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Explore the need for systemic change, carbon trade, and the role of African governments in addressing climate change. Learn about examples of environmental justice and protests for structural change.
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EGS1003: Section on International Environmental Justice and the Climate Change Challenge Mary Lawhon (marylawhon@gmail.com) This work by Mary Lawhon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Change lightbulb • Use public transportation By Sean Wilson/ SEI By Sean Wilson/ SEI
Solar geyser • Hybrid car
Residential energy use is only about 20% of total, and even less of GHG emissions • Need for full lifecycle accounting- where in the cycle are GHG emitted? • Trade offs between carbon and other environmental problems (toxics, biodiversity)
Use purchasing power to demand change • Engage in creating systemic change
Carbon trade or carbon debt? • Transfers through carbon trade/clean development mechanism • WangariMaathai, • Marthinus van Schalkwyk (the remainder of the slides are based on Bond, 2010a)
These funds have not been able to address concerns of African countries on adaptation, • Inadequate and inappropriately structured; • Access to the funds has been made difficult, • But, position of African governments on their preferred way forward remains vague
Who is at the negotiations? • The delegations are full of those who “oppose fuel efficiency standards, tax on big cars, or tough penalties for polluters. But they will still talk glibly about low-carbon economies.” (Bond, 2010a)
South Africa vaguely promises 34% emissions cuts below anticipated 2020 levels • Based on the “growth without constraint” model • Which is based on unlimited resources and cheap energy- authors of the report say this scenario was not possible
Demand payment of carbon/ecological debt to global South • Amount varies, but in the billions • Need for South to agree on what to demand • Political processes around this
“Some earlier, very ambitious demands -- such as the end of apartheid or access to AIDS medicines -- were only won after years of struggle, after initially appearing equally audacious and unrealistic” (Bond, 2010a)
Examples with countries of environmental justice • Examples of international courts
Protests • Disruption of production
Use for meeting basic needs rather than structural change? • Through what channels (African governments?)