How to ensure a zero-carbon future
Chair
Kevin Watkins - Executive Director, ODI
Speakers
Stephane Hallegatte - Senior Economist, Climate Change Group, World Bank
Amal-Lee Amin - Associate Director, E3G
Ilmi Granoff - Head of Green Growth, ODI
Michael Jacobs - Senior Advisor, New Climate Economy
Description
Stabilising climate change entails reducing net emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) to zero. The report outlines three principles to guide countries in their efforts to create a zero-carbon future:
- Planning ahead with an eye on the end goal;
- Going beyond carbon pricing with a policy package that triggers changes in investment patterns, technology, and behaviors
- Protecting poor people and avoiding concentrated losses. Although countries at different levels of income and with different endowments will adopt different strategies, all have a role to play.
The aim of the report discussed is to take the lofty goal of zero emissions by 2100 and examine what it means in terms of today’s policy making for development.
Author Stephane Hallegatte will discuss how planning can help lay the foundation for both a stable climate and a good development path; how countries can create the right enabling environment so that the needed technology, infrastructure, and financing are available; and finally, how countries can carefully manage the transition, given the vital role that the political economy will play.