Tories debate climate change
Sep 30 2008 By Patrice John, Environment Correspondent
There was a greener hue to the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham as delegates debated how climate change is set to change the developing world.
Shadow Environment Minister Greg Barker MP, Oxfam chief executive Barbara Stocking, Greenpeace policy advisor Benet Northcote, and Practical Action trustee Mahmood Hassan were panellists at the Conference Extra: Green Challenges event at The Rep.
The second session of the event Climate Change and the developing world: How can we turn the tide? opened with a film illustrating the impact of climate change and flooding on people living in India.
In response to this Mr Barker MP said despite the burgeoning economic growth in certain parts of developing countries, they were still suffering from the impacts of climate change.
He said: “Countries like China and India really do care about CO2 emissions and part of this is because they are at the front line of it. They are going to feel the front end of climate change and they are already beginning to feel it before us.
“Climate change is a very real issue for the developing world and you can’t raise aspirations without thinking about that.
“In the UK we should be trying to do something about it and we are in a good position to take real global leadership in this area.”
He stressed that climate change is a global problem and one that must be addressed by world governments.
He also said the way the UK can lead in this issue is by developing and sharing technologies that tackle climate change across the world.
“Technology is going to be our ally in the fight against climate change,” he said. “It will help to reduce carbon emission profiles and help those in developing countries to keep their quality of life.
“Technology exchange will be crucial.”
Mr Hassan said the organisation Practical Action works closely with communities in Bangladesh where they have helped farmers to plant pumpkins.
He says the crop has generated income for farmers who at one point ‘were unable to feed themselves.’
“This means that people are not just existing, they are learning to live again,” he said. “However, without urgent action from politicians across the world climate change will get worse and damage the lives of those that have contributed least to the problem.”
Ms Stocking from Oxfam said the organisation were trying to secure a just deal for people who have to adapt to climate change urgent action was needed across the world.
She said: “The people of the world need to adapt to climate change now but we need money for their adaptation.
“We probably need $50 billion a year for this, but this is not about aid. The question is how can we get current markets and mechanisms to work.
“It is our responsibility as we are the ones who have created this by living in the way we have.”
