The evolution of human civilization, with the three revolutions, has given the humankind a power that far exceeded its expectation. What we are seeing now is the humankind putting itself under a fatal threat by the act of its own. The threat is the kind that the humankind has never experienced before, in scale and in magnitude.
Of course, the threat is the anthropogenic climate change. What IPCC scientists have advised us on this matter is clear: they are almost sure climate change is manmade; the pace is faster than they previously expected; and the consequences are direr than they previously estimated. We have to listen to their voices.
The world is now witnessing the adverse impacts of climate change on global environment, and the Korean Peninsula is not the exception. The Korea Meteorological Administration announced that the Korean Peninsula has undergone a temperature rise of 1.7 degree Celsius for the past 100 years. The areas for cultivation of major crops are moving up north, and the catch of fish is no longer that of the past. The walleye pollock, which had been the most popular fish in the East Sea of the Korean Peninsula is no longer observed, and the void is now filled with tones of jellyfish and other exotic tropical fish species rarely seen in Korea in the past. Obviously the environment is changing, and it is changing rapidly. We must act now.
Arnold Toynbee depicted humankind’s history as the history of responses to the challenges. Global climate change is a huge challenge to the human civilization, and it has to be met with a commensurately huge response. And we need heroes – heroes to meet with this challenge and bring about the new revolution.
Copenhagen in coming December is a unique moment and place in history where the heroes and heroines of the world gather together to meet with this historical challenge of the world. The humankind has to come up with a challenging commitment to save itself as one unity of global citizens.
We need political heroes. They have to convince their people that bold actions are needed and some level of sacrifice is unavoidable so that we can get to a better place with new level of prosperity.
We need science and technology heroes. They have to come up with new innovative ways of producing energy and consuming it efficiently, and their efforts will be met with due respect and compensation.
We need business heroes. They will bring about business innovations to move forward to a green economy. If the international targets and rules have been set, they are the leaders of this global history.
Indeed, we need heroes everywhere. Every person at every corner of the planet has to be part of this global “Green Crusade.”
Korean government last year has initiated the nationwide campaign called “GreenStart Campaign.” It invites all members of our country to be part of this global effort. It helped greatly to enhance people’s awareness of the problem and willingness to participate in solving the problem.
“GreenStart Campaign” is just one aspect of Korea’s efforts for green revolution. The Korean government has adopted “Low-Carbon Green Growth” as the leading national agenda for the coming decades. A large portion of government spending will be put into green technologies and industries to move into green economy, and now business is responding to this national agenda with announcement of huge scale investment plans on green businesses.
Korea holds a rather unique position in the global scene. It was completely ruined by the Korean War (1950-1953). However, it rose again through the diligence of its people and with help of international society, and now Korea is an OECD member country and its economy is relatively strong and still growing.
With this historical background, Korea is now poised to be part of this global endeavor, and will try to play the bridging role between developed and developing countries. With its strong technological driving force, Korea will also try to be a solution provider and innovation creator.
There is a saying in traditional Korean medicine that an illness is an opportunity to reflect on ourselves and make amendments to our way of life. Climate change is a serious illness to the planet and to the human civilization. Fortunately, it is relatively in the early stage and we still have chances to correct it. Maybe climate change is an opportunity given to humankind to reflect on its civilization and redirect the course of evolution.
Once again, Copenhagen is a unique place and moment in history for the humankind to initiate the fourth revolution, “the Green Revolution.” I invite you to be part of it.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Easy peasy visas
Anyone who has ever struggled with visa forms and deadlines will understand what a huge task it is to make sure that the many COP15 delegates who need a Danish visa receive one in time.
To make the process easier for delegates and to make sure that all applications are processed in time, Denmark has set up special visa facilitation arrangements.
Unique international collaborations let delegates apply for Schengen-visas which are valid for longer periods than normally granted. This saves the trouble of getting sepearate visas for the run-up UN climate change talks in various European locations and COP15 itself.
A stellar example of this is an agreement with Germany and Spain, which let delegates attending the climate change talks in Bonn and Barcelona apply for Schengen-visas to cover both those talks and COP15.
France has also agreed to receive applications for Danish visas at their embassies in countries belonging to the group of Small Island Developing States, such as Fiji and the Comoros, where Denmark has no visa issuing missions. Climate questions are especially important to these low-lying coastal countries, because they are very vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters.
Danish embassies around the world also take part in the special arrangements. Delegates attending the UN summit in New York City on September 22 will as a special measure be able to apply for a Danish visa directly at the Danish General Consulate in the city.
And for the first time ever, visa applications will be received outside an official mission. At the UN climate change talks in Bangkok later this month, a stand functioning like a Danish 'mini embassy' will be set up, allowing delegates to apply for visas on the spot.
Representatives from COP15 logistic unit and the Consular Service will be at the stand ready to help, and with a hotline to the Danish Immigration Service.
