Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change

The Kyoto Protocol - Common but Differentiated Responsibilities
The Kyoto Protocol stipulates that the Clean Development Mechanism ( CDM ) projects must assist developing countries in achieving sustainable development ( SD ).

Clean Development Mechanism ( CDM ) and Sustainable Development

The CDM, the main feature of the Kyoto Protocol, serves not only as an instrument for combating climate change but also as an important stimulus package to fund developing country in sustainable development ( SD ), and an endless source of business opportunities for corporations, through technology transfer and investment.

According to the the Brundtland Commission,
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains two key concepts:

the concept of 'needs', with top priorities to be given to the essential needs of poor countries,

limitations as imposed by technologies and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs.

There is a common consensus to view the concept of SD as encompassing three dimensions:

the social, economic and environmental dimensions; with emphasis on immediate development objectives;

with greenhouse gas emission reductions, and

reduction in the use of fossil fuels as underlying long tern SD criteria.

The CDM in view can contribute to a developing country’s sustainable development objectives through:

Transfer of technology and financial resources;

Sustainable ways of energy production;

Increasing energy efficiency & conservation;

Poverty alleviation through income and employment generation; and,

Local environmental side benefits

By exploring the main linkages between CDM projects and their impacts in the three dimensions of SD, host countries can design and select CDM projects that maximizes development benefits. Examples include energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives, agricultural soil protection, sustainable forestry, and energy sector restructuring, all of which have had substantial effects on the reductions of greenhouse gas emissions too.

Examples of Sustainable Development / Management :

Deforestation - Causes Vs Forest Services

Deforestation in many tropical countries, results from clearing activities for subsistence cultivation, for pastureland and logging for timber. Deforestation also results from forest fires, snow disaster, mining, urbanization, infrastructure activities and dam constructions. Deforestation is viewed as a threat to environment.

A range of potential policy approaches and positive incentives to reduce emissions from deforestation, including financing options, need to be explored. Reducing forest emissions can be achieved at relatively low cost compared with mitigation in other sectors. Since most of deforestation occurs in developing countries, financial packages designed to reduce deforestation simultaneously helps to reduce poverty, promote sustainable development and preserve other ecosystem services like biodiversity and regional rainfall patterns. The role of communities as environmental stewards is of particular importance too.

Sustainable Forest Management on a great part, involves forest restorations through afforestation, reforestation and agroforestry which in turn will improve income streams from agriculture, protect biodiversity, reduce soil erosion, improve water and nutrient retention, soil quality, air quality, visibility range, health standards, etc.

Reforestation is the restocking of existing forests and woodlands which have been depleted, with native tree stock.

Afforestation is the primary factor increasing forest cover in China. Cumulative areas of afforestation in China from 1949 to 2003 were 241 million ha, of which 90 million ha were eventually established as plantation forests, i.e., about 37% of the afforested area reach forest status.

The Green Wall of China afforestation project by the Chinese government was implemented to roll back desertification in Xinjiang, aiming to prevent further expansion of the Gurbantunggut and Taklimakan deserts to protect Beijing from dust and pollution. The 5,700 km project cost € 6 billion.

Rainforest Conservation Efforts

The success to reduce emissions reduction via deforestation prevention highly depends on the financial ability of a country in its fight against the loggers and other agents of deforestation. It is not possible to preserve the forests without economic planning projects for the forests. It is not possible too to prevent logging without offering sustainable economic alternatives to logging.

Statistics show that economic returns from cattle rearing is $60, from timber logging is $400 per acre, and from sustainable forestry harvest, such as on herbs, nuts, fruits is $2400 on a long term basis. Thus sustainable forestry economy is the best way to prevent the disappearance of forests.

Meanwhile, tropical rainforest countries collaborate to reconcile forest stewardship with economic development; partner with industrialized nations for new and improved revenue, fair trade and improved market access so as achieve community-based and environmentally sustainable economic growth.

Under a scheme called Reduced Emissions from Deforestation in Developing Countries (REDD)......

Mangrove Forests, Ecotourism and Their Services to Mankind

Forest Ecotourism
- promotes conservation of ecosystems in ecologically fragile regions
- supports and benefits the economies of local communities
- provides the public with a nature-based education experience
- introduces visitors to local culture
(Pic: renowned natural heritage of mangrove forest with its unique firefly-lit 'Christmas trees' in Kuala Selangor Malaysia)

There is a need to adopt a sustainable approach to the management and utilization of precious forest/natural resources. Sustainable ecotourism can help in mitigating climate change, as the revenue generated from tourist visits can be channeled into improving the livelihood of communities, a deterrent to deforestation.

