Your Majesty, Dear colleagues and friends,
Summing up an intense, lively and interesting Colloquium is no easy task. The task was especially difficult due to the very tight Colloquium programme. Thus, I had not much time for deep reflection and thought. However, I am happy to share with you my own very personal impressions of the 2009 Royal Colloquium.
His Majesty King Carl XVI of Sweden opened the meeting by giving the background to all previous eight Colloquia since 1992. From the very beginning climate change has been a main feature of each Colloquium topic dealt with. There has been a great deal of positive development in this research area since 1992. This year there will be global focus on Sweden, since our country will take over the European Union Presidency for the period 1 July to 31 December 2009. During this period expectations will be high as much interest will be related to the outcome of the Climate meeting in Copenhagen in December 2009, a new milestone after the Kyoto-protocol.
This Royal Colloquium, the 9th in a long series of meetings, has considerable knowledge to build upon, and it was felt that the time had come to move from facts and fears to action. This main aim of this Colloquium was to reflect on, discuss and if possible identify which steps were needed to forward strategies relating to the Colloquium theme of Climate Action; Tuning in on Energy, Water and Food Security.
Already during the first session on Energy, a lively debate started following the three introductory contributions given by Professors Nebojsa Nakicenovic, Marian Radetzki and Amory Lovins. Nakicenovic presented a comprehensive and integrated analysis of global energy challenges, together with a durable scenario of possible solutions. He provided us with a scientific and technological basis for decision making by evaluating the range of social, economic development, environmental security and other issues linked to energy needs. Nakicenovic explained that we need to rethink our societies and look carefully at the challenges that need to be addressed, e.g. urbanization, education and democratization. More efficient investments are needed, and to move forward to a more sustainable future there must be greater focus on R&D which, unfortunately, appears to be on the decrease rather than the opposite.
Marian Radetzki described a less optimistic scenario with numerous question marks both in regard to the scientific scenario and what he suggested were catastrophic implications. He also stressed the need for efficiency in the structure of the policies in the aftermath of Kyoto. He noted the inefficiencies of Europe’s implementations of the treaty. Marian had a rather pessimistic view in regard to the possibilities for reaching global political solutions that will lead to a sustainable agreement at the Copenhagen Climate Meeting.
Amory Lovins gave a series of good examples of profitable market-oriented solutions to climate issues, oil and proliferation. He argued that, instead of focussing on incorrect assumptions of increased costs, we should concentrate on making more profitable investments and in developing more efficiency in investments we have already made. Stabilizing the earth’s climate is within our reach if we shift strategy and make efficient market-based investments. Amory provided examples from six of the most important sectors: Aviation, heavy trucks, military, fuels, finance, cars and light trucks. Using his own home in the Rocky Mountains as an example, he presented an interesting view of the possibilities of integrated design. All the upgoing curves can be bent downwards with the right incentives. Feebates (fee + rebate) are more efficient tools than fuel faces or efficiency standards. He pointed out that solutions need not wait for global agreements.
In the following intense discussion participants were agreed that there was a need for change within the educational sector. There needs to be an increased focus on transciplinarity within the universities. All the problems mentioned during the Royal Colloquia need to be addressed across academic disciplines simultaneously and jointly.
The afternoon session was more focussed on Water and Food Security. Professor Sven Kullander gave us insights into the work of the group on energy which he is chairing within the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His contribution was in the field of Food Security; Biomass for People not for Cars. His main point being that 35% of our planet’s terrestrial land must be used for food and not for bio fuels. He gave examples of how much food was needed to feed the growing population of the world.
Professor Johan Rockström also agreed very much with Sven but he focussed more on building Water Resilience in the Anthropocene. He combined water with agriculture and the well being of the people. Irrespective of climate change we have a huge problem in relation to freshwater resources. Johan stressed the need to approach the issues of green and blue water together. If we do so and can tap green water sources we will be much better off. His optimistic message was that this can be done.
