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Två år med svenska koldioxidbudgetar Konferens i Uppsala den 4-5 november 2019

Om konferensen

Det praktiska arbetet med att bryta ner och fördela den globala koldioxidbudgeten är i pionjärstadiet och det finns stor potential att utveckla både metod samt tillämpning av koldioxidbudgetar som styrverktyg. Med detta som bakgrund arrangerade CCL en tvådagarskonferens med temat ”två år med svenska koldioxidbudgetar” den 4-5 november 2019. Syftet var att öka kunskapen om forskningen bakom koldioxidbudgetar samt diskutera tillämpning utifrån olika aktörers perspektiv. Vid konferensen deltog över 60 personer från kommuner, länsstyrelser, akademi och civilsamhälle. I följande avsnitt sammanfattar vi några viktiga inslag och medskick från konferensen.

Program

Måndag 4 november

Tisdag 5 november

Bakgrund koldioxidbudgetar

Den globala koldioxidbudgeten är den begränsade totala mängd koldioxid som kan släppas ut till atmosfären för att klara ett visst temperaturmål. Det betyder att 1,5 och 2-gradersmålet kan brytas ner och fördelas i tid och rum i form av nationella, regionala, och lokala koldioxidbudgetar. CCL har i samarbete med svenska kommuner, län, och regioner tillämpat detta och beräknat lokala och regionala koldioxidbudgetar. Koldioxidbudgetarna gäller för åren 2020-2040 och anger en årlig minskningstakt i linje med Parisavtalet. Efter 2040 måste utsläppen fortsätta att sjunka mot noll.

Projektet har möjliggjorts av Uppsala Universitets roterande gästprofessur i klimatledarskap (CCL) som mellan 2015 och 2018 hölls av Professor Kevin Anderson vid Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. Kevin Anderson är pionjär inom arbetet med att omvandla den globala koldioxidbudgeten till nationell och lokal nivå. Förutom arbetet med svenska kommuner och län har Kevin Anderson varit med och tagit fram en budget för Manchester, Skottland samt för England via deras Climate Change Act.

Det svenska projektet inleddes år 2017 med att Järfälla Kommun tog kontakt med CCL med en förfrågan om att beräkna en koldioxidbudget för kommunens geografiska område. Kommunen ville förstå vilka utsläppsminskningar som krävs för att kommunens mål skulle kunna sägas vara i linje med Parisavtalet. När projektet var klart tog fler kommuner samt län och regioner kontakt med CCL och bad att få budgetar beräknade. Detta resulterade i ett samarbete med 17 kommuner, län, och regioner under 2018 och ytterligare ca 12 under 2019. Rubrikerna är formaterade med tab 1,5 cm om om du ska använda numrerade rubriker. OBS! inte formaterade med hängande indrag. Om den numrerade rubriken går över en rad tryck ”skift”+enter, tryck sedan tab och fortsätt skriv in rubriken.

CCLs och Tyndalls centres beräknade siffra på hur snabbt koldioxidutsläppen måste minska har varierat lite mellan rapporterna, men hamnar betydligt över 10 % i samtliga rapporter.

Kevin Anderson

Några nedslag i konferensen

Följande avsnitt gör nedslag i programmet med fokus på lärdomar och erfarenheter från det svenska koldioxidbudgetprojektet, Manchester Citys arbete med sin koldioxidbudget, samt arbete i Norge med klimatbudgetar. Avslutningsvis kan man läsa om konferensdeltagarnas egna reflektioner och idéer kring tillämpningen koldioxidbudgetar i lokalt och regionalt klimatarbete.

Erfarenheter från svenska kommuner, län, och regioner

I inledningen av konferensen presenterades resultat från en masteruppsats som följt arbetet med koldioxidbudgetar i några av kommunerna och länen som fick en koldioxidbudget beräknad under 2018. Därefter följde ett panelsamtal med representanter från kommuner och län med erfarenhet av koldioxidbudgetar. Diskussionen fokuserade på vad som hänt ute i kommunerna och länen samt hur rapporterna används i dagsläget.

