Don't expect breakthrough in Durban climate talks: Dr Balakrishnan

Joanne Chan Channel NewsAsia 23 Nov 11;

SINGAPORE : Singapore Minister for Environment and Water Resources, Vivian Balakrishnan, is not expecting a breakthrough in climate talks in Durban next month.

He said that given the current global financial crisis and political problems in many developed countries, negotiations will be difficult.

Negotiators from nearly 200 countries will head to the South African city for two weeks to discuss implementing measures to combat climate change.

Disagreements between developed and developing nations over who should take responsibility for carbon emissions are threatening to paralyse climate change talks.

Developing nations say developed countries have been releasing carbon emissions for decades in the pursuit of growth.

Highlighting these difficulties at a dialogue with 200 Singapore Polytechnic students on Wednesday, Dr Balakrishnan said it would take a binding agreement on all countries to achieve any significant reduction in carbon emissions.

But that is unlikely to emerge from negotiations in Durban.

Dr Balakrishnan said: "Do not expect a global solution at this stage. Expect a reaffirmation, a small tentative step forward on finance, and perhaps a roadmap to a long-term, multi-lateral regime.

"From Singapore's perspective, we have always taken the position that we believe that this is a global problem that can only be solved through a multi-lateral, rules-based approach. We will do our fair share, which must take into account our small size and our alternative-energy disadvantage."

Dr Balakrishnan also said it will be "almost impossible" to get a commitment to embark on major measures. However, he believes there are some "low-hanging fruits" that can be achieved.

This includes getting a second commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol, which expires at the end of next year.

He also expressed hope that some progress will be made on the green climate fund - agreed upon in Cancun - which will provide finance to help developing countries mitigate or adapt to the effects of climate change.

Dr Balakrishnan said if countries are unable to reverse the effects of climate change, they will have to deal with issues such as rising sea levels.

He said: "Right now, if we reclaim any land, we have to make sure that the height of the reclamation is at lease 1.25 metres above the highest recorded sea level so far. In other words, we are buying ourselves some insurance.

"Similarly, if you build a new block of flats, a new house, a new shop, we will take every opportunity to raise the platform level. We will raise it to have a significant margin of about 1 to 2 feet above the highest recorded flood in that area. Now all this is very expensive, because you are spending more today to prepare for the future."

Other issues discussed during the dialogue included Singapore's self-sufficiency in water and the lack of alternative energy sources.

- CNA/ms

Hurdles in the way of climate deal: Vivian
Kezia Toh & Jessica Cheam Straits Times 24 Nov 11;

THE global financial crisis and political problems in many parts of the developed world are standing in the way of a deal at this year's United Nations climate change conference.

That, and the blame game played by various nations mean that the annual meeting, to be held in Durban later this month, will not yield a resolution, said Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan.

'Getting a commitment to embark on major measures is going to be almost impossible,' he told the media on the sidelines of an environmental dialogue session with 250 students at Singapore Polytechnic yesterday.

Governments from more than 190 nations are due to meet in the South African city from next Monday to Dec 9 to resume climate talks, with the aim of inking a legally binding deal for all countries to reduce pollution or carbon emissions.

Dr Balakrishnan, together with Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, will attend the conference - now into its 17th year - for the first time since taking over the environment portfolio. He explained to students at the dialogue: 'This is what I call the 'tragedy of the commons'. If there is a garden which belongs to all of us, and yet not personally to each of us, the question would be whose responsibility is it to look after the garden.

'We all want to play on it, but none of us can be bothered to mow it, fill in the potholes, water it or to protect it. On the global level, this is what is happening to the world.'

But there is still some hope for this year's talks. The conference could yield a second commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, which legally requires rich nations to reduce its emissions and is due to expire at the end of next year, and progress on the Green Climate Fund.

The fund, established at last year's conference in Cancun, Mexico, binds rich nations to contribute US$100 billion (S$130 billion) a year by 2020 to finance climate action, but is currently empty.

Former senior Indian government official Surya Sethi said Singapore is well- positioned to use its expertise in finance to help develop the fund. The Republic is a co-vice-chair of the fund.

Being a financial centre, it could also be the host country for housing the fund, and provide good administration and management, he told a seminar on climate negotiations held by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies earlier this month. Professor Sethi served as one of India's key policymakers for energy and climate change and was its core climate negotiator for eight years till 2009.

This year's talks could also produce a roadmap towards a long-term regime that many countries could adhere to, said Dr Balakrishnan, although he did not say what this will comprise. But he said Singapore will play its part to deal with climate change by continuing to focus on energy efficiency and sustainable development.

'From Singapore's perspective, we have always taken the position that we believe this is a global problem... We will do our fair share and take into account our small size and the fact that we are alternative-energy-disadvantaged,' he said.

Climate change 'must be dealt with long-term view'
Sumita Sreedharan Today Online 24 Nov 11;

SINGAPORE - Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan does not expect a breakthrough during the conference on climate change in Durban, South Africa, next week.

Instead, "expect a reaffirmation and a small tentative step forward on finance and perhaps a roadmap to a long-term multilateral regime", Dr Balakrishnan told students at the Singapore Polytechnic yesterday.

He also hopes that the majority of the countries attending the Durban conference will renew their commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, the current main treaty on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, and that there would be progress in the establishment of the main climate fund. This will be used to help developing countries combat the effects of climate change.

Dr Balakrishnan said climate change is a long-term problem, one that has to be dealt with from that perspective. However, the political situation in the world today is one where leaders are just looking to the next election and not the greater good.

"There is the temptation to think short term, to only think of the next election and that is very powerful," said Dr Balakrishnan during a panel discussion on the challenges facing local and global environmental protection at the polytechnic.

The most hotly debated topic during the session was how Singapore could help bridge the gulf between the developing and developed countries, which have differing views on climate problems, and how to bring about a solution that would be agreeable to both sides.

Solutions offered by some of the students included imposing a carbon tax and issuing of green bonds that could be used to fund green initiatives.

Other issues raised during the panel discussion included Singapore's self-sufficiency in water and whether the price of water would increase as the population increases.

Dr Balakrishnan said it was theoretically possible for Singapore to be self-sufficient in water due to technological advances in water recycling and desalination in the last 10 years.

"The key determinant of water in the future will be the price of technology and price of energy," he said.

When asked if Singapore had plans for sustainable energy, such as wind farms, he replied that cost would be a factor in land-scarce Singapore. Instead, it would be more feasible to concentrate on energy efficiency, the minister added.

Dr Balakrishnan revealed that the Energy Conservation Act that will be introduced in 2013 is aimed at making companies more competitive in the global market by improving their energy performance and providing support for companies investing in energy efficiency.

"Singapore will do its fair share but we must take into account our small size and the fact that we are at an alternative energy disadvantage," he said.

Dr Balakrishnan added that the Government would continue with the strategies and initiatives listed out in the Sustainable Blueprint 2009, which has set a target to improve energy efficiency by 35 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030.