Professor Thomas B. Johansson’s contribution was closely linked to Amory’s statements on the strong need for changing the energy system. He explained how actions like the reconstruction of houses, for example the million-programme in Sweden, from the 1950s and 1960s would be valuable for the future. The reconstruction of these buildings could be carried out using passive house principles. There are very good examples from Stuttgart in Germany. On the whole, Germany has shown successful and rapid growth when it comes to energy policies. A number of very good examples of what can and should be done were also presented. Thomas also discussed various sources of energy such as nuclear power, solar power, wind power and energy from the deserts. So far, the net-increase we can see for Europe is first of all, natural gas and secondly, wind.
Thomas also showed how public energy R&D in the OECD is decreasing how subsidies in the sector total more than 240 billion USD/year. The spending on renewables is only 9 billion USD/year. Huge challenges must be addressed very soon; simultaneously, adequately and timely.
At the end of the 1st day Professor Nassim Nicholas Taleb gave a lively presentation followed by a lively discussion on the impact of the highly improbable and the limits of statistical knowledge with examples from his book “The Black Swan”.
The opening presentation by Professor Manfred Max-Neef on the 2nd day of the Colloquium dealt with Transdisciplinary Economics for Sustainability. His main message was to put forward a new way of measuring paradigms including GDP. Above all, based on numerous examples, he demonstrated that development is about people and not about objects and that growth is not the same as development and development does not necessarily mean growth. Manfred insisted that economy should be viewed as a subset of the ecological system.
Professor Stefan Fölster asked in his contribution if climate policy can defeat the green paradox? Stefan pointed out that there are very few tools we in our toolbox for climate policy. We have mainly taxes, subsidies and regulations. He asked if we are not often deluding ourselves. Are the tools we have, used for the transformative changes which are needed? This was addressed in the discussion that followed, as was also the consumer’s perspective and the role of the educational system in educating more responsible consumers.
The Colloquium then went on to discuss the regional perspective in regard to climate change: County Governor for the Västernorrland region, Dr. Bo Källstrand, described strategies relating to the region’s main focus areas including, forest-based development and clean-tech renewable energy-related issues. He gave details of the plans for building 500 wind power mills between the years 2010 and 2015.
A second macro-regional presentation was given by Professor Daniel Tarschys who introduced participants to the recently initiated Baltic Sea Strategy of the European Union. The strategy consists of four pillars and 15 priority areas within these pillars. The Strategy has five environmental priority areas with policy coordinators with Denmark as coordinator for climate change area. Daniel pointed out that in spite of the lack of money it is still hoped that Sweden and Finland in cooperation can become the frontrunners for mobilizing the economic resources needed for the implementation of the Baltic Sea Strategy.
As the final speaker at this Colloquium Dr. Tomas Ries presented his views on the current position in the Arctic region following the ending of the cold war. After being forgotten for some years after the end of the cold war the international community is now concentrating more attention on the Arctic region, largely due to ongoing global warming processes. The ecological agenda and concerns will become very obvious in the near future. It is to be expected that the Sea Link pipeline will become a reality and that there will be increased extraction of oil and gas, minerals and fish exploitation in the region. In addition, military bases will be established. All of this development can lead to strategic consequences such as ecological damage, an increased human footprint and the risk for major disasters. However, it can be estimated that there will be socioeconomic gains, and wealth and power for the countries that own the rights to important resources, but perhaps political tensions will also be a consequence.
In the discussion that followed the final speaker, participants returned to His Majesty’s opening introduction on action and what actions could be taken and what kind of motivation is needed to get people and governments to act on the basis of knowledge we have today. There is a risk is that action may come too late. To avoid the risks involved all types of tools are needed not least education. States that need to act in self-interest should be encouraged to join forces with those in a similar position. Incentives like feebates can be used as a strategy, as can taxes, subsidies, regulations and cross-border spatial planning. The Colloquium discussed the need of rethinking policy and focussing on actions that address not just climate change but a wide spectre of human development and fundamental needs, and the need to find ways to speed up technical innovation through increased R&D in the relevant areas.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Brändström, D. In Summary. AMBIO 39, 266–268 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-010-0034-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-010-0034-3