Uppföljningen av projektet visar att de flesta av kommunerna och länen i dagsläget främst använder budgeten som ett kompletterande underlag i det ordinarie klimatarbetet. Vidare ser många på budgeten som ett sätt att visa och kommunicera att utsläppen behöver minska drastiskt varje år. Man ser även att en koldioxidbudget kan användas för att visa att kommun, näringsliv, civilsamhälle, och medborgare delar på samma utsläppsutrymme. Det gör budgetarna till ett potentiellt effektivt verktyg i arbetet med att samla aktörer och bygga en gemensam ansvarskänsla för klimatfrågan. Det verkar samtidigt som att kommuntjänstemän upplever att kommunen som organisation i dagsläget saknar rådighet att driva igenom den omställningstakt som föreslås i koldioxidbudgetramverket. Koldioxidbudgetrapporterna har främst stannat på tjänstemannanivå och få kommuner har än så länge beslutat politiskt om att följa ramverket.

Intressanta frågor för fortsatt uppföljning är därför hur medborgare och politiker ser på koldioxidbudgetramverket som underlag för lokal klimatpolitik, om och hur ramverket integreras i befintliga mål och arbetssätt, hur rapporterna används konkret i arbetet med att samla aktörer kring klimatfrågan samt kommunikation kring snabb klimatomställning.

Publik

Erfarenheter från Manchester

Manchester City Council beslöt i slutet av 2018 att anta ett koldioxidbudgetramverk som beslutsunderlag till stadens åtgärder för minskad klimatpåverkan. Under konferensen berättade Jonny Sadler från Manchester Climate Change Agency om beslutet och hur man använder koldioxidbudgeten i stadens arbete med klimat.

Han inledde med att beskriva att det finns en stark förankring i lokalsamhället för en snabb klimatomställning i Manchester. Tillsammans med stadens nära samarbete med Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research ledde detta till att stadens folkvalda beslöt att använda ett koldioxidbudgetramverk som grund för stadens utsläppsmål. I Manchester är det Manchester Climate Change Agency som driver implementeringen och möjliggör samverkan mellan aktörer. Jonny Sadler poängterade samtidigt att arbetet med utsläppsminskningar måste bygga på gemensamt ansvar mellan samhällsaktörer. I linje med detta beskrev han vidare att det är viktigt att komma ihåg att staden som organisation omöjligt kan driva igenom alla de utsläppsminskningar som krävs för att stanna inom stadens koldioxidbudget. Manchester Climate Change Agency använder därför budgeten som ett verktyg för att förankra en gemensam ansvarskänsla bland aktörer och visa att aktörerna delar på samma utsläppsutrymme. Konkret innebär detta att man jobbar på olika sätt för att få aktörer att förbinda sig till att hålla sig inom budgeten.

Trots detta spenderar Manchester i likhet med många andra städer sin koldioxidbudget i hög takt. Men det sker framsteg på flera områden. Detta arbete styrs av en 15-punktlista som även presenterades under föreläsningen.

Mer information om Manchester Citys klimatarbete finns här.

Erfarenheter från Norge

Under konferensen fick deltagarna även ta del av erfarenheter från Jakob Grandins och Jesse Schrages forskning på Bergen Universitet om Oslo kommuns arbete med klimatbudgeter. Det är viktigt att poängtera att den klimatbudget som tillämpas i Oslo konceptuellt skiljer sig från de koldioxidbudgetar som beräknats i Sverige och UK.

I Oslo har kommunen infört en klimatbudget som redovisas som en del av kommunens ekonomiska budget. Det innebär att klimatbudgeten godkänns av kommunfullmäktige. Syftet med budgeten är att säkerställa att nödvändiga åtgärder för utsläppsminskningar genomförs för att uppnå beslutade klimatmål samt på ett tydligt sätt redovisa kostnaderna för detta. Till skillnad från koldioxidbudgetarna i Sverige och Manchester syfte klimatbudgeten på den ekonomiska investeringen i att minska klimatpåverkan, inte det lokala utsläppsutrymme som finns. I Norge kommer användandet av budgetbegreppet från idén att följa upp klimat på samma sätt som man följer upp ekonomin i en kommun (dvs. genom den ekonomiska budgeten). Det betyder att klimatbudgetarna i Norge kan förstås som styrverktyg medan koldioxidbudgetarna i Sverige kan förstås mer som en metod för att sätta vetenskapligt förankrade klimatmål. Dessa båda metoder kan med fördel användas samtidigt.

Mer läsning om klimatbudgetar i Norge finns här.

Här kan man läsa Energy Cities arbete om klimatbudgetar med fallstudier från bl.a. Oslo.

