FAQ
ABOUT US
> Why did you set up the Climate Group?
> What is the Climate Group’s actual remit?
> Who funds the Climate Group?
> What makes you different from other NGOs dedicated to combating climate change?
> Does The Climate Group support the Kyoto process?
> Why does The Climate Group work with companies who are big greenhouse gas emitters?
> What will be the measure of your success in five years time?
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
> Should we be worried about climate change?
> Do we still have time to do something about climate change?
> Can the world afford to stop climate change?
> Which countries are going to be worst affected by climate change?
> Will some industries and countries benefit from climate change?
> What about those who still say there is no such thing as man made climate change?
REDUCING EMISSIONS
> What are the best opportunities for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases?
> What should governments/companies be doing to minimise their impact?
> Which organisations are leading the way on reducing greenhouse gas emissions?
> How do you bring the bad polluters on board to reduce emissions?
> How are you addressing emissions reduction in The US, China and Russia?
> How are you dealing with the fossil fuel industry?
> What are the costs of reducing greenhouse gas emissions for companies?
> What does The Climate Group think about carbon trading?
MEMBERSHIP
> What are the benefits of joining this group?
> Who can join?
ABOUT US
Why did you set up the Climate Group?
The Climate Group was set up in 2003 to get leading organisations working together to slow down global climate change. Without decisive action, the impacts of climate change are potentially devastating. The Climate Group is the first international organisation to bring together those corporates, NGOs and national, state, city and regional governments taking the lead on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It will foster a powerful network of leading emissions reducers, with a view to sharing best practice on the policy, technology and financial mechanisms needed to make the next steps.
What is the Climate Group’s actual remit?
The mission of The Climate Group is to
- Promote the acceleration of greenhouse gas emissions reductions globally
- Create a growing and dynamic network of reducers and supporters
- Build capacity for and awareness of best practice and raise the profile of successful reduction efforts
- Catalyse a new political momentum on climate change
- Support the formation of a constructive, practical and solutions-orientated global climate movement
Who funds the Climate Group?
The Climate Group is grateful for the support of a range of organisations including: The Rockefeller Brothers Fund; The German Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety; Oak Foundation and DOEN Foundation.
What makes you different from other NGOs dedicated to combating climate change?
The Climate Group is the only organisation working internationally to bring together leading reducers from across the public (national, state and regional governments) and private sectors, committed to tackling global climate change. The Climate Group offers a strong communications platform for those organisations engaging in this process, and an opportunity to work free from other agendas.
Does The Climate Group support the Kyoto process?
The Climate Group believes that The Kyoto Protocol remains an important first step whether ratified or not. But some of the organisations working with The Climate Group have already gone beyond their Kyoto commitments. The UK government, for example, has committed to reduce CO2 emissions by 60% by 2050 (its Kyoto target is 12.5% by 2008-2012). These types of actions are more aligned to those we need to be making in order to avert dangerous climate change. The Climate Group hopes for a binding international agreement to reinforce this agenda.
Why does The Climate Group work with companies who are big greenhouse gas emitters?
The Climate Group accepts that every aspect of modern life is based on energy. To prevent dangerous climate change we need to manage a transformation to a society with significantly reduced emissions of greenhouse gases. This can only be achieved by working with those companies that currently have a large CO2 footprint. These companies must be part of the solution.
What will be the measure of your success in five years time?
In five years time, if The Climate Group has been successful, the agenda will have changed. Organisations will not be asking ‘should we address climate change’; instead there will be a broad consensus supporting positive action, with all the key companies and countries actively reducing their emissions of greenhouse gases and on track to a low carbon economy.
ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
Should we be worried about climate change?
Yes. The likely impacts of climate change include large-scale species extinctions, 150 million environmental refugees by 2050, an intensification of the hydrological cycle with dramatic increases in extreme rainfall events and droughts, billions of extra people at risk of starvation and wide-spread changes in disease vectors.
Climate change is the greatest environmental challenge facing civilization today. If emissions are not curbed, the negative consequences to life on earth will be profound. Natural ecosystems around the earth, both marine and terrestrial will be dramatically harmed, as will human communities.
Do we still have time to do something about climate change?
Yes. Some climate change may be inevitable, but the future is not yet written. The Climate Group’s activities can make the difference between climate change and climate catastrophe.
Can the world afford to stop climate change?
The UK energy White Paper (2003) estimated that for the UK to implement appropriate measures, the costs would be between 0.5-2% GDP in 2050. According to Sir David King, the UK’s Chief Science Advisor, “If just one flood broke through the Thames Barrier today it would cost about £30bn in damage to London, roughly 2% of current UK GDP”.
Economic estimates of the global costs of tackling climate change have varied, but the IPCC estimates that up to 2.5Gt of carbon equivalent emissions reductions per year (current global emissions are roughly 8 Gt), could be realised by 2020 through measures conferring net economic benefit.
Which countries are going to be worst affected by climate change?
Rising sea levels and more intense tropical storms could have huge consequences for hundreds of millions of people living in island states, coastal cities and delta regions. Bangladesh and north-east India, for example, face catastrophic consequences if climate change continues unchecked, with diverse pressures on the region including: rising seas and storms inundating the Ganges delta region; a more variable monsoon undermining the agricultural foundations that feed a billion people; and changing patterns of river flow as climate change impacts the Himalayan glaciers that feed the rivers, with corresponding international tensions across already volatile borders.
