Climate change a 'crisis of governance'
The term ‘climate crisis’ or ‘climate emergency’ is increasingly being used in media to call to attention the need for urgent action to address the causes and effects of climate change.
One of the core messages that came through in days two and three of the Brisbane Climate Reality Leadership Corps programme (6-8 June, 2019) was that when we consider the ‘climate crisis’, at the heart of it is a crisis of governance. Civil society conscience is growing, businesses are rapidly expanding affordable market for solutions, yet political governance on the issue is inconsistent and paralysed by complexity.
Three specific themes emerged:
The economic opportunities associated with renewables are now surpassing those of fossil fuels – these could be accelerated further by governments providing regulatory levers and greater certainty to businesses on climate change commitments.
An inclusive, just and equitable transition to a low carbon future relies upon governments to facilitate an approach that leaves no one behind and addresses inequality in tandem.
Political democracy on climate change is being undermined by systemic corporate funding, and the issue being politicised.
Economic opportunities of renewables surpassing fossil fuels
Several presenters highlighted the economic benefits we are already seeing associated with growth of the renewables sector.
Al Gore noted that in the United States solar installer jobs are growing six times faster than the nearest job growth area, with over 150,000 solar industry jobs having been created to date. Australia is targeting one million solar photovoltaic (PV) residential installations by 2020 and progress on this target has already seen the creation of 15,000 solar industry jobs in Australia. Globally, more than two million jobs have been created from the solar industry.
The opportunity for Australia to become a ‘renewable super power’ was highlighted by Atlassian CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes. In 2018, Atlassian and Tesla deployed a 100 megawatt (MW) hour storage battery in South Australia, providing much needed reserve capacity for the network. The development has already recouped a large part of the $90 million outlay, with South Australia only requiring 70MW of capacity and a small amount of storage, leaving 30MW and the bulk of the battery’s storage capacity available to sell on the national energy market. Cannon-Brookes sees the potential in this, suggesting that with Australia’s vast solar and wind opportunities, it should be seeking to achieve 200% renewable electricity generation, making the expansion of battery storage even more scalable and cost effective by exporting 100% of its capacity offshore to developing countries such as Indonesia, or using excess generation to make hydrogen, a renewable energy resource that is currently very expensive to make, but growing in demand by countries such as Japan.
Emma Herd, CEO Investor Group on Climate Change acknowledged that while growth in new cleantech is essential, equally important is the pace of existing industries pivoting their portfolios towards low carbon solutions. Examples included BP, Rio Tinto and Shell, with Gore noting that Royal Dutch Shell has embedded CO2 performance into the key performance indicators (KPIs) of its 2,000-member executive team.
The need for supporting policy in accelerating business solutions and investment underpinned the discussions on the economic opportunities of climate change. Part of the challenge seems to be one of perception - reframing renewables as a ‘forever industry’, rather than a short-term, high-risk innovation. Another is the complexity of social considerations needing to be addressed in tandem and the politicisation of climate change.
An inclusive, just and equitable low carbon transition
A large part of the programme focussed on the social considerations of climate change: the inclusivity of indigenous wisdom on the solutions; providing justice for those who are stranded, either from the physical effects of climate change, or from losing employment in the fossil fuel sector, and; addressing social inequality to support affordable and accessible low carbon solutions.
The application of indigenous knowledge in building solutions to climate change solutions is largely untapped. Dr Anne Poelina, Managing Director Madjulla Inc, acknowledged the accumulated knowledge on climate change adaptation embedded in the indigenous people of Australia, having lived through an ice age of five degrees of warming. Poelina emphasised the importance of factoring this ‘indigenous science’ into the nature of understanding climate change and in building resilience.
Drawing on this further, Pacific climate change activist Joseph-Zane Sikulu recognised the Pacific island peoples’ long history of exposure to the physical impacts of climate change and the need to integrate their experiences and knowledge in mitigation and adaptation. Sikulu’s central focus however, was on the need to bring justice to these first nations, who are not only fighting the physical impacts of climate change, but also the extractive industries that are part of the problem. Supporting these countries needs to address the factors that constrain their capacity to run and drive climate mitigation and adaptation initiatives in their own right.
The theme of climate justice extended to those who are ‘stranded’ in fossil fuel sector jobs in sunset industries. Alison Tate, a Director of the International Trade Union Confederation highlighted the fears that rest within this group. A poll of trade union workers concerns on the low carbon transition found that 73% are worried about losing their job, 66% are worried about the physical impacts of climate change and 74% are worried about the impact the transition will have on systemic inequality. Building climate capability right through the education system, to support job opportunities and diversify skilled workers are key to a just transition.
The issue of inequality came up through several sessions. Anna Skarbek, CEO ClimateWorks Australia, aptly summarised that climate change is yet another reason why inequality issues need to be addressed, as those who have the least are the most vulnerable. Dr Anne Poelina stressed the importance of governments growing social ‘wealth-being’ alongside climate change solutions in supporting a just and equitable transition.
Political democracy on climate change still not there
As the Brisbane Climate Reality Leaders training was underway, the Queensland Government continued to battle Opposition around whether a new large coal mining development should go ahead (Adani’s largest proposed coal mine in the Galilee Basin). While the training programme tactfully avoided discussing the Adani development (which could have easily overtaken the agenda) it highlighted the fact that climate change has increasingly become politicised.
Ken Berlin, CEO Climate Reality Project, noted that climate change is set to become one of the key issues in the next US election, since the US are unable to officially pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement until 4 November 2020, which is the day after the next US election.
There is also a challenge of corporate/political funding undermining decision making and policy setting. Gore suggested that fossil fuel giants within countries that are divesting, such as Korea, Japan and China are financing the development of new coal in developing countries such as Kenya, where the regulatory controls are absent.
This week in New Zealand Auckland City Council joined Environment Canterbury, Christchurch City Council and Nelson Council in declaring a ‘climate emergency’.
Generally, a crisis or emergency elicits a rapid and contained response. Addressing climate change is going to require a comprehensive, long-term plan of action. Our response requires the endurance of a marathon, rather than a sprint.
The risk in declaring a climate emergency is in fatiguing the masses if there is an absence of an immediate response, and a potential for apathy as efforts will need to be sustained into the long term.
It is a global crisis of governance that needs to be the focus of near- term efforts to accelerate our response to climate change. New Zealand was recognised at several points during the Climate Reality Leadership Corps programme for its leadership in this space.