Climate Change The Technology Challenge

Tuvalu, South Pacific. A tropical island dream of perfect blue seas, coral reefs and waving coconut palms? Or the beginning of a nightmare? With its highest point just 4.5 meters above sea level, tiny Tuvalu is one of the world's most low-lying countries. And as global sea levels rise, its inhabitants face the grim prospect of their land gradually disappearing beneath the waves. Climate change, caused by the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, is already taking its toll on the life of the Tuvalu islanders. The underground rain- water tanks from which they draw their drinking water are contaminated by flooding. And salt water seeping into farmland has destroyed crops, making the islanders dependent on canned imports.

Tip of the iceberg

Tuvalu is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. In November 2007, the world's scientists on the Inter- governmental Panel on Climate Change declared climate change to be "unequivocal." Few any longer question the reality of global warming, nor the potential consequences if it continues unchecked. Experts forecast melting glaciers, rising sea levels, droughts, floods, hurricanes, leading to crop failures, conflicts, famine, disease. Describing this as "one of the most complex, multi-faceted and serious threats the world faces," UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon has called for a massive mobilization by governments, the private sector and civil society.

To this end, over 11,000 participants gathered in Bali, Indonesia, for the UN Climate Change Conference in December 2007. Government representatives rubbed shoulders with environmental- ists, industry groups with development lobbyists, human rights activists with carbon traders. Temperatures rose inside and outside the conference rooms as delegates differed over questions such as targets for reductions in carbon emissions. But all were agreed on one thing: that innovation and new technologies will play a crucial role in meeting the challenge.

Looking to innovation to save the planet

Developed and developing countries are equally anxious to avoid the sort of cut-backs, or restrictive energy policies, which would undermine their industrial growth or competitiveness. What everyone wants are solutions which are not only good for the planet, but also good for business and good for development. Technological innovation is seen as the best hope of...