Stage 6 URMOND – SIMMERATH. CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION

We are in the second to last stage of Moving for Climate NOW, a journey for the climate that is now reaching its destination. It is time now to recap on the different policies and tools that allow the achievement of the climate targets. And we have done so along the 104 km, reaching Germany and going through its mountains and landscape stained with wind farms.

In a simplified manner, there are 3 main types of climate policies: price or market instruments, command and control tools and other policies (information, awareness, education, etc.)

Market instruments allow for the incorporation of societal damage costs of CO2 emission to the price of goods and services that its originator does not pay for (“externality internalisation”). These instruments are increasingly important. In 2016, around 40 countries and 20 cities and regions had introduced a CO2 price. However, there is still a long way to go, as they only represent 13% of global emissions.

Command and control tools strive to act directly on the climate features of different processes, equipment, materials, etc. These types of tools, like building regulations, are especially useful to improve the economy’s energy efficiency. These policies are experiencing significant growth but their coverage is still low; almost 70% of final energy use is under no type of efficiency standard.

Thirdly, there is a heterogeneous group of measures within which actions towards more transparency and a better management of climate risks will be a central theme.

Given the complexity and relevance of climate change it is necessary to consider all these instruments and apply them in a coordinated manner, taking into account specific geographical characteristics in addition to incentives generated across the economy.

 

Our voices

“Climate change is here and we have to adapt to it. The earlier we do it the cheaper and better will be” Gonzalo Saénz de Miera. Iberdrola.
 “All actors and sectors should already consider the fight against climate change in their strategies, projects and actions, both the adaptation measures needed to face the impacts of climate change and the options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions” Ana Pintó. OECC. 
The direct impact of drought and floods on childhood is not evident at first sight, but 175 millions of children in the world could be affected by climate change in the next decade. Tiziana Trotta. Planeta Futuro

More information and quotes

The European Environment Agency reveals that weather and climate events caused losses above 450 billion euros in the 33 member countries of the European Economic Area during 1980-2016 and alerts about the need to prepare better to climate change consequences.
According to UNFCCC developing countries need dozens billion dollars per year to respond to present and future climate change impacts.

 

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