WHAT'S NEW

 

CHINA, INDIA AND BRAZIL –ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT DEBATED  

Middle Temple, London 29 September 2005  

Senior representatives from the following institutions attended the Cambrensis Ltd seminar on Energy and the Environment in China, India and Brazil at the Middle Temple, London on 29 th September 2005 –  

Arthur D. Little Limited
BBC
Cambrensis Ltd
Cape Farewell
Cardiff University
Confederation of British Industry
Climate Change Capital
Department for Transport Chief Scientist’s Office
Embassy of Brazil
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Futerra Sustainability Communications Ltd
Imperial College
Indian High Commission
Marches Energy Agency
NESTA
Rolls Royce plc
University College
UTD Research Ltd  

Mr William Wilson, Director , Cambrensis Ltd gave an initial presentation on the issues. He asked if countries were doing more than squabbling over who should pay for the costs of tackling climate change when it affected them all. He gave examples of current scientific advice that melting on the Greenland ice cap could lead to 7 metre sea level rise, and showed computer simulations of what that could mean for some of the world’s leading cities. He cited China’s plans to build 544 coal fired power stations, and its being on track to become the world’s largest carbon dioxide emitter; India’s generation of 75% of its energy from coal; and Brazil’s status as the fifth largest CO2 emitter in the world despite the proportion of its energy generated from renewables. He discussed the policy changes necessary to energise international responses to climate change, and the means to integrate them with rapid development in emerging economies.

Mr James Cameron, Director and Co-Founder, Climate Change Capital, gave an impressive account of the state of progress in climate change negotiations to date, what had worked and what had not. He gave an assessment of likely future progress, and identified some of the major obstacles to that progress.  

Ms Jo Ann Fong, Manager, Capacity Building, The Royal Society described the Royal Society’s international work on climate change, and particularly its energy related work with China, India and Brazil as well as the negotiations leading to the Joint Declaration by the heads of the National Science Academies of the G8 countries, China, India and Brazil in June 2005.      

Mr Simon Fairweather, Climate Change and Energy Unit, Foreign and Commonwealth Office discussed energy and emissions trends internationally, and the context to UK energy and environment policy. He anticipated the major challenges beyond 2005, the work in the G8 and the engagement with the “+5”.

Mr David Lyon, Manager, Arthur D. Little Limited gave a short but very informative presentation from the Arthur D. Little Beijing Office on energy efficiency issues and the implications of the new Chinese renewable energy laws.  

After lunch in Middle Temple Hall, Tom Burke CBE, Visiting Professor at Imperial and University Colleges, London gave a masterly account of the challenges in current international climate change negotiations, the science emerging from the Exeter conference and elsewhere, the critical importance of coal technology transition, and the need for reframing the debate on climate change.

Mr Arun Shahu, First Secretary, Indian High Commission generated much interest with a presentation on economic growth in India, the economic aims of the Indian economy, the implications for climate change and Indian government policy to address the balance of these demands.  

A Chairman’s Summary was given by Professor David Slater CB, Director, Cambrensis Ltd, which covered both the daunting implications of the most recent scientific evidence on climate change, and the real reasons for optimism that it could be effectively addressed.

It was agreed that Cambrensis Ltd’s next seminar in London ‘Update on Carbon Sequestration and Storage’ on 1 December 2005 was highly relevant and topical to most of the issues discussed, particularly given the publication of the IPCC Special Report on Carbon Capture and Storage, and moves to apply these technologies in the North Seam China and elsewhere in the world.

For further information about Cambrensis Ltd, or about attending any Cambrensis Ltd seminar, please contact us

 

 

Return to What's New Main Menu