Transcript Desertification and drought in China affects Korea

Issues to Watch
For
2006
Jonathan Lash
President
World Resources Institute
December 14, 2005
World
Resources
Institute
Eleventh Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change, Montreal, Canada
Source: Envrionment News Service
IPCC
Hurricanes
Seattle, Washington: Acting Locally
28 States Have Climate Action Plans
23 States Have Renewable
Portfolio Standards
Most Americans Convinced
11/09/05 FOX News Poll: Global Warming
Thursday, November 10, 2005
By Dana Blanton
NEW YORK — Most Americans believe global
warming exists and a majority thinks it is a major
problem — if not a crisis, according to a recent FOX
News poll. Even so, less than half think they personally
can do anything about the problem.
The new national poll finds that 77 percent of
Americans believe global warming is happening
Earth’s Temperature Continues to
Rise Rapidly
Hurricane Katrina
August 28, 2005
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/look
ingatearth/h2005_katrina.html
Photo Credit: NASA/Jeff
Schmaltz, MODIS Land
Rapid Response Team
Dramatic Changes in Arctic: Imagine an
Ice-free Arctic
1979-2003:
Progressive
Loss of Arctic
Ice
Bleached coral head: Bleaching occurs when high water
temperature kills the living organisms in the coral, leaving behind
only the calcium carbonate skeleton.
Global Ocean Currents
Ford/GM SUV Sales Decline
Hybrids Take Off
Comparison of Fuel Economy and GHG
Emissions Standards around the World
55
EU
MPG - Converted to CAFE Test Cycle
50
Japan
45
40
California
China
35
Australia
Canada
30
25
20
2002
US
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
General Electric
Strategic Positioning on Clean Energy
TOMORROW’S MARKETS
• Carbon Constrained
• Technology Friendly
• Trading in GHG
Reductions
• Leadership Premium
Producing plastics, for packaging and
fibers, from 100% annually renewable
resources
2005 new green power purchase
• 59 million kWh/year of Green-e® certified
RECs
• Generated by 22 MW of wind turbines in
Great Plains
Photo courtesy of Sterling Planet
Insert photo of PLA
product
Business case
• Offset 100% of the company’s net greenhouse
gas emissions from polymer production and
the world’s largest lactic acid plant
• NatureWorks® PLA is now the world’s first
greenhouse-gas neutral polymer
Modified from an original advertisement appearing in:
The Financial Times: Special Report Section.
October 18, 2005. p. 3.
“Today,
climate change is
a fact. And change
presents us with both
risks and opportunities.”
Ivo Menzinger and his team identify
environmental risks and help develop
sustainable strategies to cope with
them. Swiss Re was among the first to
recognise the potential impact of
climate change on the financial
services industry and to study
effective ways of managing
associated risks. Combining expertise
and financial strength, Swiss Re is
ideally positioned to provide your
company with tailored solutions to
mitigate your exposure and protect
your balance sheet – ensuring, in a
climate of uncertainty, that you feel
secure. www.swissre.com
The Frequency of WeatherRelated Disasters
Source: Swiss Re 2005
Global Weather Losses from “Great”
Events, 1950-2004
Source: Swiss Re 2005
FINANCIAL TIMES TUESDAY NOVEMBER 8 2005
p.22
Recent Annual Energy Growth Rates
(1987-2002)
Global, 1990-2100
0.8%
World
1.5%
OECD
1.4%
US
1.4%
Japan
2.2%
Brazil
2.4%
China
3.2%
India
0%
3.5%
1%
2%
3%
4%
In 2005 the Group doubled its use of renewable
energy, hitting the 360 MW mark
2005 projects & purchases
Total = 185 megawatts (MW)
Product
MW
Wind RECs
138
Low impact
hydropower
42
Solar & other
3
Biomass RECs
2
Total projects & purchases since 2000
Total = 360 MW
Solar &
Wind
other
Landfill power
gas RECs
9
21
Biomass
RECs
21
34
161 MW
Hydrogen
fuel cells
35
37
Landfill gas
thermal &
electric projects
42
Low impact
hydropower
Wind
RECs
EarthTrends: The Data Behind the Report
http://earthtrends.wri.org