Examination of Witnesses (Question Numbers
340-342)
Mr Miles Austin, Ms Coralie Laurencin, Mr Nick Haslam
and Mr Sam Fankhauser
8 OCTOBER 2008
Q340 Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe: It is
not beyond the bounds of possibility?
Mr Austin: Not 100%.
Q341 Chairman: If you look at where carbon
emission is going to increase exponentially over the next 20 or
30 years, it is the BRIC countries. They are also amongst some
of the greatest beneficiaries of a reduction in carbon emissions
as states; yet they are states which set themselves fairly strongly
against being involved in any such arrangements. How would you
encourage them? Is there any way of encouraging them to bring
them on board?
Mr Austin: Certainly. In China, I cannot
remember the name of the official or what his role was but he
was somehow involved in the Kyoto negotiations. If you look at
the per capita emissions of the United States, you are looking
at about 20 tonnes per person per year. The EU average is about
11. In China, it is something like 4.8 and in India it is round
about 1.9. The Chinese official made a statement to the effect
of, "Bring down your per capita emissions too close to our
level and then we will talk." I do not think that is an unreasonable
approach. If we start to approach Chinese emission levels, I think
we would certainly have the right to discuss China taking on targets.
Until that point I do not see any legitimacy in asking them to
take on targets.
Q342 Lord Cameron of Dillington: China's
total emissions have now gone over the United States' total emissions.
Mr Austin: Simply because it is a large
country. It would be like treating Europe as a block.
Ms Laurencin: The EU is sensitive to
this issue and in the proposal that has been amended by the committee
yesterday from the Commission's text, there is language saying,
"We will allow imports from countries which are participating
in an international climate change agreement." There is that
form of encouragement in saying, "We are happy to provide
for technology transfer and funds to provide emission reductions
in the countries that themselves take on a more dynamic role towards
an international agreement on climate change."
Mr Fankhauser: I am not an expert in
this area but what I hear is that the developing countries are
interested in three things. One is technology; the second is finance
and the third is adaptation or recognition that certainly China
and India are extremely vulnerable. The Russians have not figured
out whether they are vulnerable or not but certainly in China
and India there is the recognition that they are vulnerable, so
it is in their own self-interest to address the problem. On top
of that, there is finance and technology.
Chairman: Thank you very much indeed. It has been
very helpful.
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