The Environment and Development

Must development cost the earth? - Debate report

After three successful debates on aid, trade and security, the fourth in the Soho to Soweto series focused on Environment and Development – Must development cost the earth? This was chaired by CUTS’ own Gideon Rabinowitz, and the panellists were:

Colin Challen, Labour MP and member of the Environmental Audit Committee
Gregory Barker, Conservative MP and Shadow Environment Minister
Tom Picken, International Climate Campaigner at Friends of the Earth
Alex Bakir, Market Development Associate at Climate Change Capital

Gideon opened the debate by asking the panellists to explain to the audience if economic development was environmentally sustainable.

Tom Picken called for a just and effective global agreement to serve both people and the planet. Tom declared advanced countries’ responses to be inadequate, and carbon trading neither reduces emissions or assists sustainable development. He believes that the market is a good servant, a bad master and the worst religion.

Gregory Barker called for a different kind of development. Emissions trading is useful in the short-term, but is ultimately pass-the-parcel. Gregory recognised market failures, but promoted useful market tools such as taxes, incentives and company regulations. He said it was pathetic how unambitious the UK was on carbon capture, and praised the approach of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as fantastic.

Colin Challen referred to letters he had received on the need in developing countries for either compensation to offset the damage caused by development, or a greater sharing of the world’s resources. The UK is the world’s 5th richest nation, and yet has still not achieved the UN target of 0.7% of GDP being used for international development, something achieved by only 2 countries.

Alex Bakir declared that for environmental sustainability to be achieved, emission rates in 2020 would have to be 25-40% below 1990 levels, and even then it would still be dangerous. Acting now will be cheaper than acting later, costing 1% of GDP in 2008 in contrast to 10% of GDP by 2050. $200 billion will be needed to control emissions, with 80% having to come from the private sector. Alex called for more time to develop the carbon market, and a greater harnessing of the capitalist system, with long-term policy signals from governments to achieve stability.

Questions from the audience and between the panel addressed issues such as the responsibility of international institutions, a moratorium on coal power stations, the obsession with economic growth, the lack of progress towards development and environmental goals, a separate aid package for developing countries to tackle climate change, the growth of China’s economy, the diversion of resources to funding military campaigns, and subsidies for renewable energies.

Discussions continued over refreshments afterwards, and CUTS now looks forward to its final debate in the Soho to Soweto series, focusing on Development and Democracy – Friends or foes?, scheduled for 7pm on Wednesday 4th June at the St Alban’s Centre.