Workshop

Utvecklingsmöjligheter – vilka behov ser aktörer framöver?

Mot slutet av konferensen höll Isak Stoddard från CCL en workshop som syftade till att samla in reflektioner och idéer från deltagarna om utvecklingsområden kopplat till koldioxidbudgetprojektet. Nedan redovisas svaren sorterat efter några övergripande teman.

Kommunikation och visualisering

  • Visualisering av kumulativa utsläpp spelar roll och budgetperspektivet är en ögonöppnare för många. Visualisering av en utsläppsbudget visar att läget är akut och utsläppsminskningar måste ske på både kort och lång sikt.
  • Koldioxidbudgetar visar tydligt vad som behövs göras, men inte vad som kan göras för att minska utsläppen (detta poängterades som viktig bakgrund till Manchesters arbete tidigare i konferensen)
  • Flera deltagare efterfrågade verktyg som kan hjälpa kommunerna att själva beräkna sin budget samt kommunicera den på ett pedagogiskt sätt.

Metod

  • Flera deltagare tog upp konsumtionsperspektivet och hur man ska tänka kring det i förhållande till territoriella utsläppsbudgetar. Många upplever att det fortfarande är diffust hur man ska göra.
  • En deltagare underströk att det är minst lika viktigt att stänga in kol (t.ex. genom träbyggnad) som att minska på utsläppen och efterlyste det perspektivet. Hur kan vi integrera kolinlagring i koldioxidbudgetramverket?
Workshop

Koldioxidbudgetar som styrverktyg

  • Flera deltagare underströk vikten av att inkludera den nationella nivån i diskussionen kring lokala koldioxidbudgetar.
  • Flera deltagare lyfte fram vikten av att förankra budgeten politiskt och efterlyste stöd och verktyg i det arbetet. En intressant fråga för fortsatt uppföljning som ställdes var huruvida man sett att koldioxidbudgetar leder till en kraftfullare politik i de kommuner som har en (Intressant här är att Borås stad själva tagit fram en koldioxidbudget som styrande dokument, lämnas till läsaren att ta reda på mer)
  • Många underströk vikten av att inkludera politiker, kommunalråd, och andra beslutsfattare i diskussionen. Vad är deras perspektiv på koldioxidbudgetramverket?
  • Medborgardialog lyftes också fram. Hur ser medborgare på en snabb omställning i linje med en koldioxidbudget?
  • Flera deltagare efterfrågade fortsatt arbete kring hur man kan integrera en koldioxidbudget i det ordinarie klimatarbetet samt det ekonomiska budgetarbetet i kommunen. Hur kan man konkret koppla sin koldioxidbudget till den ekonomiska budgeten?

Övrigt

  • Flera deltagare lyfte fram föreläsningarna av Klimatlätt och Svalna och efterfrågade fler sådana forum för att koppla ett koldioxidbudgetramverk med faktiska utsläppsminskningsåtgärder.
  • Föreläsningarna av IVL, Klimatsekretariatet, klimatkommunerna samt SLU lyftes även fram som givande av många deltagare.

Tack!  

CCL vill tacka alla deltagare för intressanta samtal och hoppas att konferensen bidragit med nya perspektiv och idéer för det fortsatta klimatarbetet. Vi lärde oss mycket av diskussionerna och tar med oss många nya insikter om metodutveckling och tillämpning in i nästa års arbete med koldioxidbudgetprojektet. Vid intresse för samarbete eller dialog med CCL kontakta gärna Martin Wetterstedt eller Aaron Tuckey.

Nästa år kommer konferensen hållas 10-12 november i Humanistiska teatern här i Uppsala. 

AIM Day and Climate Change

In the middle of October, I joined in the AIM Day at Uppsala University, organised by the university Innovation Team. This day is an opening up of the university to businesses and institutions who want to pick at difficult questions with researchers. This year’s theme was Hållbara Städer (Sustainable Cities). This year it was in Swedish, and with my limited language abilities (disclaimer: I therefore might have missed some important points to many of the discussions), I joined in on some of their workshops.

Overall this day was an enlightening experience, where the necessity for transdisciplinary approaches to tricky questions, and collaborations across universities, civil society and public institutions, was abundantly clear. However, as a representative of the Climate Change Leadership Initiative (CCL), it was disappointing to see that the discussions did not want to grapple with the elephant in the room: the added complexity of climate change (and biodiversity loss) to social sustainability and development questions.

