聯合國觀察:綠色經濟正席捲全球 | 環境資訊中心
國際新聞

聯合國觀察:綠色經濟正席捲全球

2008年02月25日
摘譯自2008年2月20日ENS摩納哥報導;劉仲恩編譯;蔡麗伶審校

聯合國副秘書長與聯合國環境署執行主任的施泰納。圖片來源:Earth Negotiations Bulletin根據聯合國環境規劃署2008年鑑指出,企業開始擁抱環保政策,有數千億資金投入清潔科技與再生能源,一股綠色經濟浪潮正在席捲全球。繼去年12月於印尼峇里島的聯合國氣候變遷會議後,最大的環境部長級會議於20日在摩納哥盛大開幕,而聯合國環境署的年鑑也在此公諸於世。

在聯合國環境署會議與全球環境部長論壇中,各國環境部長、企業代表與勞工、學術與民間團體齊聚一堂,參與主題為「活絡資金以對抗氣候挑戰」的討論。 身兼聯合國副秘書長與聯合國環境署執行主任的史坦納(Achim Steiner)指出:「數千億得資金正流入再生與清潔能源產業,而更大量的資金正摩拳擦掌,等待在2012年後政府施行強而有力的新氣候管理模式,其中必然包含了新穎的市場交易機制。」

來自各行各業的人,包括企業領導人、金融家、創業家、政府與勞工團體,甚至聯合國本身,都因為氣候變遷開始改變他們的想法、政策與作為。

根據聯合國環境署的年鑑顯示,對抗氣候變遷開始被視為是一個機會,而非負擔;是一個通往新的繁榮的途徑,而不是利潤與就業的絆腳石。這股正在浮現的綠色經濟,將促成人類社會在兩世紀前的工業革命後最大規模的創新發明與無窮想像力。 報告並指出了目前對於地理工程日益濃厚的興趣,相關計畫包括了如樹木般能吸收二氧化碳的巨型溫室氣體吸收器。

報告指出有一些綠色經濟的必要元素已然成形。目前在超過90個國家的企業提供了企業社會責任報告書,其中包含了環境考量。從1990年代以來,這些企業的數目從零成長到今日超過2000家。

史坦納說:「我們提供了一項清潔能源的創業基金計畫,這計畫已在非洲、中國與印度等地創造了將近五十家的新企業。而聯合國環境署財務計畫與聯合國全球盟約推動的『責任投資原則』已經為資金合計超過13兆,為275個組織提供了相關協助。」

「當前最大的挑戰就是如何促進這個轉型的過程,能夠產生廣泛深遠而又迅速及時的影響。」由聯合國環境署與世界氣象組織所創立,超過兩千位科學家共同投入的「政府間氣候變遷小組」(IPCC)預估,為了避免氣候變遷帶來危險的後果,我們必須把二氧化碳的濃度在2050年之前控制在535到590ppm之間。

World's Environment Ministers Meet to Mobilize Global Green Economy
MONACO, February 20, 2008 (ENS)

A green economy is emerging worldwide as growing numbers of companies embrace environmental policies and investors pump hundreds of billions into clean technology and renewable energies, finds the 2008 United Nations Environment Programme Year Book. The Year Book was presented here today at the opening of the largest gathering of environment ministers since the UN climate conference in Bali, Indonesia last December.

The ministers, joined by representatives of business, organized labor, science and civil society, are attending UNEP's Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum with the theme "Mobilizing Finance for the Climate Challenge.

Hundreds of billions of dollars are now flowing into renewable and clean energy technologies and trillions more dollars are waiting in the wings looking to governments for a new and decisive climate regime post 2012 alongside the creative market mechanisms necessary to achieve this," said Achim Steiner, UN under-secretary general and UNEP executive director.

Climate change is also beginning to change the mind-sets, policies and actions of corporate heads, financiers and entrepreneurs as well as leaders of organized labor, governments and the United Nations itself.

Combating climate change increasingly is being viewed as an opportunity rather than a burden and a path to a new kind of prosperity instead of a brake on profits and employment, the UNEP Year Book shows. The emerging green economy is driving invention, innovation and the imagination of engineers on a scale not witnessed since the industrial revolution of more than two centuries ago.

The report points to the growing interest in novel geo-engineering projects such as giant carbon dioxide, C02, collectors that absorb the greenhouse gas from the air as trees do.

Some elements of a green economy are already taking shape. Corporate social responsibility reporting, including environmental concerns, is now found among corporations in over 90 countries - with the number of such statements mushrooming from virtually zero in the early 1990s to well over 2,000 now, the Year Book states. 

An initiative to provide seed money for clean energy entrepreneurs has spawned close to 50 new enterprises in Africa, China and India. The Principles for Responsible Investment, facilitated by the UNEP Finance Initiative and the UN's Global Compact, has secured the support of over 275 institutions handling assets of over $13 trillion dollars," said Steiner.

Among the challenges facing ministers in Monaco is how to accelerate this transformation to ensure that it is far reaching, widespread and above all speedy," he said. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, composed of more than 2,000 scientists established by UNEP and the World Meteorological Organization to advise governments, estimates that to avoid dangerous climate change emissions need to be stabilized at between 535 to 590 parts per million, ppm, in 2050. 

全文及圖片詳見:ENS

作者

蔡麗伶(LiLing Barricman)

In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.