Sustainable Palm Oil Cultivation and Climate Change

Concerns has been raised over the ability of palm oil, rapeseed, soybean, sugarcane, corn and other vegetable oil sources to fulfill the demands of both the traditional and renewable fuel sectors in a sustainable manner. They also doubt that, in the quest for greater agriculture output, if there is definite greenhouse gas benefits along the entire life cycle of the raw material.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil ( RSPO ) is to ensure:

Compliance in sustainability along the entire line of production and supply, to provide certified sustainable palm to the world market in a clear and transparent manner.

Food Security
- 5 key areas for addressing food security issues:

Increasing agricultural productivity through drought, heat and salt resistant crop varieties, capacity building and technology transfer;

Increasing water productivity and savings;

Combating desertification and land degradation through projects for soil and water conservation and re-vegetation;

Monitoring of natural resource use, and capacity building for sustainable land management

Improving infrastructure: roads, financial services, marketing services and price information services;

Engaging youth in the agricultural and agro-processing and trading sectors to reduce unemployment and raise education levels.

Combating Land Degradation and Desertification

Can We Win Desertification?
Solving the land degradation is a very long and tedious process, requiring very strong commitment from all levels, especially the full awareness and participation of the land owners. It's far cheaper to prevention desertification, through sustainable solutions of soil preservation and enhancement of soil cover and soil organic, than to recover degraded land.

Sustainable solutions include.....read

Business Solution to Climate Change
- Towards a low carbon economy

Business solution in tackling climate change means business opportunities.

To mobilize business action on climate change, the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), together with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has developed:
Caring for Climate: The Business Leadership Platform. It provides an accounting tool for government and business to understand, quantify, manage and report greenhouse gas emissions in an accountable and trusted way. This accounting process helps companies to improve its portfolio of emissions and steer it away from possible financial loss incurred as penalties under future emissions regulations.

China to Address Climate Change:
Environmentally Sustainable Green Technologies

The Kyoto Protocol was viewed as a golden opportunity for China to better develop its resource-saving techniques and industries in its efforts and commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while continuing its development path. Twelve days after the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997, China drafted a national energy policy establishing to develop renewable energy and environmentally sustainable green technologies as top priority.
It was reported that China could be a USD 500 to USD 1 trillion a year market for the sustainable "green technologies".

While most of the world is finger pointing, China's hands are full shaping its new energy mix for sustainable growth and development.! Read: China to Address Climate Change

Waste Management for a Sustainable Society
You Can Be A Sustainable Dave Too

The waste-management and recycling policies in Japan should be models for all industrialized countries. In Kamikatsu, residents are to sort their garbage into 44 recycling bins!
Certain countries like Japan, Australia, New Zealand implement revolutionary scheme of waste management called Pay As You Throw (Japan); Throw More, Pay More (Sydney). In common, solid wastes are charged according to

their weight. Dumpers understand that the more they throw, the more they are charged; the less they throw, the less they are charged. In New Zealand, each house owner is entitled to 26 waste bags annually. Landfills....

Landfill or gold mine?
Waste management transforms an environmental liability into a lucrative opportunity.

In most developing countries, due to lack of compelling legislations, public awareness and commitments to minimize waste generation, most wastes end up in unsanitary landfills. Landfills are different from traditional dump sites. They are carefully constructed areas with special lining and covering systems to contain the waste. This significantly reduces the visual,

respiratory and health hazards from its environmental impacts. Waste management transforms unhealthy landfills into more sustainable, pleasant, healthier living condition for a better future.

(Pictures above show complete landscape transformation before and after landfill management )

In Japan's landfills, there is enough gold, silver and platinum to propel the country into the top tier of resource-producing countries - along with Australia, Brazil and Canada. The millions of electronics that are discarded each year, including televisions, mobile phones, MP3 players and computers, have created so-called “urban gold mines.”

More references on sustainability:

Forest Management and Sustainability Activities in Tanzania: Climateavenue
CDM in African Forests: Problems and Potentials: Cliimateavenue
Renewable Energy Development in China: Climateavenue
Biodiversity in Malaysia - the Kinabatangan Basin: Climateavenue

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