Tiempo Climate Newswatch

A new report concludes that renewable energy must play a major role in global energy supply to meet the threat of climate change. The report, from the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century, argues that the cost competitiveness of renewable energy technology means that action should be taken at the national level without waiting for strengthened global environmental agreements. It was launched at the 9th Session of the United Nations Environment Programme Governing Council and Global Ministerial Environment Forum, held in early February.

John Christensen from the Risø Centre on Climate, Energy and Sustainable Development in Denmark, the report's lead author, says that many renewable energy technologies have "moved from being a passion for the dedicated few to a major economic sector attracting large industrial companies and financial institutions." Nevertheless, he comments, "although there are many good political, economic and social reasons for stimulating a more rapid development of renewable energy - not the least of which is climate change - the sector is hampered by a number of market distortions and institutional, financial, and economic barriers."

More information

• Press release, UNEP
• EDIE

• Download report, UNEP
• On the Web: Alternative energy

Sweden is committing to replace all fossil fuels with renewable energy sources within 15 years in an ambitious attempt to become the world's first near oil-free economy. "Our dependency on oil should be broken by 2020," said Mona Sahlin, Minister of Sustainable Development. "There shall always be better alternatives to oil, which means no house should need oil for heating, and no driver should need to turn solely to gasoline."

The Swedish government is working with car manufacturers to develop vehicles that burn ethanol and other biofuels. Grants are available to health and library services to convert from oil use and green taxes are being used to encourage homeowners. At present, 32 per cent of the country's energy is generated from oil.

More information

Comment

• Guardian
• Press release, Ministry of Sustainable Development

• Treehugger

A report in the medical journal, The Lancet, warns that health risks are likely to get worse as climate change and other environmental and societal pressures increase. "The advent of changes in global climate signals that we are now living beyond the Earth's capacity to absorb a major waste product," according to the article's authors, who were led by Anthony McMichael of the Australian National University in Canberra. Calling for research to identify groups at risk, they argue that health concerns must be included in the international climate debate. "Recognition of widespread health risks should widen these debates beyond the already important considerations of economic disruption."

Reviewing scientific papers published over the past five years, the authors conclude that "the resultant risks to health... are anticipated to compound over time" and that climate change may already have led to lower production of food in some regions due to changes in temperature, rainfall, soil moisture, pests and diseases. "In food insecure populations this alteration may already be contributing to malnutrition," the review states.

More information

• ABC News Online

• DeHavilland