23 Sep Climate Summit 2014: What to Expect
Q: Let’s start talking about how likely it is that any kind of global consensus on climate change can actually be reached at this time?
Wilson: Hi, good morning. Yes, thank you for the question. I think what is important to take note is that at this summit itself you cannot expect any negotiation because it is not meant for that. It’s more of a process that is set out to capitalize ambitious target on the ground, so you won’t expect any consensus. Rather, what you can expect is government reiterating what they already submitted, hopefully something more ambitious. And, from the corporate side, you’ll hopefully be able to hear more interesting tangible emission targets that they want to set between themselves. So, in terms of consensus among the government, you really cannot expect anything from it because this is not the platform for it. It is not the UN negotiation process.
Q: Where is the biggest threat to climate change coming from?
Wilson: It’s a very broad question. My point of view here is really everyone plays a role. It really comes back to consumers and what consumers can do about it, but also havin the ability to work with both corporations and governments to deliver something that tries to decouple economic growth together with carbon emission.
Q: To what extend do we want to know are these countries that are contributing the most to climate change actually the least likely to want to make changes to its impact?
Wilson: Well, really, I think these countries that are emitting the most feel an impact themselves. In fact, they are equally invested to want to resolve this climate issue. However, the challenge for them is to strike a balance between growth and how to be able to reduce carbon emission.
Q: What would it take for these talks to be called a success?
Wilson: Well, I think that there are two parts to it.
The first one is from the government side. Ideally, hopefully, they have emission cuts that could be more substantial that come out from this event. Not just in terms of cuts but also ideally some kind of finance commitment to build climate resilience between their country and ideally to the region.
And, secondly, on the corporate side, perhaps that is something that is more feasible to expect something-to have them also begin reducing their own emissions between their own companies and also communities that they have implements in. And, also to help government where possible- how can corporates look into technologies they have to help countries to leapfrog the growth with minimum carbon emission?
This interview was originally aired on 938Live on 23 Sep 2014