eupdates 010405

The entire world now is talking about climate change and how to mitigate Greenhouse gas.

The threshold of a 2 degrees centigrade will be surpassed, causing many more and disastrous effects.

The 4 degrees centigrade that seems to be near will definitely bring more massive devastation to our land and planet.

It may even put an end to our civilization as we know it and all for what?

Development and growth? Certainly not the people and the planet.

After over a year since the super-typhoon Yolanda devastated Tacloban and many parts of the Philippines, it seems that everyone now is talking about mitigation. The mitigation goals are form 40%-70% of existing levels by 2050. Frankly, we find this too long.

Mitigation of GHG must take effect immediately and not wait until 2050. With the COP 20 scheduled next year in Peru, it is imperative that mitigation Goals be set up to take effect as soon as the conference is over.

The UNFCCC has indicated finally that should nothing be done, then there will be more poverty, more homeless people, more damage to communities, agriculture and people.

The planet is the on the tipping point and many know this; thus the 350ppm carbon dioxide need to sustain life must be achieved and it must be fast tracked.

As of day, CO2 has already breached the 400 ppm mark and is increasing rapidly.

If not for the economic slowdown, it would have already gone up much faster.

And the planet will be faced with many more Yolandas. The very fact that the economic slowdown has occurred has slowed down GHG and lowered the consumption and cost of oil and coal, the dirtiest fossil fuels.

Sometimes we think that the economic slowdown has come as a boom, and not a bane, as it has in its own way mitigated carbon dioxide emissions.

Now it is time to go full throttle on renewable energy as well as increase the carbon sinks that will reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

It is time to rehabilitate and reforest our mountains. To plant billions of trees and mangrove forests to help sequester the carbon dioxide and at the same time help in protecting our coastline communities form devastation.

Sadly, we are still building coal-fired power plants. We wonder why our leaders are filled with the narrow economics and politics of destruction.

It is time to think about the air, water and food that will be damaged due to climate events and what will happen if all these basics are lost.

The solutions are all there and we just need the political will to implement them or face more Yolanda’s.

In my mind, the economic slowdown has achieved what the UNFCCC cop has failed to do.

(By: Antonio M. Claparols – President ESP)