The Society for the Environment is deeply disappointed with the lack of results of the Copenhagen Climate Conference. SocEnv would have welcomed a clear signal from world leaders that the transition to a low carbon future had begun globally, but the outcome of the Climate Summit in Copenhagen falls well short of that. The measures that science tells us are necessary to avoid dangerous climate change and keep temperature increases below 2 degrees are not pursued and there are no clear commitments to reduce CO2 emissions.
Some countries, particularly the EU have embraced the low carbon vision of the future, but visionless world leaders from emerging economies, such as China and India, and the second largest polluter the US have irresponsibly put their short term interests ahead of those of the global community in general and the most vulnerable and threatened countries, such as low lying island states, in particular. Copenhagen has been a step backwards from progress made over the past 20 years.
There is no legally binding commitment and no clear reduction targets, which leaves the need for environmental professionalism to deal with the increasing and in the future even greater impact of climate change and for environmental professionalism to be responsible for the efforts required to move to a low carbon society. We, also in the UK, clearly now need to adapt to temperature increases of 3 degrees and above at great cost to society.
SocEnv CEO, John Carstensen, who followed the two weeks of negotiations said:
“The World is worse of today than two weeks ago before the climate summit. It is disappointing that the UN negotiations could not agree on clear and binding commitments to reduce CO2 emissions to ensure that climate change could be kept under control. It is even worse that the lack of global responsibility have left vulnerable countries at their own peril with a weak promise of unspecified funds to meet their climate challenge.
I am confident that the UK in the short term will be able to cope with the increased burden of adapting to climate change, but the demands on Chartered Environmentalists and others who seek environmental professionalism to climate proof our future is now even greater than ever. The lack of firm action and unambiguous targets will make it even costlier and more difficult for our society. It may be too late for vulnerable countries in Africa and the small island states.”
Side events during the conference and the business response, however, showed that there are great opportunities for jobs, the economy and our well being the sooner we embrace a low carbon society and Chartered Environmentalists and the Society for the Environment are ready to do so.