The first question I attended was one that struck at the core of a project CCL is working on at the moment: “Hur bygger vi tillit och vågar vi ta tillvara kraften i initiativ som vilar på religiös eller kulturell grund och möjliggör för olika sorters drivkrafter för ett områdes utveckling?” (How do we build trust and courage to harness power of initiatives driven by cultural or religious grounds? And that enable different kinds of driving forces for an area’s development?) posed by representatives of the Kommun. Joining me in this meeting were researchers from Centrum för forskning om religion och samhälle (CRS) , as well as employees of Upplandsidrottsförbund. It was positive to hear that this was being considered, in particular concerning a suburb of Uppsala that we are interested in working with.

“Hur kan konst bidra till att stärka identitet och skapa gemensamma rum i stadsmiljön och hur sker konstnärlig medverkan på bästa sätt genom hela planerings- och byggnadsprocessen?” (How can art help to strengthen identity and create common spaces in the urban environment? And how does artistic participation take place in the best way throughout the planning and building process?) posed by Region Gotland, was the second workshop I attended. Having very recently organised an interactive and artistic process in collaboration with Uppsala Art Museum, which was designed to enable residents of the city to explore how we think about the space of the non-human in urban environments, I was particularly excited by this discussion. Sadly, there did not seem to be shared interest in the role that the arts can play with the idea of the urban as a space for wilderness and other species. Though the conversation was fascinating in that we covered the role of graffiti to shape identities of the space and its residents, a very important facet I had not previously considered, it was disappointing that the conversation could not include how we might use artistic process and design to stretch the possibilities of urban space in times of climate change. This discussion highlights CCL’s concerns that processes of urban development continue to neglect the role of the city in mitigating species extinction and adapting to climate change.

The final two workshops I attended were similar discussions on social innovation and meeting spaces. The first, chaired by Coompanion Uppsala Län, wanted to discuss “Stödsystem för social innovation, särskilt inom hållbar stadsutveckling” (Support systems for social innovation, particularly within sustainable city development). The latter, chaired by Uppsalahem, covered “Sociala investeringsprojekt för barn och unga (Mötesplats Gottsunda)” (Social investment projects for children and youth (Meeting Place Gottsunda). By this point, my Swedish was fairly exhausted and my contributions to the discussion were in english. Our discussions touched upon vulnerable groups across the cities and regions and who should be the targets for support systems (could they be non-Swedish speakers?), neglect and social segregation were repeated here, and we were fairly stuck on the meaning of social innovation at points. A shining star from this discussion came from Idrottsförbundet who work closely in Gottsunda, and recounted an experience of engaging with women residents of the area. She told us that she was trying to understand what types of sports opportunities women living in Gottsunda wanted. She reached out to several contacts who then sent out a mass whatsapp message. Expecting only a handful of people to turn up, she was overwhelmed by the interest when 60 people joined the discussion. Looking at their feedback (which was largely written in Arabic), she found that generally residents did not want to attend meetings to discuss types of sports, but rather were happy to be messaged through this channel and told when and where dance classes or swimming opportunities, or other events, would occur. Understanding the different methods of engagement with different localities of Uppsala city is crucial for CCL’s work with civil society.

Over all AIM day was great fun. It was wonderful to meet so many colleagues working in similar areas of democracy and development. What struck me, though, was that we are not thinking strategically about climate change in all of these challenges. Trends of privatisation, or art and urban development, and (disrupted) investments in social innovation projects are turbulent and challenging changes. With the added complexity of climate change, and our responsibilities to act upon it, we must include strategic ways of engaging with these problems. I look forward to attending AIM Days in the future and continuing to be a thorn in the side of these discussions.

Building a University for the Common Good? Addressing Climate Change Together

Addressing climate change will require partnerships across all sectors of society. This is a film of Keri’s workshop on Campus Gotland exploring how universities and communities might work together to address climate change.

It draws on Keri’s work as Leadership Fellow for the Connected Communities Programme which was a six-year-long programme of collaboration between academics and partners outside the university – local government, industry, charities, voluntary sector groups with over 300 projects across the UK. The main findings from this programme are here alongside a series of literature reviews providing surveys of the main approaches to co-production.

Another project – looking at how universities are failing to engage with and learn from minority ethnic communities – has produced a report and a set of important principles and guidance for universities seeking to create more diverse partnerships and collaborations.

