Major Group: NGOs
Mr Chairman, distinguished delegates,
Climate change and energy security are the dominant issues of international politics today. The
Security Council, the G8+5, the World Bank and other institutions are talking about it; the
Secretary-General plans a Special Summit on Climate Change; in many countries this issue is
deciding elections; next week the climate negotiations continue in Bonn.
So the CSD has a unique opportunity to bring together climate and energy and work out an
integrated agenda - yet at the IPM it has sadly missed the opportunity. Most governments
complained about the damage wrought upon their countries by climate change, yet at the same
time they promoted the further expansion of the very fossil energy system that is responsible for
climate change. Can the CSD really afford to trail the international energy and climate agenda
when it should be the spearhead? We don?t think so.
Mr Chairman,
What we need today is a co-ordinated international response to the energy and climate crisis.
According to the new IPCC report, global emissions need to peak until 2020 and then have to be
reduced. In other words: the fossil energy system cannot stay for many decades to come, but has
to be phased out. This is only possible by a simultaneous massive expansion of sustainable
renewable energies and energy efficiency as well as energy conservation. We need clear timebound
targets both for renewables and energy efficiency. And we need funding for this
transformation ? a rapid phase-out of the billions of subsidies for fossil and nuclear energy, as
well as radical restructuring of the energy portfolios of multilateral development banks who still
spend close to 90% for fossil fuel extraction. Specific review mechanisms must be established to
ensure these goals are met.
A global energy revolution is also a program for industrial development. Countries that have
made the energy revolution their political priority have clearly demonstrated that this creates
more jobs than fossil fuels, they have enjoyed more economic growth and it puts those countries
in the vanguard of the future energy technology markets. But those countries that are now
listening to the tune of the fossil lobby will be paying dearly in the decades to come. And this
applies both to industrial and developing countries alike. Countries are now deciding whether
they are going to import the windmills, solar panels and efficiency technologies in the future, just
as they do import petroleum now, or whether they will create their own booming renewable
energy markets.
The elements of a global deal for a below 2°C degree energy vision between the industrial and
major developing countries need to be negotiated now ? in line with the principle of common but
differentiated responsibilities, leading to a second Kyoto commitment period and a package of
energy agreements between industrial and developing nations.
Mr Chairman,
1.6 billion people still lack access to basic modern energy services. Energy poverty
disproportionately affects women and is a crucial obstacle not only to development, but also to
poverty reduction and social progress. Access to modern energy services and technologies must
become an integral part of national sustainable development strategies, and we also need clear
time-bound targets and implementation strategies for expanding access to energy. Decentralized
power generation and energy service delivery are the most promising approaches for that.
A sustainable energy future for all and the prevention of dangerous climate change is the
challenge of the 21st century. We call on governments at CSD-15 to meet this challenge and
agree on concrete steps.
Thank you.
Climate change and energy security are the dominant issues of international politics today. The
Security Council, the G8+5, the World Bank and other institutions are talking about it; the
Secretary-General plans a Special Summit on Climate Change; in many countries this issue is
deciding elections; next week the climate negotiations continue in Bonn.
So the CSD has a unique opportunity to bring together climate and energy and work out an
integrated agenda - yet at the IPM it has sadly missed the opportunity. Most governments
complained about the damage wrought upon their countries by climate change, yet at the same
time they promoted the further expansion of the very fossil energy system that is responsible for
climate change. Can the CSD really afford to trail the international energy and climate agenda
when it should be the spearhead? We don?t think so.
Mr Chairman,
What we need today is a co-ordinated international response to the energy and climate crisis.
According to the new IPCC report, global emissions need to peak until 2020 and then have to be
reduced. In other words: the fossil energy system cannot stay for many decades to come, but has
to be phased out. This is only possible by a simultaneous massive expansion of sustainable
renewable energies and energy efficiency as well as energy conservation. We need clear timebound
targets both for renewables and energy efficiency. And we need funding for this
transformation ? a rapid phase-out of the billions of subsidies for fossil and nuclear energy, as
well as radical restructuring of the energy portfolios of multilateral development banks who still
spend close to 90% for fossil fuel extraction. Specific review mechanisms must be established to
ensure these goals are met.
A global energy revolution is also a program for industrial development. Countries that have
made the energy revolution their political priority have clearly demonstrated that this creates
more jobs than fossil fuels, they have enjoyed more economic growth and it puts those countries
in the vanguard of the future energy technology markets. But those countries that are now
listening to the tune of the fossil lobby will be paying dearly in the decades to come. And this
applies both to industrial and developing countries alike. Countries are now deciding whether
they are going to import the windmills, solar panels and efficiency technologies in the future, just
as they do import petroleum now, or whether they will create their own booming renewable
energy markets.
The elements of a global deal for a below 2°C degree energy vision between the industrial and
major developing countries need to be negotiated now ? in line with the principle of common but
differentiated responsibilities, leading to a second Kyoto commitment period and a package of
energy agreements between industrial and developing nations.
Mr Chairman,
1.6 billion people still lack access to basic modern energy services. Energy poverty
disproportionately affects women and is a crucial obstacle not only to development, but also to
poverty reduction and social progress. Access to modern energy services and technologies must
become an integral part of national sustainable development strategies, and we also need clear
time-bound targets and implementation strategies for expanding access to energy. Decentralized
power generation and energy service delivery are the most promising approaches for that.
A sustainable energy future for all and the prevention of dangerous climate change is the
challenge of the 21st century. We call on governments at CSD-15 to meet this challenge and
agree on concrete steps.
Thank you.