http://www.forum2000.cz/en/projects/forum-2000-conferences/2011/panel-summaries/sustain-the-future--international-response-to-climate-change/
Sustain the Future: International Response to Climate Change
Monday, October 10, 2011, 12.00–13.30, Goethe-Institut
In cooperation with the Embassy of Brazil, the Embassy of Denmark, the Embassy of Mexico, the Embassy of South Africa and the UN Information Center Prague
Moderator:
Jan Dusík, Deputy Director and Officer-in-Charge, UNEP Regional Office for Europe, Switzerland/Czech Republic
Panel Discussion:
Martin Bursík, Fomer Minister of Environment, Czech Republic
Bedřich Moldan, Director, Environment Center, Charles University, Czech Republic
José Luis Bernal, Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Mexico
Aspasia Camargo, State Legislator, Brazil
Karsten Duer, Director for Standardization, Velux Group, Denmark
Drahomíra Mandíková, Director of Corporate Aff. and Communication, Plzeňský Prazdroj, Czech Republic
This panel discussed the approach to climate change within the international community as well as steps undertaken in the particular countries represented. Referring to the time of this panel’s beginning, Jan Dusík remembered the Copenhagen-Conference, where the clocks were set to five to twelve by default.
José Luis Bernal, the inviter of the Cancun-Conference, explained its achievements, which he saw as more productive than the highly observed Copenhagen-Conference, and outlined the six main principles of climate negotiations, such as the ideas that negotiation is a process, it must be transparent, and that agreements made by big global players are essential.
Martin Bursík talked about investments in a green economy and the situation in the Czech Republic. He emphasized that even during the economic crises the sector of green economy increased by 30 percent between the years 2009–2010 and 112 billion USD were invested into the green economy. The biggest investor was China, followed by Germany and the USA. Moreover, he was critical of the Czech Government, which invests into coal with the lowest efficiency of energy investments in Europe. He warned that if a new bill is approved by the Czech Government, the small producers of renewable energies will be destroyed and the big companies will profit from this. All of the panelists agreed that a change of thinking has to happen and trust needs to be built. They expressed optimism for the coming “Rio + 20” Conference in Rio de Janeiro in 2012.