Apply to join the student COP25 delegation

STUDENT APPLICATION TO JOIN UU DELEGATION AT THE 25th CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES IN SANTIAGO, CHILE

 2-13 DECEMBER 2019

Deadline: 18 October, 2019 (at 6 PM)

Send your application to: susanna.barrineau@cemus.uu.se

The 2019 UN Climate Change Conference will take place 2-13 December in Santiago, Chile. Uppsala University has status as observer organization and will be sending a delegation to the conference. We are now calling upon engaged and motivated students in Uppsala to apply to join the delegation as Uppsala University’s representatives at the negotiations. This delegation is a part of Uppsala University’s ongoing involvement in the UN level climate negotiations, building on the Zennström Climate Change Leadership professorship and Uppsala University’s long tradition of student-leadership and active student participation.

Take advantage of this unique opportunity to take part in a process that is of paramount importance and build on the work of previous delegations’ involvement in these UN negotiations. This will also be a chance to engage the Uppsala University community in the conference outcomes and experiences.

Apply by providing a CV and a brief personal statement (no more than 1 page) that addresses the following questions: 

  • What are your intellectual and academic interests at the moment? 
  • Are you involved in any activities/initiatives that have a connection to climate change issues?
  • Why do you want to go to climate change conference in Santiago? 
  • How does participating in the conference fit in with your studies, and/or research / professional interests? 
  • How would you propose to collaboratively prepare, connect, and also feed-back with others at Uppsala University and in Uppsala that are interested in climate change and the negotiations, but not able not able to join the delegation? 
  • Indicate which week you would like to join the COP, or if you would like to attend both weeks.

In order to be considered to join the delegation as a student, you will need to be enrolled at Uppsala University. In forming our delegation, we are looking to create a highly motivated, interdisciplinary team of students. Note that a selection to join the delegation does not entail funding for travel, food or housing. If you are selected and accept, you will need to commit to: 

  • actively participating in at least one of the two weeks of the conference (2-6 December and/or 9-13 December); 
  • being involved in organizing and contributing to events in Uppsala before, during, and after the event.

For questions and further information, contact: 

Sanna Barrineau: susanna.barrineau@cemus.uu.se

Coordinator at the Climate Change Leadership InitiativeCentre for Environment and Development Studies (CEMUS) at Uppsala University and SLU 

Dr Claire Craig: Science and Futures in Government

Governments may have less immediate power than they used to but, in matters large and small, someone somewhere often has to make a decision that will affect many lives. The Ministers making those decisions are human too, and what we know about how science and futures thinking operate in government can tell us a lot about their place in wider public debates. Making decisions today, based on evidence from the past, in order to change the future: what could possibly go wrong?

Clair Craig joins us in Kollaboratoriet in early June. Head over to youtube to follow the full lecture.

Follow our youtube channel for more clips from this lecture, and for other talks and events with the Climate Change Leadership initiative at Uppsala University.

Dr Claire Craig CBE is Chief Science Policy Officer at the Royal Society. Previously Claire led the Government Office for Science, and has worked for three UK Government Chief Scientific Advisors. She was awarded a CBE for her work on Foresight, the UK’s science-based strategic futures programme, and was a member of Faculty at the World Economic Forum. Her career includes periods at McKinsey & Co and the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit. She has been pre-Elected Provost of the Queen’s College, Oxford, taking up post in summer 2019. Her first book “How does government listen to scientists?” was published by Palgrave in August 2018, and she began life as a geophysicist.

Carbon budgets in Umeå

This week, Martin and Aaron travelled to Umeå to present several lectures on carbon budgets and meet with local government representatives and civil society groups.

Earlier this year, Fridays for Future Umeå approached the Climate Change Leadership Node requesting a carbon budget for their municipality. Until then, it had only been municipalities, regions and county boards that had commissioned a carbon budget from CCL.

Within 10 days the civil society grouped had fundraised enough money for the carbon budget which was delivered earlier this year.

On Monday Martin and Aaron lectured at various locations in the city. This culminated in a public lecture in the evening at Umeå University which was attended by over 200 members of the public.

Our most important recommendation from the presentations and associated carbon budgets is that governing bodies consider the cumulative effect of carbon dioxide emissions, pursue science-based targets and set goals accordingly.

Sustainability & Internationalisation Agendas in the University: How can they support each other?

