Environment G8: Shared Policies, Efficiency and Low-CO2 Technologies
22/04/2009
This afternoon saw the official opening in Syracuse of the Environment Ministers’ Meeting, held under the aegis of the Italian G8 Presidency. A press room furnished with chairs and tables made of recycled cardboard housed the 350 journalists accredited for the event. All the documentation was supplied in soft copy, given that the meeting set out to be as environment-compatible as possible.
Italian Environment Minister Stefania Prestigiacomo emphasised that the proceedings were opening on the 40th anniversary of World Earth Day and voiced the hope that the meeting would culminate in a joint commitment to build a safer, cleaner future.
Opening this morning’s meeting with the representatives of the nongovernmental organisations and civil society, which preceded the start of the Environment G8, the minister sent out a message of support and sympathy to the earthquake-stricken inhabitants of Abruzzo.
During the meeting with the NGOs, which was held in an atmosphere of full cooperation, the minister referred to the need to find common ground on the climate between the industrialised countries and the emerging economies and on the battles to counter the loss of biodiversity and safeguard children’s health: “A global agreement on the climate will only be possible if it is endorsed by everybody”.
Minister Prestigiacomo signed an important bilateral agreement in the afternoon, in the Maniace Castle conference hall, between Italy and Australia on CO2 capture and storage. In it, Italy joined the Australian Government’s scheme to found an institute on the global aspects of carbon capture and storage, the Global CCS Institute - GCCSI. CCS is an innovative technology for capturing the carbon dioxide content of the fumes generated by combustion processes and storing them underground, thereby contributing to greenhouse gas reduction. The agreement was signed by ENEL CEO Fulvio Conti as well.
The proceedings in the afternoon were devoted to low carbon content technologies, with opening addresses by Nobuo Tanaka of the International Energy Agency and Katherine Sierra from the World Bank. In particular, Tanaka stressed that the world economic crisis had to be seen as an opportunity for reducing climate change: “Governments must now invest in energy efficiency, and first and foremost in low carbon content technologies; this will help us win the battle against climate change in the long term”.
Minister Prestigiacomo said she was encouraged by the stance adopted by President Obama: “it is a major pointer in the direction of stepping up dialogue on environment and technology issues. His administration, too, has opted to back low carbon content technologies”.
Winding the day’s proceedings up the minister emphasised that energy efficiency and saving were a priority goal and could be the fastest way to cut CO2 emissions: “We must invest more heavily in the technologies, which are already available, and help the developing countries”. Indeed, if “we call on them not to use oil, we have to provide support for making these technologies available”.
