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Perspective by Timothy E. Wirth | |
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As we look to the 21st century, global warming poses perhaps our greatest environmental challenge. Rising greenhouse gas emissions are changing the composition of the atmosphere, threatening to increase temperatures and disrupt climate patterns worldwide. While the scientific case for global warming grows stronger each year, not many nations seem to be listening. What's wrong_ For one thing, too many people consider global warming to be a theory on the blackboard, not a problem in the backyard. Warnings from scientific panels about long-term, cross-cutting environmental changes, no matter how compelling, do not evoke the same concern as sewage-filled rivers, polluted air, or clearcut forests. Until people better appreciate how global warming could affect them, they are unlikely to do much about it. As emissions increase and scientific knowledge improves, global warming's impact will become more apparent. Nevertheless, we are today getting a taste for what it could mean. This year's El Niño demonstrates how only a slight change in climate-in this case a temperature increase in the Eastern Pacific Ocean-can cause ruinous global consequences. While not necessarily linked to global warming, the El Niñospawned storms, floods, and droughts that wrought havoc from California and Florida to Indonesia and East Africa are just the kinds of events predicted to be more frequent in a warmer world. They ought to be a wake-up call about the potential of global warming to profoundly disrupt our lives. Coming to grips with the seriousness of the problem is only half the battle. Equally important is recognizing the elements of a solution and developing a strategic plan for getting there. Stopping global warming means stabilizing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. To help understand this concept, think of filling a bathtub. Historic emissions from the industrialized world have already put quite a lot of water in the tub, while current and future emissions-both from industrialized nations and increasingly from rapidly growing developing ones-will cause the level to rise even faster. Our challenge is to reduce emissions quickly enough to stop the tub from overflowing. Looking at the problem this way invites several conclusions. |
Timothy E. Wirth
These are the essential elements of a solution to global warming. The Kyoto Protocol is a good step, assuming it is ratified in a timely manner and industrialized nations move effectively to meet their targets. But much more needs to be done. For developing countries, the basic challenge is to provide for a rapidly growing population without following the Western model of intensive fossil fuelbased energy use. This will not be easy, and we must be realistic in our expectations. Success will depend in part on our willingness to make available the best technologies and to lend our full support to institutions like the United Nations which are uniquely positioned to help. Last, we must wholeheartedly embrace the challenge of finding and bringing to market viable alternatives to fossil fuels. In addition to providing other benefits-such as improving air quality and reducing our dependence on imported oil-cleaner energy is the real key to turning off the emissions faucet and stopping global warming. The articles and ideas in these pages demonstrate in greater detail both the challenges and opportunities presented by global warming. Working together, we can effectively respond. Timothy E. Wirth is President of the United Nations Foundation. |
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BP: Where We Stand on Global Climate Change by Steven W. Percy
The prospect of global climate change is a matter for genuine public concern. Atmospheric concentrations of CO2 are increasing and the balance of informed opinion projects an increase in global temperatures due to increases in emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. While there remains uncertainty over much of the climate science-the magnitude and timing of temperature increases as well as the consequences-it would be unwise and potentially dangerous to ignore the mounting concern. The time to consider the policy dimensions of climate change is not when the link between greenhouse gases and climate change is conclusively proven, but when the possibility cannot be discounted. At BP, we have reached this point and believe the available evidence merits action. We have committed to controlling and reducing our own emissions, growing our solar business and identifying other emissions reduction technologies, funding continuing scientific research, and participating in projects on emissions trading and joint implementation to develop effective market mechanisms relevant to our business to reduce emissions. As a first step, of course, we need to control and reduce our own emissions. BP has become a member of EPA's Climate Wise program. From our 1990 baseline, we have been reducing emissions and submitted an action plan for further reductions between 1998 and 2000. Additionally, we are working with the Environmental Defense Fund to establish an internal pilot program for greenhouse gas emissions trading, incorporating 10 of our business units. We are currently implementing plans to grow our solar business ten-fold in the next ten years. As we look ahead, markets and technology will shift the energy mix as the level of demand for energy grows and solar will be an important part of that mix. BP has been in the solar business for 17 years with operations in 16 countries. We just celebrated the opening of our first U.S. manufacturing plant in Fairfield, California, one of the largest in the world. It will produce our Apollo thin-film technology which will push the boundaries of photovoltaic technology by driving down production costs and making solar power more affordable to a wider number of customers. We are also exploring other technologies in partnership with the Battelle Memorial Institute, and working with others to identify and enhance our knowledge of efficient market-based solutions. We are participating in joint implementation projects in Bolivia on rain forest conservation and in Fiji on replacement of diesel with solar power in remote areas. We plan to share the experience and knowledge gained through these efforts and our partnership with EDF on emissions trading. With the mounting evidence that human activity impacts climate and growing world population requiring more energy, a large proportion of that growing energy demand will continue to come from oil and gas because there is no practical alternative. While BP alone cannot solve the problem, we believe it is important to do our part and that the steps we are taking will make a significant difference. Steven W. Percy is Chairman and CEO of BP America, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of British Petroleum. | |
First, the industrialized world has a special responsibility
to lead the way. The preponderance of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
came from us, and reductions below current emissions levels are absolutely
essential to solving the problem.
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