Do you have ideas on how Uppsala University can be international and sustainable?

This workshop will be an open exploratory space for staff and students at Uppsala University that aims to understand the underlying drivers and desires for both internationalisation and sustainability, the potential sites of complementarity, and the possibility of Uppsala taking a lead in developing new and innovative practices of sustainable internationalisation. 

This workshop will be curated by the current Zennström Professor of Climate Change Leadership at Uppsala University, that will aim to understand the underlying drivers and desires for both internationalisation and sustainability, the potential sites of complementarity, and the possibility of Uppsala taking a lead in developing new and innovative practices of sustainable internationalisation. The outcome of the workshop will inform both sustainability and internationalisation strategies for the university.

Both students and staff welcome! Join us on October 28, kl 12-16:30 at Kollaboratoriet, Östra Ågatan 19. Lunch will be served.

Participation limited to 40 participants. Staff and students of Uppsala University only.  Click here to register.

Do you have examples of how other universities are already working on these issues? Tweet to @CCLUPPSALA or email Sanna Barrineau.

Learning to live with a lively planet

The renewal of the university’s mission in the era of climate change. A lecture from Zennström Chair of Climate Change Leadership at Uppsala University, Keri Facer. October 1st, 18.15 – 19.30 in the University Main Building, Room X

Sign up on MedfarmDoit

Come along for an evening of mingling and reflection with researchers, students, climate advocates, and members of the public to explore the role of the university in face of climate change. Join the mingle from 17.45 outside the lecture hall.

Keri Facer is Professor of Educational and Social Futures from the University of Bristol, UK. She holds the Zennström Chair of Climate Change Leadership at Uppsala University from 2019 – 2020.

Not in Uppsala? Join the lecture on our livestream or watch the recording which will be uploaded shortly afterward.

Bio-relations in Uppsala – A conversation on our city

Explore and Reimagine

Researchers walks, mass public art making and talks

In connection to the exhibition 
The Non-Human Animal – Negotiating Bio-relations
A quick summary of the afternoon in Swedish…
… and in English!

The afternoon will involve a series of linked activities that explore the relationship between humans and non-humans in Uppsala through walking methods and creative practice. This two hour workshop activity has been developed in partnership between researchers at the two local universities, and ecopsychologists and art-educators.

Register here: tinyurl.com/y2tp8qgr 

The workshop will involve: 

1) a walk of exploration in the city – exploring questions of biodiversity and human relationships with other species. 
2) a creative exploration and documentation of the traces that humans and other species are leaving in the Anthropocene. 

The activities will lead to the creation of exhibits that will be on display during the course of the Non-Human Animal exhibition. The activities are suitable for people aged 14 and above with a curiosity and interest in plants, animals, insects and nature – no artistic experience or scientific knowledge necessary! The activities start at 1pm sharp and run till approximately 3.30. Bring weather-appropriate clothes and footwear as the walks will be outside. Sign up in advance is required.

Making space for other species in Uppsala

This public discussion will bring together artists, researchers and local policymakers to explore how space for biodiversity can be nurtured in the city of Uppsala. It will explore how plans for the city’s development might be informed by new relationships of care and respect between humans and non-human species. 

Do visit the exhibition The Non-Human Animal – Negotiating Bio-relations before the workshop. Opening date: Saturday September 28, kl 14:00 pm. It will be open from 11.30 am Sunday. 

The walks and discussions will be performed in both English and Swedish. 

Organizers: Zennström Professorship in Climate Change Leadership at Uppsala University and Uppsala Art Museum

Professor Keri Facer interviewed by Futuuri Magazine

See the interview with Professor Keri Facer, the Zennström Chair of Climate Change Leadership, for Futuuri magazine at the Constructing Social Futures Conference 2019

What is your calling?
What is the role of futures in your work?
On the richness of the meanwhile
What is your image of a desirable future?

Almedalsveckan July 2019

Climate Change Leadership’s Zennström Professor, Keri Facer, engaged in Almedalsveckan 2019. Watch the seminars below.

July 3, 2019: Climate vision – what is the role of universities in combating climate change?

How can universities be a driving force in the fight against climate change? What expectations can placed on scientists, researchers and teachers and how do we involve students?

July 1, 2019: Climate change leadership – perspectives from science, industry and politics

Climate change is a scientific, economic and political challenge. Which leadership strategies are needed to tackle and minimize climate change? How can science, industry and politics co-operate in climate leadership and how can we develop an effective climate change leadership?

