Event Report: Climate Security and Green Technology:     An EU-US Perspective

          On April 8, 2011 The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted an event titled, Climate Security and Green Technology: An EU – US Perspective. The keynote speaker for this event was Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, the EU Commissioner for Climate Action. Commissioner Hedegaard discussed the EU’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gases by at least 20% from 1990 levels by the year 2020, increase the amount of energy that comes from renewable sources to 20% by the year 2020, and to reduce total energy consumption by 20% by the year 2020. Hedegaard mentions these goals are helping to reduce the effects of climate change and, in addition, strengthen the EU economy. Citing statistics that state from 1999 – 2009 the EU GDP has risen by 40% and 1.5 million jobs will be created by these initiatives by the year 2020.

            Nigel Purvis, President of Climate Advisers, spoke on what the US can do to help address the climate challenge. He notes that our current political climate suggests there will be no reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases released by the US, so we must act internationally. He says even if the current mitigation commitments from all countries are met, this will only address about half of what needs to be done to avoid the greatest risks of climate change. For this reason, he says the US needs to be more involved on an international scale. Mr. Purvis gives four central ideas on how the US can act on a global scale to address climate change. First, the US needs to continue to increase its foreign aid to address climate change, which has increased by a factor of 4 since the signing of the Kyoto Protocol. Second, we need to mainstream climate concerns. For example, the US should push the World Bank to reduce lending to countries with large coal production. Third, the US needs to spread knowledge on how to act, for those who do wish to act, by helping to implement policies for countries that are specific to their region. Finally, he says the US must look creatively for ideas on international funding, such as taxes on aviation and shipping and incentives for countries that use clean energy.

            Commissioner Hedegaard provided concluding remarks that challenged not only the US, but countries all over the world to lead. She asked, which countries will provide the world with the leadership it needs when it has 9 billion people? She stated that the countries that use this climate challenge to drive changes in their economy will be the countries that can lead the world in the future.