How much it will cost you to tackle climate change?
My take on this is that it will cost a great deal more if we do not tackle it!
BRITAIN
Information from Lyndsay Moss of the Scotsman is that climate change could cost British households just £100 a year by 2030 - but only if action is taken now to prepare for the challenges ahead, business leaders warned yesterday.
It was stated that companies need fundamentally to adapt their business plans to meet society’s needs in the climate-change era. But they said that the costs for consumers of doing their bit for the planet could soar unless action was taken by business early.
The report conceded that a draft target of cutting carbon emissions by between 26 and 32 per cent by 2020 was likely to be missed. But it said that goals for 2050 could be achieved. The UK government has pledged to cut emissions by 60 per cent from 1990 levels by this time, while in Scotland the target is 80 per cent.
Business is being urged to “fundamentally change” their business models to meet the needs of consumers and society as the longer they delayed, the higher the cost would be.
CALIFORNIA
Governor Schwarzenegger created the Green Action Team, a Cabinet-level group working to implement the Green Building Initiative. Led by State and Consumer Services Agency Secretary Rosario Marin, the team’s goal is to oversee and direct the State’s efforts. The Green Building Initiative will reduce carbon emissions by 500,000 metric tons by 2010 and 1.8 million metric tons by 2020.
The Executive Order calls for the State to reduce its electricity demand by 10 percent by 2010 and by 20 percent by 2015. California is also actively working to deploy fuel cell, wind and biomass solutions.
What is the situation in AUSTRALIA?
We have a brand new government and we are signing the Kyoto protocol but it does not appear that they have quite got their act together yet. Listening to the news it sounded as though Mr Rudd was coming in later and watering down some of the targets that negotiators had been naming. He has just released government forecasts showing that Australia is likely to “overshoot” by 1% its target of keeping emissions to no more than 8% above 1990 levels.
Environment Business Australia chief executive Fiona Wain, who is attending the Bali conference, says Australia needs to accept that a big step up will be required under the post-2012 framework.
Interesting times!
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