Richard Black

It might seem odd to find supporters of climate action debating the merits of a concept that science shows to be essential for halting climate change, and which is accordingly embedded at the heart of the defining global agreement.

“So we use a loud rumbling voice to talk about the challenge, about melting ice and drought; yet we have a mouse-like voice when we talk about ‘easy, cheap and simple’ solutions, making them sound as tiny as possible because we think that’s what makes them acceptable to the public… In fact it makes them seem trivial in relation to the problem.”

To insiders, the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate is a real world, mature-person’s solution to climate change. No economic pain, no mandatory targets, no international commitments and no need for open, accountable negotiations. To other observers, it’s an empty vessel; a fig-leaf to cover the embarrassment of George Bush and John Howard, the only western leaders to have reneged on commitments their predecessors made at the UN Kyoto conference in 1997.

Britain is facing a shortfall in energy supply in the near future, according to a major report being launched today.

UK environment secretary Margaret Beckett declared that technology would be essential in making the transition to a low carbon economy – which might ameliorate, if not eliminate, the ills of climate change… Just a quick bicycle ride away, British scientists and engineers were gathering to showcase and debate some of these technologies…

The International Atomic Energy Agency has forecast that the use of nuclear energy will increase rapidly in the coming years.