Thursday, June 23, 2005

We could save energy easily, but...

The European Commission is convinced that it can be done. Dramatically reducing our energy consumption to the benefit of economic competitiveness, security and environmental protection, while maintaining our living standards. This week, it has issued its anticipated ambitious plans to slash energy demand by 20%. (for more, also read my previous post on this)

Despite this, the international community is still struggling to find an agreement on climate change. It appears increasingly unlikely this agreement will happen at the upcoming G8, as Tony Blair may have hoped. The Financial Times yesterday said he "may be preparing to soft-pedal on global warming in exchange for Mr Bush's support on aid for Africa... That would not only be short-sighted but horribly ironic, since Africa is one of the principal victims of climate change, across a range of phenomena spanning desertification and disease, migration and ensuing conflict over scarce resources."

"The US will not go the Kyoto route but nor will it fully mobilise its research and ingenuity around this problem until it recognises it as a world-changing phenomenon that can no longer be ignored."

Meanwhile, the scientific community is getting more and more angry....