The curtain has fallen on the Copenhagen summit with no firm U.N. accords . However, the leaders of the United States, China, India and Brazil have in broad lines agreed to limit the increase in temperature to a maximum of two degrees Celsius. The European Union stands by its decision to limit gas emissions to 20% by 2020 compared to 1990.

By Ekko van Ierland

Although developing countries and their African representative are not satisfied, there is now the prospect of limiting the negative effects on climate. Moreover, huge sums will be released, in addition to the money spent on development cooperation, to reduce damage from climate change (such as starvation due to drought which is now visible in Africa, or destruction of houses due to floods).

Africa as producer
The United States, the European Union, India and China consider the issue of climate change very seriously and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (whom I had the opportunity to meet personally in Beijing at the time when he was still deputy prime minister) is willing to take concrete steps in the years to come. And that even if CO2 emissions per capita in China is rather low compared to the United States and Europe.

Despite the absence of a new formal UN treaty, we can speak of a turning point in history, now that the international community has decided to make a real transition to sustainable energy and an  economy low in carbon dioxide. This decision provides new opportunities for industries which are already strong in sustainable energy, including production of solar cells and wind and hydropower. Similarly, we can produce more energy by concentrating energy from the sun into electrical power, for example in southern Europe or North Africa. Africa can become a producer of electricity from solar energy and sustainable use of biomass (for e.g plant remains or cow manure) for biogas production.

More insightful
This revolution will not happen without a fight and will involve a lot of costs. We can very well handle these costs by reducing the cost of energy for fossil fuels and because sustainable energy will be increasingly cheaper in the future. We will achieve economies of scale and we will be more discerning, for example in the use of solar energy. The old energy facilities will be replaced by new technologies. It is necessary to adjust energy prices and activities that require important levels of energy, for example by limiting air traffic to a bare minimum. Or we should make use of biofuels in planes or by compensating for CO2 emissions in a sustainable way, in the likes of reforestation.
 
Obviously it was not possible in Copenhagen to reach a treaty that regulates directly and definitely the climate problem. In the coming years, climate policy will really take shape. However, what comes out of Copenhagen is clear: an increasing number of countries around the world are aware that we must address the problem and are willing to contribute to that in a major way. With new technologies, better control over population growth and adapting our lifestyle, it is definitely possible.

Photo: Francesco Cavallari Flickr