Monday, December 3, 2007

Bali meet must spur investment, billions needed

Climateer introduces "Spot the Logical Fallacy".

From Reuters:

Climate talks launched in Bali on Monday must assure investors of future government backing for climate-friendly energy and building projects, said the host of the meeting, Indonesia's Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar.

The talks in Bali, attended by some 190 countries, will try and lay the foundations for a new climate change deal in time to replace or extend the Kyoto Protocol from 2013.

A key challenge will be to entice business to invest in cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate change.

Investment is needed, for example, to re-direct the world's energy supply away from high carbon-emitting fossil fuels to cleaner sources. But that requires a new policy regime of carrots and sticks.

"The market is a key part of our effort against climate change," Witoelar told the opening session of the two-week conference.

...The Bali conference will decide which international body runs an adaptation fund that could be worth up to $300 million annually from 2008 to 2012. That compares with adaptation funds of up to $170 billion needed annually by 2030, according to the U.N. report....MORE