THE credit crunch is a golden opportunity to rebuild a 鈥済reen鈥� world financial system, says UN climate chief Yvo de Boer.
鈥淕overnments now have an opportunity to create and enforce policy which stimulates private competition to fund clean industry,鈥� he said at a press conference in New York on 10 October.
The chance to grow a greener world economy will come this December in Poznan, Poland, where governments will begin to formulate a successor to the Kyoto protocol to combat global warming. The deadline for a final agreement is December 2009.
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De Boer pointed out that global demand for energy is expected to surge by 50 per cent by 2030, so investment in clean technologies must start now. Cap-and-trade schemes would allow polluters to 鈥渂uy鈥� carbon emission permits from non-polluters, for example. Taxing carbon emissions from petrol and creating green standards for vehicles and appliances should stimulate greener living, he said.
鈥淕reen standards for vehicles and appliances should stimulate greener lifestyles鈥�
