The French schooner, Tara, set sail from Lorient harbor on 5 September 2009 for a three-year scientific voyage to map the effects of climate change on marine organisms. The 150,000 kilometer (81, 000 nautical mile) journey follows and expands upon the trail of naturalist Charles Darwin’s 1831-1836 trip on the Beagle.

Tara’s trip will produce a study of the clouds of tiny ocean flora and fauna that produce 50 % of the world’s oxygen supply. Marine microorganisms account for 90 percent of the oceans’ biomass and absorb the majority of atmospheric carbon dioxide. “Without these microorganisms man would never have come into being. If they disappear, so do we,” asserted Eric Karsenti, the Tara’s 60-year-old scientific leader, as the crew prepared for their departure.

The journey will take the French boat into all the world oceans and from the ice caps to the tropics. The main aim is to obtain measurements of the impact of warming that these microorganisms are undergoing and to incorporate them into future climate simulation models.

The double-masted yacht, Tara, took a previous climate change related voyage. She charted shrinking ice sheet in the Arctic Ocean between Siberia and Greenland for 18 months between 2006 and 2008. The current mission, dubbed Tara-Oceans, will be divided between the 36-meter yacht and various on-land laboratories. About 100 scientists world-wide will be involved in the process of analyzing and interpreting the gathered samples and data.

The head of Tara Expeditions, Etienne Bourgois, said that “this mission will plunge us into the invisible world of marine ecosystems, one of the least explored realms of oceanography.” Such an expedition has not been undertaken on a global scale in the past. The team will be tracking microorganisms, such as diatoms, as well as more complex organisms, like marine viruses, jelly fish, larvae, fish, and coral, which make up the base of the marine food chain. As ocean species die out it has a potentially huge effect on the entire food chain, which varies significantly from area to area.

To date there is not a good understanding of the effects of climate change on marine organisms. For example, some species of plankton may bloom in warmer waters and others might die out completely.

The Tara-Oceans voyage is largely financed through the fashion house Agnes B. Additionally, Tara Expeditions has signed partnership agreements with Agence France-Presse (AFP) among others.

The mission is being lauded as one that will truly allow people in the mainstream to understand what issues ail the world’s oceans, especially as connected to climate change. The concept behind the voyage is to inform better science, but to also actively involve large companies in France and by extension the public more generally. AFP chairman, Pierre Louette, describes AFP’s heavy investment in the project: “in contributing to science and consciousness by distributing this news across the whole world, AFP is faithful to its own mission.”

At the G20 Summit, Indian officials will be discussing with various global leaders about the most pressing problems of in the past few months: the economy, terrorism, and climate change. However, as has been highlighted in previous Climatico blogs, while there is definite discussion on India’s climate change goals and plans- particularly given international events- the upcoming elections has left this current period on India’s domestic front somewhat dull in pushing forward climate change plans. It is unfortunate (but reality!) that the election transition comes at a time when Indian officials are beginning to negotiate, articulate, and create international climate change agreements. Especially, since India’s national action plan on climate change relies heavily on international partnerships for technology transfer, adaptation funding, and building ‘green’ economy capacity. It would be unfair to say that some of the actions taken by Indian officials at upcoming international summits will be moot, as climate change discussions within India are prevalent and span across so many sectors that it will definitely be an issue for the new government. However, there is level of disconnect whether these international agendas are reflective and responsive of India’s populous now and come two to three months from now.

Disconnect between national and international contexts?

On a recent U.S. tour, to increased partnership on renewable energy, including controversial civil nuclear powerdeal, Shyam Saran, India’s Special Envoy on Climate Change was in Washington, D.C. last week to articulate its views and aims in upcoming international climate change talks where much of the world is awaiting to hear the United States role and actions.

The U.S. Government has made clear its desire to include and engage with India on climate change goals with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stating that India and the US have numerous areas where their partnership can be strengthened. Meeting with various US political figures and organizations, Mr. Saran highlighted that US-India cooperation on climate change will continue to aim at finance and technology initiatives. Todd Stern, U.S. special envoy on climate change, was “immensely impressed” with the Government of India’s national-level actions towards climate change.