To make the process easier for delegates and to make sure that all applications are processed in time, Denmark has set up special visa facilitation arrangements.
Unique international collaborations let delegates apply for Schengen-visas which are valid for longer periods than normally granted. This saves the trouble of getting sepearate visas for the run-up UN climate change talks in various European locations and COP15 itself.
A stellar example of this is an agreement with Germany and Spain, which let delegates attending the climate change talks in Bonn and Barcelona apply for Schengen-visas to cover both those talks and COP15.
France has also agreed to receive applications for Danish visas at their embassies in countries belonging to the group of Small Island Developing States, such as Fiji and the Comoros, where Denmark has no visa issuing missions. Climate questions are especially important to these low-lying coastal countries, because they are very vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters.
Danish embassies around the world also take part in the special arrangements. Delegates attending the UN summit in New York City on September 22 will as a special measure be able to apply for a Danish visa directly at the Danish General Consulate in the city.
And for the first time ever, visa applications will be received outside an official mission. At the UN climate change talks in Bangkok later this month, a stand functioning like a Danish 'mini embassy' will be set up, allowing delegates to apply for visas on the spot.
Representatives from COP15 logistic unit and the Consular Service will be at the stand ready to help, and with a hotline to the Danish Immigration Service.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Kenyan adaptation estimated to cost billions
The government of Kenya hopes to take advantage of the UN conference on climate change this December to attract international financing for an ambitious scheme.
”In Copenhagen, Kenya will be expecting an equitable and effective global climate deal that will apply the principle that the polluter pays,” Environment Minister John Michuki tells All Africa.
Among other consequences of climate change, Kenya has seen declining rainfall, which in turn has led to lower resources for hydropower and scarcity of water for agriculture and consumption.
”In Nairobi, the effect of climate change has been felt by people who dig bore holes because they now have to sink the holes as far as 600 meters to one kilometer to hit the water table,” says John Nyaoro, director for water resources at the Water Ministry.
The ministries for environment and for wildlife are currently working on the details of an investment program to cost ”at least Sh80 billion (109 billion US dollars) every year over the next twenty years” to mitigate and adapt to climate change. According to All Africa, investments on this scale can only take place if private investments and donor financing are attracted.
”In Copenhagen, Kenya will be expecting an equitable and effective global climate deal that will apply the principle that the polluter pays,” Environment Minister John Michuki tells All Africa.
Among other consequences of climate change, Kenya has seen declining rainfall, which in turn has led to lower resources for hydropower and scarcity of water for agriculture and consumption.
”In Nairobi, the effect of climate change has been felt by people who dig bore holes because they now have to sink the holes as far as 600 meters to one kilometer to hit the water table,” says John Nyaoro, director for water resources at the Water Ministry.
The ministries for environment and for wildlife are currently working on the details of an investment program to cost ”at least Sh80 billion (109 billion US dollars) every year over the next twenty years” to mitigate and adapt to climate change. According to All Africa, investments on this scale can only take place if private investments and donor financing are attracted.
Nobel Prize winner: Don’t rely on wind technology
When Europe runs out of fossil fuels in 40 to 60 years, wind energy is inefficient and too unstable to deliver the energy needed. Therefore it is deeply abortive when countries like Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom rely on wind technology, says Jack Steinberger, German-American physicist and former Nobel Prize winner, in an interview with Berlingske Tidende.
Steinberger is one of the keynote speakers at the Nordic Climate Solutions Conference that opens today in Copenhagen. In definite terms, he criticizes Denmark and other European countries for heavily investing in wind power instead of solar power.
“It is only windy enough 40 to 45 percent of the time. Often, you will not be able to satisfy European energy needs using wind. In the desert, the sun is shining perhaps 95 percent of the time, which of course is much more stable,” Jack Steinberger argues, according to Berlingske Tidende.
According to Jack Steinberger, it is still not possible to store wind energy in a sustainable way, and that is an almost insuperable obstacle.
Today at the conference, architects with Gottlieb Paludan will present a way of storing wind power by using a hydrothermal technique, Berlingske Tidende reports.
In short, the Danish architects suggest the building of small, artificial islands. The largest part of each island will consist of a water basin that can be emptied by pumps powered by the wind energy produced at night. On windless days, seawater will be channeled back into the basin through turbines, thus generating power.
Steinberger is one of the keynote speakers at the Nordic Climate Solutions Conference that opens today in Copenhagen. In definite terms, he criticizes Denmark and other European countries for heavily investing in wind power instead of solar power.
“It is only windy enough 40 to 45 percent of the time. Often, you will not be able to satisfy European energy needs using wind. In the desert, the sun is shining perhaps 95 percent of the time, which of course is much more stable,” Jack Steinberger argues, according to Berlingske Tidende.
