Climate Change and Sustainable Development

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Climate Change and Sustainable Development

• Prof Ogunlade R Davidson
• Co-Chair, IPCC Working Group III
• Dean, Post-Graduate Studies, University of Sierra
  Leone
• International Seminar on Sustainable Communities
• 25-26 June 2008

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Contents of Lecture

• Climate Change Problem
• AR4 Findings
• Need for New Growth Paradigm
• Sustainable Development Concepts
• Conclusions

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The Climate Change is more a developmental than
environmental Problem

• UNFCC Overall Objective
• Stabilise atmospheric GHG concentration to
  prevent dangerous levels
• Enable economic development to progress in a
  sustainable manner and ensuring that food
  production is not threatened

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Warming of the Climate is Unequivocal and mostly
human induced
Global temp rise
All GHG concentration increased from 1750-200
Global sea level rise
CO2 280 378 ppm
Northern snow cover
CH4 715-1774 ppb
N20 270-319 ppb
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Impacts by sector
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Observed impacts more Frequent and Intense
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Mitigation Potential Exist
Between 1970 and 2004 GHG emissions have
Increased by 70
Projected GHG emissions using SRES Will increase
between 25-90 but could Be offset by mitigation
potential
All sectors can contribute but differ in shares
and among sectors
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Energy Supply Mitigation Technologies
2030
NOW
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Climate Policy alone will not solve the climate
change problem

• Macro-economic policy taxes, subsidies, other
  fiscal policies, structural adjustment
• Trade policy embodied carbon, removing
  barriers for low-carbon products, domestic energy
  sources
• Energy security policy efficient energy use,
  domestic energy sources (low-high carbon)
• Access to modern energy bio-energy, poverty
  tariffs
• Air quality policy clean fuel
• Bank lending policies lending for efficiency/
  renewable energy, avoid lock-in into old
  technologies in developing countries
• Insurance policy Differentiated premiums,
  liability insurance exclusion, improved
  conditions for green products

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Non-climate policies can influence carbon
emissions as much as specific climate policies
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Climate Change Impacts and Stabilisation
The lower the stabilisation, the earlier global
GHG emissions need to go down
2100 impacts for 50 reduction of global
emissions by 2050
2100 impacts for unmitigated emissions
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Reductions Annex I and non-Annex I countries
Suggested Targets
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Climate Change and Sustainable Development

• The world can be categorized as three distinct
  societies (developed, developing, survival)
• Societies need different pathways to achieve low
  carbon society
• There is a strong synergy between achieving low
  carbon society and attaining sustainable
  development

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Sustainable Development Triangle
Environmental
Pollution Nat. resources Resilience
Values Culture
Valuation
Sustainable Development Equity
Poverty Culture/Heritage
Consultation Empowerment
Growth Efficiency Stability
Intra-generational Equity Basic Needs
Economic
Social
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Bio-Fuel Option

• Ghana as many African countries lie in tropics,
  but suffer from fragile ecosystems (droughts and
  floods)
• Bio-fuels a viable transport energy option
• Co-generation for power is more successful
• Viability is doubtful
• Require large inputs (land, water, fertilizer)
• Choice of land an competition with food
• Choice of crop
• Policy regime crucial regarding outside interests

Co-generation, from sugar waste -40 power in
Mauritius
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Wider use of LPG in Urban and Rural areas
LPG in displaces firewood in urban and rural
Botswana
Sudden increase use of LPG in Sudan
Growth of LPG in Senegal
LPG Cylinder manufacture distribution in
Ghana
Policy Regime is needed
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Renewable Energy

• Renewable energy systems can be used as stand
  alone or mini-grid based on
• Needs assessment
• Provision of wide technology choice
• Facilitation of technical back-up
• Provision of subsidised financial system
• Support existing cooperatives or promote new ones

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Adaptation Options

• Building adaptation Capacity
• Organisational capacity and institutional
  building
• Maximising existing knowledge and experiences
• Promote regional, sub-regional and national
  networks
• Developing baseline assessments
• Adaptation Actions/Projects
• Awareness raising of stakeholders
• Research to support actions
• Develop early warning systems
• Mainstreaming adaptation into development
  planning (climate proofing)
• Synergies with other issues
• Synergies with biodiversity and forests
• Synergies with desertification and land
  degradation
• Links to humanitarian crises
• Links with disaster management

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Financing Opportunities for Climate Change

• UNFCCC Process
• CDM funds
• Special climate Change Funds US90 m pledged,
  US 36 m allocated
• Least developed Countries Fund US 180 m
  pledged, US 14 m allocated. Limited support for
  NAPAs.
• Strategic Priority Piloting an Operational
  Approach to Adaptation under GEF Trust fund US
  50 m
• Small grants programme under GEF Trust fund
• Adaptation Fund under KP 2 levy on CDM.
  Projections- US 80-300 m/yr
• Bilateral Donors and Foundations
• French Global Environment facility
• Canadian and UK cooperation for Climate Change
  adaptation in Africa (CCAA)
• USA collaboration on technology with South Africa
• G8 pledged US 1.5 Bn
• Rockyfeller foundation on climate change
  adaptation
• Disasters Risk reduction funds
• Global Facility for disaster reduction and
  recovery

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Concluding comments

• Non-governmental organisations (International and
  national) are very important
• Human and institutional capacity building
• Sensitizing and popularising technological
  innovations
• Private sector can be involved in development and
  deployment of technologies
• Regulations are crucial
• Competition is necessary
• Addressing equity concerns
• Establishment of a equitable and participative
  framework for decision-making and implementation
• Reduction of potential social disruption from
  climate change impacts
• Protection of cultural diversity and threatened
  cultures. needed in the future

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Thank you for your attention Further
Information Contact University of Sierra
Leone Freetown, Sierra Leone. Tel. No.
232-22-223340 Fax. No 232-22-223270 Email
ogunladedavidson_at_hotmail.com