July 1, 2019: Universitetens roll för en hållbar värld – omvärldens förväntningar

Universitetens viktigaste bidrag till en hållbar värld går via forskning, utbildning och samverkan – men hur ska detta ske på bästa sätt? Vad finns det för förväntningar från omvärlden på universitetens insatser och vilka typer av aktiviteter ger bäst resultat?

Bonn SB50, June 2019

“Science is not negotiable, another world is possible”

By Sanna Barrineau

25 June, 2019. It’s 37 degrees celsius in Bonn, Germany at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and it’s the second week of one of the largest climate change conferences in the world during an unprecedented European heatwave.  Representatives of the UNFCCC blithely encourage conference participants to abandon their suits and ties so as to avoid the old-school style of keeling over due to heat exhaustion. Interventions by youth and climate justice groups offer dark contrasts to this relaxed humour in the form of die-ins, songs, and impassioned speeches. From my vantage point of observer, the phrase climate justice emerged in every room, yet was noticeably, albeit unsurprisingly, absent in the outcomes of the negotiations. 

If one was determined to create the most just, fair, equal, and true-to-science global climate change regulation in history, one would be hard put to find a place with more qualified people in the room, brimming with passion and intent. While parties are busy negotiating behind closed doors, scientists and civil society groups create a rich series of side events, informative and supportive spaces for participants. The overall effectiveness of these is lessened by the absence of parties, leaving the session leaders to preach to the choir but also to proffer narratives of ‘green growth’ that are met by frustration by the ‘systems change, not climate change’ advocates and representatives of LDCs suffering the negligence of this mantra.

UNFCCC conference center, Bonn

Here are some observations from a humble observer:

  • Intergenerational justice: Referring to the parts per million of CO2 in the atmosphere, Dr Julie Brigham-Grette stated that, “We are in uncharted territory”. 120 years is all it takes to do what we have done with our emissions. Strong scientific inputs on intergenerational justice in climate policy, but still talk about “green growth” from the Nordic consortium (including Finland who has declared that it will reach net-zero emissions by 2035). Results of this kind of climate leadership have clear consequences for future generations.
  • Sailing to COP25: A consortium of folks will be sailing to COP25 in Chile to avoid the emissions associated with flying. They were recruiting co-sailors for the journey. 
  • Climate Apartheid: A report published by UN special rapporteur stated that we’re creating a ‘Climate apartheid’. “Developing countries will bear an estimated 75% of the costs of the climate crisis… despite the poorest half of the world’s population causing just 10% of carbon dioxide emissions.” 
  • Sweden’s Ambition: Although Sweden showed ambition in relation to their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), reliance on future negative emission technologies are far from certain in their mitigation roadmap. Territorial emissions are decreasing, but is it decoupling or delusion?
  • Gender and Climate Change: Ideas and examples abound for implementing gender-responsive NDCs. In preparation for COP25, WEDO  is developing a report on what processes have been happening trying to link gender and NDCs and climate policies. See also their Gender Climate Tracker App. Key thoughts from this session: Effects of climate change are felt differently across class and gender. Gender-sensitive climate policy is key to decreasing social inequalities. 
  • Migration and Displacement: Climate-induced migration highlights how the poor are especially vulnerable to climate change. Teresa Anderson, ActionAid International, explains that there is massive displacement taking place as a result of climate change. Displacement is triggered by disasters but is dependent on economic and social factors, therefore most difficult for the poor who have fewer options than those with capital. See more on this topic: Climate Change Knows No Borders (publication). Climate change always adds an additional layer to the intersectional look at migration and so, approaching from a human rights based perspective should always guide our decisions and actions. The ultimate goal is to respond with solidarity.

My week in Bonn concluded with seeing hundreds of cyclists bearing the Fridays for Future flag making their way through the city. Another world is possible. 

Fridays for Future Demonstration, Bonn

Filibustering and Floundering – SB50 in Bonn

Guest post by Guy Finkill, CEMUS, Climate Change Leadership in Practice

Death by a thousand acronyms. That’s what it can often feel like when engaging with the subsidiary body negotiations at the UNFCCC at its headquarters in the leafy and embassy-ridden area of Bonn. In reality, the situation is much more dire – as an unprecedented heatwave stretches across Europe, the secretariat is forced into making bold and impactful decisions. Banishing big polluters from the negotiation space? No. Think again. They amend the official dress code so men are not forced to sweat themselves into a stupor on their way to the spacious air-conditioned conference halls where they negotiate their level of compassion for countries bearing the real brunt of the rapidly emerging extremes of climate change. 