However on the domestic front, are these international agendas reflective of India’s populous? Deepa Gupta’s blog , highlighting the India’s Climate Youth Movement, noted that India’s “informal sector is one of the greener sectors in India and the world” given its level of reusing and recycling in day to day activities. However, sheer volume in Indian cities can make this point irrelevant. For example, sewage waste and water pollution continue to be major problems in urban areas. Yet, in Mumbai, India’s largest slum, Dharavi, is home to approximately 100 recycling plants that produce plastic goods- from roadways to handbags.

Photo credit: Flickr/gruntzooki

On a promising note, Mr. Saran noted that India is looking into this, stating: “Recycling, zero-discharge chemical plants, water-positive processes and waste-to-power technologies are all going to play important roles in the future.” Furthermore, in India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change, power generated waste technology research and development is noted as a key initiative under the National Mission on Sustainable Habitat.

At this current juncture, there seems to be a lot of proposals and mission statements being presented by Indian officials who must communicate India’s efforts to address climate change issues to a diverse international audience yet there is a different level of communication between political parties and Indian citizens on the domestic front as campaign agendas take over. Arguably, climate change isn’t the only issue being discussed on the international arena nor is it the core issue in political elections but it has become an important issue in many ways. Already, in Karnataka, city government officials have been revisiting their climate change strategies to be responsive of changing factors including rise in car ownership and solar power development. It will be important to evaluate whether these two arenas converge following the elections and that international agreements are responsive of domestic opinions and perspectives.

Africa is set to be one of the most afflicted continents from the impacts of climate change. Compounding Africa’s fragile economic basis to deal with the consequences is the impact the global economic recession is having. The continent is set to lose $40 billion in 2009 as a result of stagnated growth, which continues to plummet as the crisis takes hold. The impacts of these loses are huge for the poorest of the poor living in the continent – equivalent to two weeks income for each of Africa’s 900 million people. The impacts of the crisis are wide and varying from crashing copper prices in Zambia to reduced tourism in Kenya.

It is crucial South Africa takes a purposeful and strong stance at the G20 summit due to the huge vulnerability of many African countries, however many debate the leverage it will have. The vulnerabilities are greatest within the most dependent nations especially those with weak budgets and Balance of Payments. It is essential South Africa is able to effectively highlight these needs at the G20 discussions as capital is desperately required, a trade deal must be secured and the Millennium Development Goals and their failures must be dealt with and reassessed. A huge challenge, considering the $30 billion shortfall in donations for the 2010 aid budgets. If there is no money pledged to the financial losses Africa will suffer in 2009, climate policy has no chance of entering in many national policy discourses across the continent despite the afflictions it will cause.

Both Britain and the Obama administration have promised action on Africa however the significance of the recession, existing Middle East conflicts and the need for a global climate deal with clock ticking towards Copenhagen may result in Africa’s woes being sidelined. South Africa needs to flag the importance of Africa in policy discussions, especially the potential for investment in line with Cap and Trade systems and a drive for energy efficiency, which has not been prevalent in most African nations. Nigeria for example as huge potential for solar investments with its climate yet the use of diesel generators is prevalent due to the dysfunctional state of the state run power grids. This highlights Africa’s inherent problem which the G20 discussions table is unlikely to make any impact on – huge potential that cannot be manifested due to corrupt and perfidious governance.

South Africa has a monumental responsibility at the G20 to attempt to prove to the world’s leading nations the role Africa can play in abating the recession and reestablishing the global economy. Potential lies in investments such as the huge potential for sustainable biofuels, appealing to many OECD nations in terms of energy security at low cost. If regulation allows economies like that of South Africa, the flagship for the continent, to be established many other nations will recognize the potential for investment funds in Africa’s emerging economies.

In order to capitalize on the discussions of the G20 South Africa needs to engage as determined leaders for the continent and display Africa’s readiness to be part of Obama’s ‘new foundation for prosperity.’ It needs to flag the issues of the budgetary hole in Africa’s account due to the recession and importantly Africa’s position in climate negotiations and the importance of strong policy in individual nation states. This is imperative, as the floods that are currently ravaging the Southern African drainage systems show the consequences climate change will have on the continent. Around 500,000 people have been affected with whole villages lost in Angola, Namibia and Zambia – further worsening the plight of vulnerable Africa citizens living on the edge of survival.

As the G20 and UNFCCC meetings draw closer, France’s Green Plan (le Grenelle Environment Round Table) and a couple recent additions are worth a quick review. So a few things:
• The Oceans Initiative (Le Grenelle de la Mer) was originally announced in February 2009, but major action has just started in the past weeks.
• the French government will launch in April an eco loan of up to 30,000€ with no interest rate to increase the use of thermal renewable energy sources and of energy conservation.

