Lula in Davos: wealthy countries should invest in biofuels in poor countries
Milton Maciel, a former government official who served as Secretary of Agriculture in Brazil’s northeastern state of Alagoas, one of Brazil’s main ethanol-producing regions, has recently launched Biofuels Now, an excellent resource on the Brazilian ethanol experience. Together with Henrique Oliveira's Ethablog and Marcelo Acuña Coelho's EthanolBrasil, we now have a network of expert analysts who track and translate the world's leading biofuel producer's rising influence in the post-oil world.
Lula in Davos
They report that Brazil's president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, that his country volunteers to transfer technology for production of biodiesel and ethanol to poorer countries, most of them in Africa and Central America, for free.
Speaking at the WEF, Lula suggested that rich countries should finance such kind of projects in countries in development, as a form of reducing inequality in the world.
The left-leaning president has long been a symbol of the WEF's counterpart, the World Social Forum (WSF), which strives towards the establishment of an economic world order more in tune with the needs of the poorer countries. His presence in Davos is seen by some within the WSF community as betrayal. But Lula refuses to be pinned down by either camp and prefers a pragmatic approach to global problems. In Davos, he called on rich nations not to hold back the developing world by lack of flexibility on global trade talks. Trade ministers from about 30 countries have converged there to try to breathe life into the flagging Doha Round of World Trade Organization negotiations.
Developing nations have claimed aspects of the talks, including issues of trade tariffs, may hurt the world's poorest. The Doha Development Agenda was launched in 2001. But the talks have foundered on a number of points and have repeatedly stalled over the past few years. Developing nations believe that the EU and US must cut agricultural subsidies if progress is to be made. At the same time, the EU and US want big developing nations, such as Brazil and India, to open up their fast-growing markets in industrial goods and services. Lula said Brazil was ready to make concessions if Europe and the US were prepared to move too.
Making the link between biofuels and Doha
One of the main subjects discussed in Davos was global warming, caused principally by combustion of fossil fuels. Biodiesel and ethanol, if produced under economic and environmentally sustainable conditions, are a viable alternative to those fossil fuels. According to Maciel, tropical countries are exactly the countries who have the best conditions to accomplish such a sustainable and commercially viable production:
ethanol :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: climate change :: developing world :: development economics :: poverty alleviation :: Doha :: Davos :: biofuels trade :: technology transfer :: Brazil :: Africa ::
Biofuels Now reports that Lula linked the biofuels opportunity to the trade negotiations, by stating that the USA, instead of producing ethanol from corn, could save much money if it decided to finance and acquire biofuel production from the poorest countries, which would mean a boost to trade and a possibility to lift the trade barriers and subsidies which currently protect the uncompetitive corn ethanol industry.
Maciel sees this as a much better alternative to continue importing oil from potentially hostile suppliers, an alternative not only with lower costs, but also without the burden of oil wars costs. And an alternative that, promoting some substantial development in biofuels producing countries, could not only reduce somewhat the terrible inequalities, but would also lessen the migratory pressure from those countries to USA, Canada and EU.
This is also the thesis of Biofuels Now: "A great number of poor countries in Africa and elsewhere have good environmental conditions that favor the development of sustainable biofuels industries and this could prove of great value for their development in the verge of Peak Oil. We partake completely the Brazilian government policy of taking biofuels technology to many other countries in the world. These countries have available soils, water, cheap land and labor; and also much, much poverty."
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Lula in Davos
They report that Brazil's president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, that his country volunteers to transfer technology for production of biodiesel and ethanol to poorer countries, most of them in Africa and Central America, for free.
Speaking at the WEF, Lula suggested that rich countries should finance such kind of projects in countries in development, as a form of reducing inequality in the world.
“Biodiesel generates employment, generates income, generates development. Our biofuels program could be an example to be financed by rich nations to poorer nations of Africa and Central America” - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.Reviving Doha
The left-leaning president has long been a symbol of the WEF's counterpart, the World Social Forum (WSF), which strives towards the establishment of an economic world order more in tune with the needs of the poorer countries. His presence in Davos is seen by some within the WSF community as betrayal. But Lula refuses to be pinned down by either camp and prefers a pragmatic approach to global problems. In Davos, he called on rich nations not to hold back the developing world by lack of flexibility on global trade talks. Trade ministers from about 30 countries have converged there to try to breathe life into the flagging Doha Round of World Trade Organization negotiations.
Developing nations have claimed aspects of the talks, including issues of trade tariffs, may hurt the world's poorest. The Doha Development Agenda was launched in 2001. But the talks have foundered on a number of points and have repeatedly stalled over the past few years. Developing nations believe that the EU and US must cut agricultural subsidies if progress is to be made. At the same time, the EU and US want big developing nations, such as Brazil and India, to open up their fast-growing markets in industrial goods and services. Lula said Brazil was ready to make concessions if Europe and the US were prepared to move too.
"We are fighting... to make rich countries aware that if there is no deal on the Doha Round, there will be no point in blaming things on Iraq, or thinking that they can resolve wars by giving out financial help every now and again. It's the possibility of growth, creating jobs and distributing wealth that will create a peaceful world." - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.The trade ministers present at the forum have meanwhile agreed to revive the talks.