Morality falls victim to bureaucracy. Political will shudders in the face of a potential downturn in prosperity. In the multi-lateral assessment forum, the UK boast their 38% reduction in territorial emissions since 1990 while still achieving an upturn in economic growth (4). And growth and prosperity are good for everyone, right? Let’s take a moment to think about who this unquestionable prosperity is benefitting. Last time I checked, the UK was experiencing the highest levels of inequality since the 1960s (6) with 44% of the nation’s wealth in the hands of 10% of the population (7). The green growth narrative is top of the agenda here at SB50 with outlandish claims of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 being the hot topic. The fanciful mathematics and geoengineering pipedreams (3) that these claims are based upon have yet to truly enter the discussion, but that time will come. 

Saudi Arabia and Egypt play pass the obfuscating parcel as the AIM (Arrangements for Intergovernmental meetings) negotiations dance around the subject of Conflict of Interest within the negotiation arena. Delegations huddle together, before they make their official announcements in the form of bureaucratic riddles, shrouded in the legitimatisation of political diplomacy. The US, infamous for declaring their withdrawal from ratifying the Paris Agreement, are still lingering around; pushing for BINGO (Business and Industry NGOs) accredited representatives to have a higher degree of participation in the discussions – efficiently opening the door for the fossil fuel industry to the conference while washing their hands of responsibility with the blood of the small-island developing states. 

Chile, hosts of the upcoming COP25, are on the charm offensive in preparation for their presidency of the next round of negotiations; dishing out complimentary wine every evening to distinguished delegates. The chink of glasses brimming with Merlot appear to be sufficient to extinguish the concern of residents of Isla Riesco as the Chilean government battles its own environmental court to keep a devastating open-cast mine operational (8).

Environmental NGOs and youth groups rally together to call out the elephant in the room, tirelessly working towards increased transparency and kicking big polluters out of the negotiation space. Here are the closing remarks of Climate Justice Now (04:38-06:30), denouncing nation states for their continued subsidising of the fossil fuel industry (1) while employing market mechanisms and offsetting (2) to delay climate action and enforce the seemingly impermeable strategy of inertia. Progressive discussions in the side events hosted by these groups provide fresh hope and inspiration to a jaded observer – unfortunately these events are not mandatory for party delegates to attend, perhaps something for the UNFCCC to consider in future meetings of the subsidiary bodies.  And so, the 50th meeting of the subsidiary bodies draws to a close, a few modifications to official texts achieved but not much to write home about. ~8000 activists were involved in the occupation of Garzweiler lignite coal mine less than 70km away from the UNFCCC conference in between the two weeks of talks – demanding climate justice as state-funded police brutally repress their call to action. Swedish teenage activist Greta Thunberg called for us to panic at COP24 in Poland & the World Economic Forum in Davos as our house is on fire. Swathes of forest fires currently engulf areas outside of Berlin (5), our house IS on fire, perhaps we should take acti … ah wait it’s 17:30, I think the Chilean presidency stand are serving wine again. Good, I’m parched.

References

1. Coady, D., Parry, I., Sears, L. & Shang, B. 2017, “How Large Are Global Fossil Fuel Subsidies?”, World Development, vol. 91, pp. 11-27.

2. Dufrasne, 2018. Accessed online 29/06/19 Webpage

3. Fuss, S., Canadell, J.G., Peters, G.P., Tavoni, M., Andrew, R.M., Ciais, P., Jackson, R.B., Jones, C.D., Kraxner, F., Nakicenovic, N., Le Quéré, C., Raupach, M.R., Sharifi, A., Smith, P. & Yamagata, Y. 2014, “Betting on negative emissions”, Nature Climate Change, vol. 4, no. 10, pp. 850-853.

4. Hausfather, 2019. Accessed online 29/06/19 Webpage

5. Insurance Journal, 2019. Accessed online 29/06/19 Webpage

6. McGuiness & Harari, 2019. Accessed online 29/06/19 Webpage

7. Partington, 2018. Accessed online 29/09/19 Webpage

8. Wright, 2019. Accessed online 29/09/19 Webpage

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