June 11, 2012 – Venice, Italy: Interview with Derek Eaton, Centre for International Environmental Studies, Graduate Institute, and Ottmar Edenhoffer, IPCC (ENG)
In these interviews on the key topics under discussion at Rio+20, Derek Eaton, co-author of UNEP’s Green Economy Report, presents an overview of the Green Economy principles, whilst Professor Ottmar Edenhoffer, co-chair of IPCC WGIII, warns that any step towards sustainability must consider putting a price on carbon.
What should Rio+20 ask the international community? In these interviews on the key topics under discussion at Rio+20, Derek Eaton, co-author of UNEP’s Green Economy Report, presents an overview of the Green Economy principles.
What is the Green Economy?
How could a Green Economy implementation impact the job market?
What would be needed in terms of investments in natural capitals?
In comparison to 20 years ago, and since the first IPCC Assessment Report in 1990, climate projections have considerably worsened in their outlook, and reaching for sustainability cannot be disentangled from mitigating greenhouse gases (GHG). Green economy, as proposed by UNEP and as it will be discussed in Rio, entails promoting measures to favour climate change mitigation such as promoting energy efficiency and increasing the use of renewables. However, this may not be enough.
It is fundamental ‘to embed green growth in a wider international agreement where we also put a price on carbon’ states Professor Ottmar Edenhoffer, Co-Chair of Working Group III of the IPCC. This to avoid ‘substantial rebound effects’, as ‘fossil fuels become cheaper and will be used in [emerging countries] much more extensively, resulting in increased emissions’.