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Innovation in responding to climate change: nanotechnology, ocean energy and forestry |
Nov 2008 |
While there has been considerable debate in both academia and amongst policy makers on the role of innovation in responding to climate change, especially in relation to the post 2012 regime, there is now a need for information on specific examples or case studies illustrating how these innovations can be implemented in the real world. This report purports to do just that by highlighting some specific examples of how innovation is being implemented.
Moreover, this report offers a comprehensive approach by examining innovative ways of reducing as well as avoiding green house gas emissions from fossil fuels and land use.
Much of the debate on and investment in technological solutions to climate change has focussed on a narrow range of technologies such as carbon capture and storage or geo-sequestration, ocean fertilization, the so called new generation of nuclear technologies, and biofuels, to mention but a few. However, as the recent experience of the development and rollout of biofuels and the associated debate on its role in food security has illustrated, quite unexpected consequences can arise from these new technological solutions. What is more, the development and implementation of new technologies does not occur in a vacuum.
In part two and three of this report, the hard choices that two emerging technological solutions for climate change mitigation - nanotechnology and ocean energy present to policy makers is examined.
Beyond technological solutions, in part four we also highlight a number of pilot projects relating to Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) as well as the benefits and ‘hard choices’ that this solution presents. In particular, potential risks for the successful implementation of REDD projects are examined, including ‘governance failure’. Another challenge they examine is the need to engage local forest-dependent communities in a meaningful way to allow for benefit sharing and access in order to promote the alleviation of rural poverty.
Part five of this report then goes on to consider some of the potential consequences of each of these innovations in responding to climate change. This analysis highlights some of the potential ‘hard choices’ that these innovations present.
By: United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS)
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