The global climate change debate is often characterised in terms of a struggle between developed and developing world countries. While it is easy to understand why, this duality does not really help us in our efforts to strengthen the global response to climate change and global warming. After all, there are developed countries that are leaders in work on adaptation to climate change and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. And there are developing countries that depend on high carbon use sources – such as oil and coal – for their development.
The United Kingdom accepts that it has a historic responsibility to demonstrate the way forward on low carbon growth. As the country where the industrial revolution began, we pioneered the high carbon forms of development that powered the global economy for more than three centuries. This led to unprecedented global prosperity. But it is also the story behind man-made global warming.
My country is now a pioneer in the Green Revolution. Increases in global population and human prosperity – every year in the developing world, millions leave poverty in their aspirational search for a better life – mean that we need to find new ways to grow that do not damage our planet or the prospects of our children’s future. Low carbon growth is vital for all countries.
Two examples. The United Kingdom is still the only country that by law is reducing its emissions, beyond Kyoto Protocol targets to 34% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. And, to put such legal restraints into practice, the British government is providing incentives to the public and to business to reduce high carbon emissions as fast as possible. With 1,341 megawatts of installed capacity, Britain is already the world’s largest provider of offshore wind through wind turbines, with this expected to grow exponentially in the years to come.
We can all play our part. But the first step is to recognise that the Industrial Revolution is coming to an end, and the Green Revolution needs to begin. Some say that growth and survival are incompatible. It is our responsibility to future generations to ensure that they are compatible.