According to Jack Steinberger, it is still not possible to store wind energy in a sustainable way, and that is an almost insuperable obstacle.
Today at the conference, architects with Gottlieb Paludan will present a way of storing wind power by using a hydrothermal technique, Berlingske Tidende reports.
In short, the Danish architects suggest the building of small, artificial islands. The largest part of each island will consist of a water basin that can be emptied by pumps powered by the wind energy produced at night. On windless days, seawater will be channeled back into the basin through turbines, thus generating power.
Offshore wind could generate a third of all EU electricity by 2020
The European Union is aiming to generate a fifth of all its energy from renewable sources by 2020 to lessen reliance on imported oil and gas and meet goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Wind power will likely play the major role and could generate up to 16 percent of all EU energy — or a third of all electricity — by 2020, the European Wind Energy Association says.
The industry says this depends on governments helping them make a major push to develop offshore wind farms over the next 20 years. They say it could replace power from older coal-fired electricity stations and help meet Europe's growing energy demand.
Some 57 billion euro will be needed to develop these wind farms, the association says. Another up to 30 billion euro will need to be spent on energy links to transfer the power onshore and link power connectors between European nations, EWEA says.
EWEA chief executive Christian Kjaer warns that potential investors in these projects need firm signals from EU governments to propel the infant industry. He says financiers are ready to pump money into the sector — but want assurances that wind farms will get the links and support they need to provide power to the electricity grid.
Many European nations, such as Germany, already subsidize renewables by guaranteeing a price for wind power fed to the grid.
Wind power will likely play the major role and could generate up to 16 percent of all EU energy — or a third of all electricity — by 2020, the European Wind Energy Association says.
The industry says this depends on governments helping them make a major push to develop offshore wind farms over the next 20 years. They say it could replace power from older coal-fired electricity stations and help meet Europe's growing energy demand.
Some 57 billion euro will be needed to develop these wind farms, the association says. Another up to 30 billion euro will need to be spent on energy links to transfer the power onshore and link power connectors between European nations, EWEA says.
EWEA chief executive Christian Kjaer warns that potential investors in these projects need firm signals from EU governments to propel the infant industry. He says financiers are ready to pump money into the sector — but want assurances that wind farms will get the links and support they need to provide power to the electricity grid.
Many European nations, such as Germany, already subsidize renewables by guaranteeing a price for wind power fed to the grid.
Chinese advisor questions target of two degrees
Given that China’s emissions continue to rise – as all prognosis agree they will – it is simply not possible to keep global warming below two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels.
”You should not target China to fulfill the two degree target. That is just a vision. Reality has deviated from that vision. We do not think that target provides room for developing countries,” says Dai Yande, deputy chief of China’s Energy Research Institute, according to the Guardian.
His comments follow the release this week of a report that states that even under the most optimistic scenarios – with huge domestic and foreign investments going into clean energy – China’s greenhouse gas emissions will continue to grow during the next decades. The study was conducted by a number of universities and other institutions, including the global conservation organization WWF.
”China emits most carbon in the world. We don’t want this hat, but we may have to wear it for many more years,” says Yang Fuqiang, director for global climate solutions at WWF China.
Still, Dai Yande of the Energy Research Institute stresses that the global warming currently seen is mainly caused by industrialized countries:
”Twenty percent of the world’s population takes 80 percent of wealth and emits 70 percent of greenhouse gases. I think two degrees is a vision that is difficult to fulfill because few countries have reached Kyoto (Protocol) targets, except the UK and some others in the EU.”
According to the Guardian, the comments from Dai Yande ”are not official government policy, but they are consistent with a hardening of positions ahead of the Copenhagen climate change summit (the UN conference) in December
”You should not target China to fulfill the two degree target. That is just a vision. Reality has deviated from that vision. We do not think that target provides room for developing countries,” says Dai Yande, deputy chief of China’s Energy Research Institute, according to the Guardian.
His comments follow the release this week of a report that states that even under the most optimistic scenarios – with huge domestic and foreign investments going into clean energy – China’s greenhouse gas emissions will continue to grow during the next decades. The study was conducted by a number of universities and other institutions, including the global conservation organization WWF.
”China emits most carbon in the world. We don’t want this hat, but we may have to wear it for many more years,” says Yang Fuqiang, director for global climate solutions at WWF China.
Still, Dai Yande of the Energy Research Institute stresses that the global warming currently seen is mainly caused by industrialized countries:
”Twenty percent of the world’s population takes 80 percent of wealth and emits 70 percent of greenhouse gases. I think two degrees is a vision that is difficult to fulfill because few countries have reached Kyoto (Protocol) targets, except the UK and some others in the EU.”
According to the Guardian, the comments from Dai Yande ”are not official government policy, but they are consistent with a hardening of positions ahead of the Copenhagen climate change summit (the UN conference) in December
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