Innovative Steps toward a Low Emissions World

The world celebrated the first anniversary of the Kyoto treaty’s entry into force last month in best way possible – by taking action. Countries, businesses and citizens are realizing that no border can contain global climate change, and not a moment too soon.

Clearly, different countries and business will have different approaches to reducing their emissions. Sweden, for example, has decided to aim high by proposing to eliminate fossil fuels by 2020. The Ministry of Sustainable Development, while acknowledging that the plan was highly ambitious, defended the program with a simple line of argument: we must be prepared, scientifically and culturally, to live in a world without oil. Whether or not Sweden meets the target precisely on time, it is exhibiting a level of commitment that will inspire Swedes and others to do their part.

Setting such ambitious goals also spurs innovation. Brazil, which aims to substantially reduce its dependence on foreign oil, is taking the lead in developing economically feasible alternatives. Brazilian companies have successfully used sugar cane to produce mass quantities of ethanol. Now, more than 80 percent of new cars sold in Brazil are equipped to use ethanol as well as gasoline. The home grown fuel is more popular than foreign imports.

Great Britain is following in Brazil’s footsteps by trying to use wheat and sugar to provide their own biofuels. Wheat alone, Britain says, could eventually replace five percent of oil imports.

Countries are working together to form new, innovative energy partnerships. An agreement between the European Union and China will research clean coal technology that, if successful, will reduce the global warming impact of generating electricity from coal. The near zero emission technology will capture carbon dioxide emitted from the power stations and store it underground. China accounts for approximately one fifth of the world’s population; as its economy grows, its energy consumption will increase exponentially. Clean coal research, if coupled with an immediate transition to existing clean fuels, will go a long way in mitigating China’s climate impact.

Good things are happening in the United States, too. For starters, the U.S. produces a great deal of ethanol, and there is momentum in Congress to help Americans produce even more. On the state level, momentum continues to build for local solutions to climate change. In California, for example, officials in Air Quality Management Districts are implementing a program to replace old leaf blowers – which can release as much pollution in one year as 80 cars can – with cleaner, quieter, low-emission machines. A previous campaign in these districts was successful in replacing old high-emission lawnmowers.

With all the current local and international efforts, the path to reducing the effects of global warming seems to look greener every day. These are important first steps, and nations should continue to cooperate to ensure that future generations will not face dangerous and costly climate disruptions.
 

Updated March 2, 2006