to investors on the financial implications they face as a result of climate change . Just as more companies are becoming more bullish on carbon-cutting, a growing number of optimistic reports are emerging that suggest that carbon could be beneficial to the entire economies. Research by shell springboard in the United Kingdom suggests that tackling climate change could create a new market for British business over the coming decades.
Similarly the Norwegian government appointed commission on Low emissions has concluded that the country can reduce greenhouse emissions by 50-80% by the year 2050 while losing little or no growth. The panel also reported that "investment in education, research, development and testing of climate friendly technologies will strengthen Norway's technological expertise."
Global warming and efforts to control it are going to produce winners and losers. Thoughtful companies and countries are convinced that by acting early, they can be among the winners. The account of the business response to climate change has focused on the rosier hues- but still much disagreement among both companies and governments over how best to reduce the energy intensity of our national economies and de-carbonize the energy supply. Both are important to reversing global warming.
But business can not do it alone. Indeed, there simply many places where business can't go without a path laid in public policies. Access to insurance against losses streaming from hostile weather or rising sea levels will require government involvement and regulation. Global intergovernmental cooperation via the likes of the United Nations, World Bank and World Trade Organization remains weak and has limited capacity to bring communities together in managing climate change.
Even the non governmental organizations (NGOs) are divided. Cutting carbon will probably require more nuclear power plants .Yet there are protests in France over the set up of new power plants and in Britain against UK's biggest coal fired power station, Drax for emitting CO2.Climate change is a global challenge brought about by myriad local actions. Its solutions must also be a combination of global and local initiatives with meaningful partnership among companies, government and civil society groups.
The year 2007 is the 20th anniversary of the world commission on environment and development, Our Common Future. it noted that "Property managed, efficiency measures could allow industrial nations to stabilize their primary consumption by the turn of the century" written in 1987, that refers not to 2100 but to 2000.the hoped for tipping point has been coming at a snail pace.
Today the best examples on climate change come from international companies' .our governments are lagging behind in the fight for a better and safe world. Bottom line: they have to do more.
Learn more about this author, Thomas Kizito.
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