It is clear that the most significant impacts of climate change are likely to be felt in developing countries, where turbulent and unreliable weather patterns will bring more misery to people who are already living on a knife-edge. A recent study showed that 160,000 people in the developing world are already dying every year from the side effects of climate change ranging from malaria to malnutrition. This number is set to almost double by 2020.
Will some industries and countries benefit from climate change?
Some observers have noted that climate change could result in more ‘pleasant’ climates in countries such as the UK. But the extent to which this is a benefit is questionable. An estimated 20,000 people died in the European heat wave in 2003, and climate models suggest that one in two summers could be as hot or hotter by the latter part of this century. Perhaps even more worryingly, some scientists have put forward the risk of sudden extreme impact changes such as the shutting down of the gulf-stream which warms Europe and Eastern North America.
As discussed above, the most devastating impacts of climate change are going to affect countries in the developing world. Countries such as Bangladesh are never going to ‘benefit’ from climate change.
All countries, companies and individuals can benefit from introducing measures to prevent climate change, however. Energy efficiency, for example, has been likened to picking up $50 bills off the floor.
What about those who still say there is no such thing as man made climate change?
The Inter-Governmental Panel on climate Change (IPCC), which represents the peer-reviewed conclusions of hundreds of leading scientists from around the world, is clear that there is no longer any reasonable doubt that climate change is a reality and that human activities are largely responsible for increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere, leading to a rate of warming not seen for 10,000 years.
There are a small number of scientists that still question man made climate change: similarly there are people who believe the earth is flat. The climate is changing.
REDUCING EMISSIONS
What are the best opportunities for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases?
To slow climate change, greenhouse gas reductions must be accelerated and deepened. Increased energy efficiency and switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy options such as wind and solar power are central in the move towards a low carbon economy. Other technologies, such as carbon sequestration, may contribute to progress in the long term, but we can not afford to ‘wait and see’ if such technologies will ultimately be successful.
What should governments/companies be doing to minimise their impact?
In order to reduce their carbon footprints, responsible organisations in both the public and private sectors should
- Seek to understand the implications of global climate change
- Develop an action plan, focusing on cost-effective, practical solutions for reducing emissions
- Introduce challenging emissions reduction targets
The Climate Group exists to facilitate this process.
Which organisations are leading the way on reducing greenhouse gas emissions?
A range of case studies highlighting best practice in emissions reduction can be viewed on the ‘Reducing Emissions’ page of this website. National governments such as the UK and Germany; and city, state and regional governments including Massachusetts, Heidelberg, Woking and Toronto have all shown that it is possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions whilst realising benefits through, for example, market growth for new technologies and improved air quality. Corporates such as BP, Dupont and Lafarge have also made significant reductions, and have shown that taking action can result in equally significant cost-savings.
How do you bring the bad polluters on board to reduce emissions?
The Climate Group’s international forum will use the experience of the world’s leading reducers from industry and government to demonstrate to major polluters that cutting greenhouse gases is possible, practical and cost effective.
How are you addressing emissions reduction in the US, China and Russia?
The Climate Group recognises that these countries, as significant emitters, will be at the heart of any successful emissions reduction effort.
The Climate Group already has strong links with a range of US states, cities and corporations, and has a permanent staff member based in California to take forward the US initiative.
Over the course of the next 24 months The Climate Group will carry out an active process of engagement with both public and private organisations in China and Russia, with the long-term goal of opening national offices in each of these locations.
How are you dealing with the fossil fuel industry?
The Climate Group is actively working with a number of partners in the fossil fuel business who are committed to reducing their carbon footprint. Lord Browne, the CEO of BP, presented a video-message as part of The Climate Group’s launch event. Shell was also represented on the panel, and Scottish Power’s CEO played an active role in the event.
What are the costs of reducing greenhouse gas emissions for companies?
Many companies have found that reducing their carbon footprint can be cost effective and even profitable. For example, BP spent $20 million dollars implementing energy efficiency measures, but realised over $650 million in savings over three years as a result. Between 1990 and 2000 investing in energy efficiency allowed Dupont to hold energy use flat while increasing production 35% and saving the company $2 billion.
What does The Climate Group think about carbon trading?
Carbon trading has the potential to significantly reduce emissions cost effectively. Progress is needed on how a wider range of countries and industrial sectors can be included in such schemes.
MEMBERSHIP
What are the benefits of joining this group?
For participating organisations benefits of involvement will include
- An opportunity to learn from a unique group of participants with a ‘can-do’ approach, from policy, corporate and NGO backgrounds
- Contribution to a powerful voice on the benefits of addressing climate change proactively
- Access to strategically timed conferences, meetings and working groups
- Engagement in broad or sector-specific emissions reduction initiatives on a credible platform free from other agendas
- Differentiated publicity as leaders in climate protection
Who can join?
Membership of The Climate Group is open to all organisations committed to adopting a leadership agenda on climate change and to reducing emissions.