UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has identified climate change as a defining issue of our era and one of his top priorities. Based on consultations with his Special Envoys and seeking to facilitate international efforts to address the issue, the Secretary-General decided to convene a high-level event on climate change one day before the opening of the General Assembly general debate. Among topics which included adaptation, mitigation and financing for development, the discussions also focused on developing alternative sources of energy, strengthening the renewable energy sector, enhancing energy efficiency and conservation through the development of clean technologies.

In his opening remarks in the General Assembly Hall, Mr. Ban told world leaders that “climate change, and what we do about it, will define us, our era, and ultimately the global legacy we leave for future generations. It is a serious threat to development everywhere. Indeed, the adverse impacts of climate change could undo much of the investment made to achieve the Millennium Development Goals”. But it is not a zero-sum game, he said, adding that “by being creative, we can reduce emissions while promoting economic growth. This is our opportunity to advance sustainable development, encourage new kinds of cleaner technologies, industries and jobs, and integrate climate change risks into national policies and practices.”

Srgjan Kerim, President of the General Assembly, added that climate change was the biggest challenge facing humanity in the twenty-first century. “Because, and according to the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to be sustainable, our broader adaptive strategies should take into account the full environmental, economic and social affects of climate change”, Mr. Kerim said. “There is a common understanding that the solutions must be global: that each nation, each city, each town and community has a stake. And because climate change and our response will affect every aspect of human activity and our environment, the United Nations is the appropriate global forum to take action to address it”, he added.

Also attending the meeting was the Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who said that “something remarkable is beginning to stir—something revolutionary, something historic and transformative”. He stated that California, as the seventh largest economy in the world, is already the leader in information and medical technology, as well as in nano— and biotechnology.

Governor of California addresses climate change meeting UN photo Marco Castro

In 2006, the State enacted groundbreaking greenhouse gas (GHG) emission standards and the world’s first low-carbon fuel standard. “When it comes to the environment, the technologies are changing, the economics are changing, the urgency is changing”, Mr. Schwarzenegger added. “The consequences of global climate change are so pressing … it doesn’t matter who was responsible for the past. What matters is who is answerable for the future—and that means all of us.”

The opening session of the high-level event was followed by four plenary meetings on different aspects of climate change. The one on “Technology: Innovation a climate friendly world—the role of technology and its dissemination” was co-chaired in the morning by Prime Minister Janes Janša of Slovenia and President José Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste, and in the afternoon by Prince Albert II of Monaco and Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont of Thailand. Member States were invited to speak about their countries’ approaches to technology transfers beyond the mechanisms of adaptation and mitigation for addressing climate change.

Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia, spoke on behalf of the European Union, saying that it “attaches great importance to the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, which shows how known technologies like renewable energies can reduce GHG emissions, provided that appropriate incentives are created and that investments into research and development are increased.” He also said that the European Union believes that the post-2012 global and comprehensive climate agreement should extensively promote technology innovation, because energy efficiency plays an important role in shifting to an ecologically oriented lifestyle, but that there is also a need for public policy to address the further promotion and harnessing of advanced technologies. Mr. Ilves added that strong and effective partnerships and cooperation projects should be enhanced in the field of global investment into energy research, development, deployment and diffusion, which should be accompanied by an expanded and innovative approach to mobilizing the large flow of investments to promote the technology transfer to developing countries.

On behalf of least developed countries (LDCs), Boni Yayi, President of Benin, said that in Africa, Asia, Pacific and Caribbean countries, climate change translates into large-scale natural disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, landslides and avalanches. Water scarcity, lack of public hygiene and water contamination are already a part of people’s everyday life and Governments of LDCs face issues related to food security and public health in a context of precariousness and limited resources. Mr. Yayi also commented that LDCs’ access to technologies for the development of clean energy sources should be a high priority and that they would need additional resources to fund programmes in order to address energy issues and promote access to clean and affordable energy sources. “The fight against global warming goes through technological innovations and the transfer of these technologies to the poorest countries”, Mr. Yayi added.

Relating to the issue of emissions reductions, Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada noted that his country, as a major producer of fossil fuels, is working on a new strategy of carbon capture and storage. In pilot projects, carbon dioxide (CO2) is being pumped deep underground into rock formations that have been drained of their oil and gas, which creates a virtuous energy cycle: hydrocarbons are taken out, their energy is tapped and the emissions are put back, Mr. Harper explained. In addition, Canada is increasing its supply of renewable energy by investing in energy sources like wind, biomass, low impact hydroelectricity, geothermics, solar photovoltaics and ocean tides.

Ali Ibrahim Al-Naimi, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, raised concerns regarding petroleum-exporting countries. He mentioned that the selective nature of policies and measures adopted by some industrialized countries is increasing already high taxes on petroleum products, while at continually to providing direct and indirect subsidies to both coal and nuclear power industries which, he claimed,  are more polluting to the climate and global environment. These measures, according to Mr. Al-Naimi, will have a negative impact on world oil demand and will result in the affected countries shouldering much more than a “fair share” of the burden in combating climate change. He asked for the prevention of discriminatory measures against oil and for help to Saudi Arabia and other petroleum-exporting countries to achieve economic diversification as a means to address climate change.

Lo Sze Ping, Campaign Director of Greenpeace China, asked for a new technology deployment mechanism system aimed at switching to clean, efficient renewable technology in developing countries. An investment in renewable energies and energy efficiency of approximately $300 billion per year (roughly equivalent to current fossil fuel subsidies) could deliver the emission reductions that science tells us we need to achieve, Mr. Lo said.

Overall, many of the speakers agreed on the following measures: the need for common but differentiated responsibility; bilateral and multilateral cooperation; developing and facilitating the transfer of modern technologies; addressing climate change within the process of sustainable development; and development and investment assistance for developing countries to reduce their vulnerability.

In an encounter with the press, Secretary-General Ban concluded that combating climate change needs political leadership at the highest level and that they “have sent a clear signal to the citizens of the world that climate change is getting the attention it deserves.” He also said that “we need to step up the pace. We must urgently begin an inclusive process on a new international climate change deal in Bali [Indonesia].

Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon (middle) participates in joint press conference UN photo Evan Schneider

This process needs to cover all aspects of the solution to climate change: adaptation, emissions reductions, climate-friendly technologies and the necessary financial architecture.” He added: “The solution to this global problem should be inclusive, benefiting and encompassing all. To have an inclusive solution, all of us should be more flexible, and all of us should be more innovative, and all of us should do more of what we have already begun to do.”