Barcelona, Copenhagen… and the real world!
Last week saw the great and the good (well, their lower level ‘mini-me’s’, anyway) gathering in Barcelona in a pre-Copenhagen summit.
Much was discussed and nothing was resolved. In the words of another commentator, “expectation management exercises [were] being rolled out by senior figures. A possible model for a Copenhagen “agreement” was described. “Political agreements” and “pledges” were discussed. “Legally binding” was no longer a pre-requisite.” (Norton Rose: http://www.nortonrose.co.uk/keystrengths/energyinfrastructure/insightintoclimatechange/pub23899.aspx?page=091109160351&lang=en-gb).
The overall impression was that a group of people had been assembled who were empowered to say ‘no’ to everything and ‘yes’ to nothing; which leaves everyone wondering whether Copenhagen is worth the effort since it is now established that the best it can achieve is to set a framework for further discussion and assessment at a time when the discussion should really be over and actions should be being planned and executed.
The sticking point is, as it ever was, the different agendas of the first and third world nations, a difference that will never be resolved unless there is a major position shift by both parties based on evidence of need – and both parties, despite the wealth of hard scientific data, refuse to acknowledge the immediacy of this need when placed against their individual ‘wants’.
Whilst those we have elected to look after our interests continue to talk in an ever more confused and confusing fashion, desperately avoiding having to actually do something, others have grabbed the money-making opportunities that climate change has delivered and are forging ahead. Two companies illustrate that strategic action following innovative thought can yet turn a threat into an opportunity.
At an ‘investing in environmental funds’ seminar held in London last week, there was a presentation from Dasos Capital, who’s Global Forestry fund focuses on Europe and certain emerging markets who invest in the managed woodlands. Essentially, they generate returns in the form of net cash flows from sustainable forest management and selling timber, from pursuing complementary revenue from environmental services and from the sale of higher and better use (HBU) lands and, in addition, fully expect to realise additional long-term returns from timberland appreciation… in their words, “money really does grow on trees”.
At the same seminar, Steve Brosnan, commercial director of Cumulus Funds explained how climate change is basically temperature and how you can make money out of that. The company makes new- (green-) tech investments based on predicted weather pattern across the globe and is generating some very healthy returns based on the data it sources and utlises.
So, if evidence were needed that the world does not have to end with climate change and natural resource depletion, here are a few examples. Perhaps the luminaries who will be in Copenhagen next month should pay somewhat more attention to people who are doing ‘stuff’ and a little less to those who, at the best of times, are scared to make a decision and believe that we will re-design the economic and environmnetal landscape through endless talk.
As ever, we wait with baited breath!
