Consolidating political will: we need a new vision of sustainability.

• Author: Clark, Helen
• Position: Sustainable development planning

The issues of sustainability, particularly climate change and clean energy, as well as energy security and access, are compelling concerns of our times. through the issues raised by climate change, the goal of sustainable development has been given a tangible core and a renewed sense of urgency.

Climate change, energy and sustainable development are rightly at the top of the priority list for discussion and solution-finding at international forums, both within the United Nations context and beyond. I applaud Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's focus on this environmental issue, as well as his appointment of three special envoys to facilitate progress in the United Nations negotiations on climate change.

The scientific evidence for climate change is clear. There is a strong message from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that action is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the changes that climate change will bring. In many cases, taking action makes sense, because of the co-benefits that can accrue, such as reducing soil erosion from planting trees and the health benefits of better insulated housing. What is also clear is that we have many of the tools required to reduce the global greenhouse gas emissions. However, there are still gaps in achieving this goal. Therefore, it is critical that we continue to put efforts into developing low-emission technologies. New Zealand is playing its part, by leading research into reducing emissions from pastoral agriculture and seeking to collaborate with others to advance this.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change came into existence 15 years ago--one of the three pillars agreed to at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. But with the realization that the Convention was not going to deliver the emissions reduction required, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted ten years ago.

The Protocol was the best consolidated effort that countries could produce at the time. It is a great negotiating achievement and has served us well in testing a number of innovative mechanisms. However, with only 33 per cent of the world's emissions covered, it can take us only part of the way towards the Convention's objective of stabilizing the greenhouse gases produced by our economies at a level that is not dangerous for the climate system.

Much has changed in the ten years since Kyoto. We have improved our understanding of climate science and tested the ability of the United Nations...