'Home-grown' environmental policies offer win-win solution

Having opened in Durban, COP17 needs to answer the question whether it could bring a much-awaited decision that its predecessors in Copenhagen and Cancun failed to deliver. Unfortunately it appears that the answer will most probably be that it will not. During the last two years, the negotiating parties' positions were increasingly shaped by national economic and political interests.

With global slowdown affecting the economic recovery and sovereign debt crisis in Europe, among other reasons, national agendas drive future climate friendly positions. It is a known fact that climate policy is shaping the future of industries that are key to every nation's economy, such as energy and power, automotive, aircraft manufacturing, construction and agriculture. While this may not mean a desertion of the battle against climate change, it probably signifies the end of Kyoto paradigm.

Instead, a new paradigm, based on 'home-grown' rather than imposed policies and actions, is evolving. Due to factors such as local social/environmental conscience, and commercial viability, being more climate friendly may result in positive economic returns. The battle with climate change is bringing along many opportunities, which countries will ideally not want to miss out on exploring. The clean energy sector is confidently evolving as a win-win solution for many countries as it reduces CO² emissions through creating new jobs, bringing in investment, and developing cutting edge technologies.

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