Climate Change

Global power generation shortfall in 2030

A 2016 research paper in the Journal Nature predicts a 40% shortfall of available water across the globe by 2030 with effects not just for drinking, food production, hygiene and public health, but also for 98% of global electric power generation. Presented at the Asia-Pacific Energy Leaders’ Summit in New Zealand the early findings of a new report, ‘The road to resilience – managing the risks of the energy-water-food nexus’ from the World Energy Council is calling for immediate action in order to secure resilient energy infrastructure. Supported by a task force of over 140 experts from across the world, the report makes five recommendations: Improve understanding of the water footprint of energy technologies in order to mitigate the risks of stranded assets Account for the price of water, particularly in areas of water stress Consider a wider range of financial and insurance instruments to hedge short term risks such as adverse weather incidents and associated electricity price volatility Give investors the confidence to invest by providing them a full risk assessment that includes different climate and hydrological scenarios in financial analyses Provide a reliable and transparent regulatory and legal framework that takes into account water issues and competing stakeholders’ interest. Christoph Frei, Secretary General World Energy Council said: “The energy-water-food nexus poses a systemic risk which could impact the robustness of the energy supply and demand over many years to come. Power plants across the world could be affected by changes in precipitation patterns, which are combining with increasing competition between water users to adversely affect the resilience of energy services. “Clear co-ordination and integrated planning needs to take place now, or we will start to see the effects of water scarcity on energy supplies in the very near future. Assuming a water price during project planning is one […]

Earth To Paris—Le Hub: Two-Day Summit to Discuss Climate Action During COP21

Global convening to explore how bold new climate approaches and impactful solutions can help achieve a better world. New York (Oct. 27, 2015) – Earth To Paris, a coalition of partners helping to drive awareness about the connection between people and planet as well as the need for strong climate action, announced it will host “Earth To Paris—Le Hub” a two-day, high-impact, live-streamed summit on 7 and 8 December in Paris during COP21 — the United Nations climate conference to deliver a new universal climate change agreement. Earth To Paris—Le Hub will provide the opportunity for cross-sector, solutions-oriented engagement in climate change conversations around COP21; a platform for amplifying the conversation across social and digital media; and series of activations through inspiring calls to take bold, meaningful action to address climate change. Experts, advocates, CEOs, and other leaders in Paris will discuss creative and impactful solutions to climate change, while participants around the world take part through multi-language livestreamed video and real-time interactions across multiple social media platforms using the unifying hashtag #EarthToParis. A unique mix of speakers will share their visions for the future. The first tranche of speakers– with more to come–includes: • Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris • Helen Clark, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) • Anthony Lake, Executive Director, UNICEF • Irina Bokova, Director-General, UNESCO • Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Former Prime Minister of Norway; Special Envoy, United Nations; Deputy Chair, The Elders; Board Member, United Nations Foundation • Esther Agbarakwe, Digital story-teller and +SocialGood Advisor • Dr. Paul Bunje, ‎Senior Director of Oceans, XPRIZE Foundation • Kathy Calvin, President and CEO, United Nations Foundation • Rocky Dawuni, Singer, songwriter, Ambassador for United Nations Foundation-hosted Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves • Dr. Sylvia Earle, Marine biologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence • Andrew Freedman, Science editor, […]

Destruction of our soil more serious than climate change

An international soil scientist says restocking the world’s arable soil with carbon is more important than climate change. Dr John Baker says too many people around the world treat soil like dirt when it should be revered because “our lives depend on it.” He believes that because soil isn’t sexy, is not on our radar and is metaphorically beneath us, it’s taken for granted by many farmers and ignored by politicians and city dwellers. “Instead people are besotted by climate change when improving soil health and feeding the world is more important,” he says. “Climate change, while serious, is not going to starve you but the rape of our soil over the last 1,000 years through traditional tillage methods, is already leading to reduced crop yields and will eventually result in famine and malnutrition.” Dr Baker says alarming figures provided by the United National Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the UK Farmers Weekly suggest the quality of soil is rapidly diminishing. FAO predicts the world, on average, has 60 more years of growing crops left while the Farmers Weekly claims that only 100 harvests remain in the UK. Eighty percent of the world’s food comes from crops. Ironically climate change and soil health are closely related and can benefit each other Dr Baker, who has a MAgrSc in soil science and Ph.D in agricultural engineering from Massey University, New Zealand, explains. “Soil health is strongly influenced by the amount of carbon in the soil. That carbon has been oxidised by conventional tillage (ploughing) and even minimum tillage and discharged as carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. Tillage does nothing to recapture it,” he says. “As a result the carbon that was in the soil is now in the atmosphere and contributes to climate change when it should be back […]

Strong policy PIC Seetharam Kallidaikurichi

Strong policy, corporate approach key to solving Asia’s water problems

Asia’s developing countries need to delink water management and politics – Professor Kallidaikurichi, Singapore’s Institute of Water Policy. Photo: Singapore International Water Week. Strong policy, corporate approach key to solving Asia’s water problems By Jenny Marusiak Asia’s governments need to set good water policies, and then let the utilities do their jobs. A corporate approach, separate from politics, creates the stable business environments necessary for private sector investment in safe and clean water for Asian cities. This is the view of Professor Seetharam Kallidaikurichi, director of the Institute of Water Policy at Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, who spoke at the Singapore International Water Week. In an interview with Eco-Business, Professor Kallidaikurchi said governments need to create the policy frameworks that enable private firms to bring the needed technology. The firms need to know they can safely invest in it and that the contracts will allow them to reap the profits for a period of time, he added. Professor Kallidaikurchi noted this approach of using long term contracts to create stable business environments is similar to the way pharmaceutical and telecommunications companies invest in technology in developing countries. His presentation on sustainable urban water management on Monday kicked off the inaugural Southeast Asia Water Ministers Forum, an international gathering of water ministers and experts at the Pan Pacific Hotel. Professor Kallidaikurichi said all cities can achieve sustainable water management systems and that it was expensive not to have such systems in place. He noted the high costs of bottled water and healthcare associated with unsafe water, in addition to the loss of revenue from stolen or leaked water. There are two ways Asia’s cities can encourage innovation in sanitation and water treatment, he said. “One would be for the government to set up a platform for […]

1 2 3 4