Warning on damage from climate change

MALTA'S Ambassador for Environmental Affairs, Michael Zammit Cutajar, has called for an innovative system of global long-term climate change commitments and responsibilities, anchored in existing international agreements

The call was made during an informal ministerial meeting on climate change organised two weeks ago by the Danish government in Greenland. On his return to Malta Mr Zammit Cutajar told The Sunday Times in an exclusive interview that the meeting revealed a general political consensus from the 20+ participants from all the world's regions, on the need for immediate action to slow the pace of climate change and prepare to adapt to its impacts. "Flights over the fast melting Arctic ice sheet and interaction with Greenlanders brought home the message to participants," he said.

"New environmental awareness in China was clear. In contrast, there is tension between the urgent need for action, and the prospects in the coming decades perceived by the US and Russia for new oil and gas exploration possibilities and year-round ice-free navigation in the circumpolar regions. "

The first executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from 1992 to 2003, Mr Zammit Cutajar played a key role in the negotiation for its related Kyoto Protocol (1997) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Since his UN retirement, he has represented Malta at UNFCCC and other related conferences, and is also continually active in a number of high-level dialogues and informal climate change initiatives.

The protocol, which entered into force in February 2004, despite the refusal of the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases - the United States - to ratify, provides for a modest first round of emission reductions from industrialised countries by 2012. Kyoto's contracting parties are mandated to start negotiations on post-2012 commitments in 2005, for completion in 2008, a process so far not supported by the US.

The Danish government's discussion paper for dialogue participants warned that "if adequate action is not taken within the next decades, the window of opportunity for avoiding large global climate change could effectively close. The protection of the climate system requires substantial further action as soon as possible, and beyond 2012, if risks for what is considered to be 'dangerous' change should be avoided. The next five to 15 years are crucial".

The paper added that climate change damage "will fall disproportionately on developing countries", while the $16 trillion (Lm5.6 trillion) investments in new energy infrastructure needed globally up to 2030 presented a unique chance to introduce new, low carbon and renewable energy technologies.

In his dialogue presentation, Mr Zammit Cutajar urged "disengagement from zero sum diplomacy" on climate change. Instead, he advocated a new 'menu' approach to include cross-national sectoral targets for major emitting industries such as cement, aviation, aluminium and shipping; linking of existing emission trading systems; engaging global corporations as well as "climate victims"; and building around a core consensus among the top 25 leading economies from North and South.

He indicated to The Sunday Times that during the dialogue, Canada's environment minister, Stéphane Dion, presented his goals for the 11th conference of UNFCCC's 189 contracting parties (COP 11), also the first conference of the Kyoto Protocol Contracting Parties, hosted by Canada in Montreal this December. The key goal was to launch a "process for the future", framed by agreed political guidelines and a time line.

In July, the G8 summit in Scotland adopted a climate change action programme brokered by its chair, Prime Minister Tony Blair, which tried to get around the US refusal to cut emissions or accept the broad scientific consensus on the human role in present climate change.

Previously, the EU Council in June confirmed the Union's support for international actions to keep the global increase in temperature over the pre-industrial level to 2°C, hardly one degree more than the increase to date. While not agreeing on a ceiling for global greenhouse gas emissions to reach this target, the Council suggested that developed countries should cut emissions by 15-30 per cent by 2020. Floods and droughts in Europe this summer, as well as the growing violence of hurricanes, are being attributed to climate change.

Malta's national climate change strategy, issued as part of its First National Communication to UNFCCC, was approved by Cabinet in April 2004. However, Nature Trust's president, Vince Attard, told The Sunday Times that there seemed to have been little action or information of the public to date.