NGOs assist global environment drive

The world has just marked the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Ambitions were high at the Earth Summit in Rio 20 years ago as I can attest. The world was riding a wave of optimism that nations could find the ways and means to tackle the global environmental threats facing mankind. The Framework Convention on Climate Change was inaugurated, which set the goal of avoiding dangerous anthropocentric interference with the climate system, and launched the quest for effective implementing systems.

We have learned a few things in those intervening 20 years. One of the lessons is that the good wishes of international negotiators and the good offices of national governments have not been sufficient to slow the growth of greenhouse gas emissions. And an agreement on the details has been much harder to achieve than anticipated. Another lesson is that civil society can make a huge difference in actual outcomes irrespective of treaties or protocols.

Let me give you some examples. Seven years ago the Chinese Association for Non-governmental Organization Cooperation mounted a campaign to get major energy users, such as office buildings and hotels, to voluntarily agree to limit their summertime thermostats to 26 C. The concept was simple, yet powerful: Cut the excessive use of air conditioning, save electricity, save emissions, and save money. The national government in 2006 introduced regulations, which set government thermostats at the same 26 C minimum.