can we forge a deal that protects the planet and that is just, equitable and politically acceptable? To bring emissions down to 350 ppm [parts per million] requires the sort of action few politicians are prepared to talk about,” he said.

Pointing out that there was no room for compromise, fudged deals or half-measures, Mr. Nasheed said radical change was required for which humanity must embrace new technologies to bring down the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide to 350 ppm. This will prevent “irreversible, catastrophic climate change.”

“We are living in a manner that the planet cannot sustain. I am not suggesting that people cut consumption and give up the good life; I am suggesting that we cut out carbon and consume renewables instead.”

The Maldivians lived on their islands for over 2,000 years, and “we don’t want to trade paradise for an environmental refugee camp. But climate change not only threatens the Maldives, it threatens us all. The message from the Maldivian frontline is that what happens to us today happens to the rest of the world tomorrow.”

In his opening remarks, Sha Zukang, Under Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs to the Delhi Conference, said climate change demanded urgent action and rapid, wide diffusion. The world could not afford to wait for these technologies to follow the usual path of gradual diffusion: from rich to middle-income to poor countries. “Global climate policy will succeed, or fail, depending on whether it brings low-emissions technologies and technologies for adaptation within the reach of poor countries, and poor communities, without further delay.”

Having contributed the least to climate change, developing countries were the most vulnerable to its impact. Yet, failure to address the challenge would be disastrous for the whole planet. “The full arsenal of climate-friendly technologies should be mobilised for the fight against climate change. International technology cooperation and knowledge-sharing can ensure that mature technologies are widely adopted.”

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