Climate Change and Society

There is significant progress in the move towards a low-carbon economy. The Global roundtable on climate change, organized on Thursday, 17 May 2007 in Bonn, Germany by Columbia University as a side event at the 26th Sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), shows how some business corporations have done a good job in setting up policies and action plans to reduce carbon dioxide emission from both direct and indirect sources. BASF targets to reduce GHG emission by 38%, relative to a 1990 baseline, and sets a goal to reduce specific GHG emissions per ton of sales products. Deutsche Telekom targets to reduce GHG emissions by 50%, relative to a 1995 baseline, by 2010, and aims to decouple energy consumption from carbon dioxide emission. DuPont achieves the target to reduce GHG emission by 40%, relative to a 1990 baseline, by 1990, ahead of time. The company sets a new target to reduce emissions by 65% by 2010 with sustainability goals to reduce DuPont ‘s footprint regarding water conservation, car fleet fuel efficiency and air carcinogens. Endesa, a global electricity and gas company, sets energy efficiency measures and plans to reduce emissions post 2012 and participate in variety of Carbon Funds. Columbia University’s global roundtable on climate change provides a forum for discussion, analysis and exchange of ideas among businesses from all economic sectors and all parts of the world, including international institutions, NGOs and leading academic experts. To meet the needs for professionals who understand the links between climate and society, the Columbia University contributes greatly by providing new knowledge and skills in this area. The university’s campus in New York City organizes courses for an M.A degree in the field of Climate Change, Climate Prediction, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences to international students from around the world to promote knowledge and encourage voluntary action by world community at all levels to deal with the problem that we all face on climate change. For people who are interested in organizing community action, look for the present state of knowledge that is made available to us by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Filed under Environment, Science, United Nations, World Affairs |