Le Grenelle is a rare example of federal-level government-led effort to connect the State, unions, employers, NGOs, and local authorities in a rigorous process to determine approaches to climate change.

The “Grenelle Environnement,” officially launched on 6 July 2007, and combines the state and civil society in order to define new actions for sustainable development in France (through 2012). Action plans were developed around the themes of: climate change and energy, biodiversity and natural resources, health and the environment, production and consumption of ecological democracy, development patterns and environmental employment and competitiveness.

With regards to Le Grenelle de la Mer, four working groups have been formed this month around the themes of:
* Sustainable fishing
* Employment in the marine sector
* Coastal development
* Governance at the local and global level

The working groups will produce a road map before the summer, which will then be submitted to an inter-ministerial committee. The project is viewing ocean and fishing issues as strongly tied to changes in climate in the near and long-term futures.

According to the latest report on fisheries published by the FAO in March, around 28 percent of world fish stocks are over-fished.
One big unanswered question is how France will reconcile the need for sustainable fishing policies with the fishing subsidies, which cost France 27 billion Euros per year, according to calculations by Daniel Pauly, head of the Fisheries Center of the University of British Colombia.

Let’s shift gears to the Grenelle Housing Initiative, which is gearing up for action…

The energy and environment Minister, Jean-Louis Borloo expects heavy energy –efficient renovations to go above 400,000 per year, to be compared to the current 40,000. He goes on to say that each construction project built prior to 1990 has to be renovated. This represents 27 million housings, including 15 individual houses.

People willing to benefit from these loans have to choose two or three options among the following:

* Insulation of the roof ;
* Insulation of the walls ;
* Replacement of doors and windows ;
* Installation of a more efficient heating system ;
* Installation of a water heating or housing heating system with renewables.

By choosing two, one can benefit from an eco loan of 20,000€; choosing three, one can get 30,000€. Households will have from ten to fifteen years to payback these loans.

To Mr. Borloo, such a scheme would allow households to cut by 70 to 80 percent their heating bills.

Sounds like Frnace has some good ideas to share at the upcoming international climate change meetings.

Photo credit: Flickr/sujathafan

On Monday, the highly publicized Tata Motors Nano  automobile was launched in Mumbai. Since 2003 the Tata Motors Nano has been the source of much attention from diverse stakeholders:  garnering labels such as the “The People’s Car,” center of a heated protest over land and labor in India, hailed as engineering and development progress, and criticized by environmentalists. I have given voice to all of these arguments in the course of tracking the Nano phenomenon. Given the much awaited launch, I am still, like many others, unable to make a definitive opinion on the likely impact of the Tata Motors Nano in India and the world.

Various blogs and articles have laid out the key arguments surrounding the Tata Motors Nano:

- Those worried with the Tata Motors Nano launch are concerned with the car’s negative social and environmental impacts:

• More cars on the roads = more emissions.
• The Centre for Science and Environment  strongly voices its concern over promoting private car ownership will reduce the demand for efficient mass transits.
• Land issues: In 2008, in the state of West Bengal, Tata Motors faced significant hurdles after land acquisition protests emerged at its Singur plant. However, the Tata Motors Nano plant was relocated to Gujarat to continue production goals.

- Supporters of the Nano argue that the car projects positive ‘green’ and development progress:

•  Despite concerns of increased car ownership, emissions are much lower  than some
  

  Photo credit: Flickr/Carol Mitchell

  European cars (120grams Co2 per kilometer).

•  The promotion of Tata Motors Nano on the roads provides a safer alternative to India’s 2-wheelers and rickshaws.
•  Somealso argue that the Tata Motors Nano’s worldwide recognition has led India to rise as a leader in innovation and technologycircles. Subsequently, the Tata Motors Nano is likely to support the technology research and development arena that has been the focus on international climate change negotiations.

For better or for worse the Tata Motors Nano is here to stay though amidst uncertainties. Current production forecasts suggest that the Nano will exceed demand in the coming months, despite economic concerns, fluctuating oil prices, and climate change debates. Those interested in purchasing the Tata Motors Nano will have to fill out an application form  and a price tagof Rs. 100,000 ($2000 USD). Still affordable in many ways, the uncertainties around the Nano’s future also include whether Tata Motors can maintain its affordability while production costs increase. The debates are likely to continue, as the Nano becomes more visible on India’s roads. Will it gain further supporters or critics?

