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| Where's Bob when you need him? |
From an environmental perspective, electric vehicles only work well enough if we have a global accord with legally binding emissions targets. The agreement reached in Cancun yesterday was symbolic - one step forward now that more of the big powers have at last acknowledged the scale of the problem and the measures required to combat it and a) made pledges to stay below a rise in global temperatures of 2 degrees Centigrade and b) agreed a green climate fund to give $100 billion per year to poorer countries by 2020.
To put this in perspective, we may unfortunately already be on course for a temperature rise of 5 degrees (not good news). Crucially and conspicuous by their continued absence are:
- emissions targets for individual countries
- an agreed method for monitoring emissions cuts
- plans for what happens next after the Kyoto protocol expires in 2012
Here in the UK our recent and current governments are committing us to near unilateral emissions reductions, which shows leadership but creates unintended consequences for businesses trying to ride the recession and stay competitive. We need joined up thinking and actions more than ever and we need it very soon.
