Four Myths That Hold Back Progress In Fighting Climate Change.
In an opinion piece published in the British daily “The Guardian”, World Bank Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) Director-General Vinod Thomas and IEG Senior Adviser Kenneth Chomitz write:
“Last month the UN secretary-general presented options for raising 100 billion US dollar a year to promote development while fighting climate change. But for such funds to make a difference, we must get past a set of myths that prevent the efficient use of resources.
Myth No 1: Energy efficiency cannot meet energy needs
Indeed, we find that many kinds of energy efficiency offer economic returns that dwarf those of most other development projects.
Myth No 2: Protected areas do not help the environment
But new research shows that strictly protected areas do discourage deforestation. Moreover, protected areas that allow sustainable use by local people are even more effective at reducing deforestation
Myth No 3: Carbon markets (handel med CO2-kvoter) will naturally promote renewable energy investments
Payments for carbon offsets do not address the investor’s critical problem of up-front financing for these capital-intensive projects. The result is that carbon payments may end up providing mere icing, rather than leverage, for private capital.
Myth No 4: Technology transfer revolves around intellectual property rights
Rights are not the only way to spread clean technology. There is tremendous scope for using pilot and demonstration projects to speed the diffusion of technical and institutional innovations.
For instance, a World Bank/GEF demonstration project in Colombia convinced ranchers that retaining some tree cover in their pasture would increase profits, leading to enthusiastic scale-up of this innovation, which had the side benefits of conserving biodiversity and boosting carbon storage.
With atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations ticking inexorably up, with billions of dollars at stake, we need to transcend these myths.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