Making the link between biofuels and Doha
One of the main subjects discussed in Davos was global warming, caused principally by combustion of fossil fuels. Biodiesel and ethanol, if produced under economic and environmentally sustainable conditions, are a viable alternative to those fossil fuels. According to Maciel, tropical countries are exactly the countries who have the best conditions to accomplish such a sustainable and commercially viable production:
ethanol :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: climate change :: developing world :: development economics :: poverty alleviation :: Doha :: Davos :: biofuels trade :: technology transfer :: Brazil :: Africa ::
Biofuels Now reports that Lula linked the biofuels opportunity to the trade negotiations, by stating that the USA, instead of producing ethanol from corn, could save much money if it decided to finance and acquire biofuel production from the poorest countries, which would mean a boost to trade and a possibility to lift the trade barriers and subsidies which currently protect the uncompetitive corn ethanol industry.
Maciel sees this as a much better alternative to continue importing oil from potentially hostile suppliers, an alternative not only with lower costs, but also without the burden of oil wars costs. And an alternative that, promoting some substantial development in biofuels producing countries, could not only reduce somewhat the terrible inequalities, but would also lessen the migratory pressure from those countries to USA, Canada and EU.
This is also the thesis of Biofuels Now: "A great number of poor countries in Africa and elsewhere have good environmental conditions that favor the development of sustainable biofuels industries and this could prove of great value for their development in the verge of Peak Oil. We partake completely the Brazilian government policy of taking biofuels technology to many other countries in the world. These countries have available soils, water, cheap land and labor; and also much, much poverty."
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Monday, January 29, 2007
US considers risky geo-engineering options to avert abrupt climate change
The US has also attempted to steer the UN report, prepared by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), away from conclusions that would support a new worldwide climate treaty based on binding targets to reduce emissions - as sought by Europe. It has demanded a draft of the report be changed to emphasise the benefits of voluntary agreements and to include criticisms of the Kyoto Protocol, the existing treaty which the US administration opposes. The final IPCC report, written by experts from across the world, will underpin international negotiations to devise a new emissions treaty to succeed Kyoto, the first phase of which expires in 2012. World governments were given a draft of the report last year and invited to comment.
Risky techniques
The US response, technically entitled "U.S. Government Review of the Second Order Draft of WGIII Contribution 'Climate Change 2007: Mitigation of Climate Change'" [*.pdf], says the idea of interfering with sunlight should be included in the summary for policymakers, the prominent chapter at the front of each IPCC report. It says: "Modifying solar radiance may be an important strategy if mitigation of emissions fails. Doing the R&D to estimate the consequences of applying such a strategy is important insurance that should be taken out. This is a very important possibility that should be considered."
Scientists have previously estimated that reflecting less than 1% of sunlight back into space could compensate for the warming generated by all greenhouse gases emitted since the industrial revolution. Possible 'geo-engineering' techniques include putting a giant screen into orbit, thousands of tiny, shiny balloons, or microscopic sulphate droplets pumped into the high atmosphere to mimic the cooling effects of a volcanic eruption. The IPCC draft said such ideas were "speculative, uncosted and with potential unknown side-effects".
A much safer option: Bio-Energy with Carbon Storage
The proposed geo-engineering options are risky and unnecessary because there exists a method that is safe and delivers energy while being implemented. The system is known as 'Bioenergy with Carbon Storage' (BECS) and is easy to understand: biomass would be planted on a massive scale at strategic locations around the planet and take CO2 out of the atmosphere. This biomass would then replace all coal, natural gas and oil in power stations that are connected to carbon sequestration facilities. In such a radical carbon negative energy system, atmospheric carbon would be put back into the ground -- where it used to be before the world started using fossil fuels. Societies would be able to function normally while BECS is being implemented on a large scale.
According to scientists, BECS can take us back to pre-industrial carbon levels in a short time (earlier post):
However, the US submission does not take the option into account:
biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: abrupt climate change :: greenhouse gas emissions :: carbon dioxide :: CO2 :: geo-engineering :: BECS :: Kyoto :: IPCC :: United Nations :: US ::
What's more, it complains the IPCC draft report is "Kyoto-centric" and it wants to include the work of economists who have reported "the degree to which the Kyoto framework is found wanting". It takes issue with a statement that "one weakness of the [Kyoto] protocol, however, is its non-ratificiation by some significant greenhouse gas emitters" and asks: "Is this the only weakness worth mentioning? Are there others?"
It also insists the wording on the ineffectiveness of voluntary agreements be altered to include "a number of them have had significant impacts" and complains that overall "the report tends to overstate or focus on the negative effects of climate change." It also wants more emphasis on responsibilities of the developing world.
The IPCC report is made up of three sections. The first, on the science of climate change, will be launched on Friday. Sections on the impact and mitigation of climate change - in which the US wants to include references to the sun-blocking technology - will follow later this year.
The likely contents of the report have been an open secret since the Bush administration posted its draft copy on the internet in April. Next week's science report will say there is a 90% chance that human activity is warming the planet, and that global average temperatures will rise another 1.5C to 5.8C this century depending on emissions. The US response shows it accepts these statements, but it disagrees with a more tentative conclusion that rising temperatures have made hurricanes more powerful.
More information:
US Government Review Collation: "U.S. Government Review of the Second Order Draft of WGIII Contribution 'Climate Change 2007: Mitigation of Climate Change'" [*.pdf] - Sept. 14, 2006
The Guardian: US answer to global warming: smoke and giant space mirrors - Jan. 27, 2007
RealClimate, Climate Science from Climate Scientists: Geo-engineering in vogue... - Jun. 28, 2006
Center for Research on Globalization: Climate Change and Geoengineering - ‘intentional large scale manipulation of the global environment’ - October 20, 2005
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