Paris agreement negotiator Todd Stern attacks premiers who say that decarbonisation programmes are unrealistic and should be slowed down
Political leaders who present themselves as “grownups” while slowing the pace of climate action are pushing the world towards deeper catastrophe, a former US environment chief has warned.
“We are slowed down by those who think of themselves as grownups and believe decarbonisation at the speed the climate community calls for is unrealistic,” said Todd Stern, who served as a special envoy for climate change under Barack Obama, and helped negotiate the 2015 Paris agreement.
“They say that we need to slow down, that what is being proposed [in cuts to greenhouse gas emissions] is unrealistic,” he told the Observer. “You see it a lot in the business world too. It’s really hard [to push for more urgency] because those ‘grownups’ have a lot of influence.”
But Stern said the speed of take-up of renewable energy, its falling cost, and the wealth of low-carbon technology now available were evidence that the world could cut emissions to net zero by 2050. “Obviously it’s difficult – we’re talking about enormous change to the world economy – but we can do it,” he said.
I think the problem with addressing climate change collectively is that the major countries of the world are headed for direct conflict, so they’re preparing by maximizing their economic capabilities. That means they need to focus on oil for energy. Unless politicians can figure out a way to stave off the conflict, there will be no legitimate attempts to reduce the use of hydrocarbons.
Five years ago I was astonished that the U.S. navy was looking for renewable fuels thinking it would never pan out. Today I see alternatives which has nothing to do with fossils in the private sector. I see heavy transportation companies trying to find ways to electrify their fleet. I think those “grownups” will find themselves in a new reality despite them not wanting to.
And unfeasible? Three years ago maybe. Today we need to revise the time plans. I’m already working at implementing the goals set for 2030 and have started shifting focus towards the big elephant and the 2045 goals.