As UK Minister for Energy, Ed Milliband announces new plans to build a coal fuelled power station in the UK, global protesters are calling the government a “climate criminal”, accusing the new plans to be a death trap for the planet.

A joint protest from over 40 deveoping countries, are challenging Ed Millibands plans, and strongly advising him that these actions will result in the UK’s weakening position in international climate change negotiations, thus damaging the reputation and position that the UK has.  Protesters believe that the UK will not be in a position to persuade developing economies to cut their emissions.

The proposed plant is the dirtiest of fossil fuels, and according to the Clean Air Task Force (CATF) based in the USA, each new conventional coal plant threatens to create a 60-year stream of new carbon dioxide, as well as a multi-decade stream of toxic waste.  Coal-fired electric generating plants are the USA’s largest industrial source of harmful air pollution.   From lung damage to asthma attacks to acid rain, haze, and global warming, no economic sector has a greater impact on our environment.  

On th flip side, the coal industry is facing significant industry challenges; demand is falling as global industry, including demand from China in particular has fallen; material costs are uncertain and over the future hangs the worrying spectre of expensive and uncertain carbon capture and storage, international carbon markets and whatever else an anxious world may decide to do about climate change.

For some, the coal plant presents a new industry opportunity, but for others, this is a stark reality of future doom and gloom, and a highlight of how UK government has lost significant support from the public, environmental organisations and its political counterparts.  Surely the governments financial backing of various ‘green refurb’s', the availability of £9 million of funds for the generation of new, micro generation technologies are all geared towards developing clean teachnologies and lowering emissions?  It must be questioned, where or if this new plant fits in to the UKs long term strategic plan.

The 27 groups of protestors to the UK plans, including campaigners from India, Brazil, Indonesia, the Philippines and Uganda, say they are “alarmed” that the UK government is considering  allowing new coal plants to be built, including one at Kingsnorth in Kent.   They blame emissions from rich countries for causing global warming and the “increased  floods, droughts, sea-levels and disease” that threaten the livelihoods of “hundreds of millions of people” (Source: The Observer)

The 45^th meeting of the Executive Board of the Clean Development Mechanism was carried between Feb.12^th and 13^th.

New EB Chair and Vice-Chair

The EB elected Mr. Lex de Jonge and Mr. Clifford Mahlung as Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively, of the Executive Board until the first meeting of the Board in 2010. Mr. De Jonge was previously Director of the CDM Division in the Netherlands. Mr. Mahlung was Jamaica’s chief negotiator to the recent United Nations climate change conference in Bali.

Business as usual

The approbation/refusal of registration of projects as well as the issuance of CERs was conducted without extended discussions. The Board however discussed situations in which the implementation of registered CDM projects may differ from description of the project in the registered Project Description Document. With regards to large-scale projects, it is in fact frequent to have a PDD which differs significantly from the implemented project. This is due, in part, to the delay in the approbation of the project. From the time the PDD is tunnelled in the CDM pipeline to the time it is verified and approved, there can be significant contingencies in the actual implementation of the project. The EB mandated studies on the matter.

Those expecting more debates will have to wait at the end of March for Bonn’s meeting of the AWG-LCA and AWG-KP, the two working groups responsible for preparing the table for Copenhagen. This will be the first real test for the Obama administration.

Challenges

Of particular interest were discussions on the management plan of the CDM. It highlighted the main challenges and strategic objectives of Kyoto’s flagship flexibility mechanism (see http://cdm.unfccc.int/EB/045/eb45_repan71.pdf). These challenges pertain mainly to the stunning increase in workload the CDM governance structure had to digest in the last years. Since the CDM is a bottom-up, voluntary mechanism, this workload is difficult to predict from year to year. This also raises the capacity constraints of the CDM-related processes in the market: Firms qualified enough and willing to act as Designated Operational Entities (DOEs) are not simply available on demand. More globally, there is a need for the CDM to surpass its “learning-by-doing” approach and enter a more mature, efficient and responsive phase.

The report however is silent about the global economic context. Yet, one might think that because of the economic crisis (and correlated diminution in industrial activity), the increase in demand for registration of CDM projects as well as pressure on the DOE market will be more modest than expected.