ABU DHABI: In a passionate speech that defined the mood of the keynote addresses and the entire World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi on Monday, Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed said: “We do not have the luxury of time to meet year after year in endless negotiations. And the science of climate change means that we cannot accept a watered down minimalist treaty. We cannot negotiate with the laws of physics. You cannot cut a deal with Mother Nature.”
The Copenhagen climate conference, he said, had secured some positive outcomes but the Copenhagen accord in its present form would not prevent catastrophic climate change. Changes had to be radical and immediate. “If we don’t act now, our rainforests will die, deserts become unbearable to live in and low level countries like the Maldives will slip beneath the rising sea.”
His observation followed on a spirited opening address by Sultan Al-Jaber, CEO of Masdar, in which he affirmed that despite the economic downturn, renewable energy still made absolute sense. He pointed to the $155 billion investment during 2009, four times the 2004 levels. He added that energy generation form solar sources grew by 70 percent and from wind power by 29 percent. “We cannot afford to falter. We must progress today and deploy clean energy solutions to meet our future energy requirements and the threats posed by climate change.”
Al-Jaber noted that world population is set to reach 9 billion by 2050, energy demands will double, CO2 emissions rise and the planet’s temperature increase. He noted that 192 nations attended Cop 15 (the Copenhagen Climate Change conference) and that while a framework was not achieved, “we must not lose sight of our responsibility to drive progress towards a low carbon economy.”
He concluded that the key words in future action in the face of climate change that affected every nation were: “Cooperation and responsibility.”
The theme was echoed by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak who said, agreeing with Al-Jaber and Nasheed, that the Copenhagen climate conference had failed, that energy efficiency had to become a culture, not just in Malaysia, but worldwide. He quoted Mahatma Ghandi saying: “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.”
Running alongside the conference and workshops on the many and varied aspects of renewable energy, is an exhibition covering 10 halls of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center. Drawing a great deal of interest was a cooperative effort between Siemens, Porsche and RUF cars (who modified it) to produce a green car. It is probably one of three cars in the world that is electric powered and does not look like a golf cart. Alongside the Lotus and the Tessla (made by Lotus), it completes a trio of eco-friendly cars that people might actually want to buy. Siemens have already demonstrated their credentials in energy efficient and renewable resource engineering that looks good by converting a London bus to run on hydrogen and emit only water vapor.
This latest example of their prowess, the nemesis of all golf carts, shifts from zero to 100 kph in five seconds (the same as the Lotus Exige petrol powered sports car or the Porsche 911 Carrera 4) and with the larger if two battery options can reach 350kph.
The conference continues until Jan. 21.