Lifestyle changes: Best step to reduce carbon footprint

CEBU, Philippines - With three more years to go before the expiration of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, the world bares that it is indeed failing to curb greenhouse gas emissions with the continued lavish lifestyle and consumer patterns observed by rich nations.

Local experts in environmental issues said that while the ratification called on 184 nations to commit to carbon trading goals, joint implementation of energy-efficient programs, and to clean development mechanism, there is the United States that opts to pay for carbon sinks in developing nations to save them from trimming down on their own industries, their luxuries and excesses.

This was discussed in yesterday’s ‘Kapihan sa PIA’ wherein Engr. Mar Tabuco, chief of the Environmental Management Bureau-7; and Cliff Abrahan, Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 information officer, each pointed out that “because a developed nation as the U.S. - accountable for around 30 percent of harmful gases responsible for the greenhouse effect since the ‘70s - refuses to commit to the goals of the Kyoto Protocol, it so needs to “buy more time to help pad the impact of climate change.”

In the vocabulary of carbon trading, developing nations are now discouraged to advance their moves pertaining to industrialization. Rather, a nation like the Philippines is urged to bank on development of more carbon sinks in exchange for cash, per ton of sequestered carbon (referred to as carbon credit), from wealthy countries not keen on committing to simplifying lifestyle and consumer patterns, Tabuco said.

For example, a field could be restored to native grassland which would sequester carbon from the atmosphere; or a healthy forest could potentially sell as carbon sink. So are environment-related projects of companies, which rely heavily on fossil fuels in their energy-generation, could be submitted to a 10-member Clean Development Mechanism Executive Board for evaluation. A cap and trade inspired market in Europe has been in place since 2005 and is the biggest so far, this was further learned from the panelists.

In fact, Germany deemed the most cooperative has already reached their target of a five-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 1990 level. As for the country, the EMB is the designated authority or focal point in the evaluation of sustainable development programs, most especially involving technology transfer as in carbon and methane capture and other greening efforts such as the harnessing of solar, hydroelectric, wave and geothermal energies; as well as wind farms resembling that in Bangui, Ilocos Sur.

Meanwhile, when asked on why coal-fired power plants continue to operate here, Lou Arciaga who is information officer of the Department of Energy-7 explained that DOE’s position “is only transitory” because “it would be very difficult and costly to shift immediately to renewable sources.”

However, Arciaga pointed out, that the department should also be credited for the presence of biogas-powered plants here and the University of San Carlos for harnessing ethanol to run its boiler. “Duna man ta’y energy efficiency programs dinhi. Aside from San Carlos, kanang 34 SM Supermalls initiated power-saving methods. SM is able to save P63 million kilowatt-hour of power. Significant savings ni tungod sa ilang paggamit og efficient lighting and alternate use of airconditioning systems.”

Bottom line of the discussion is that there is no need at all for global carbon trading had the people earlier come to terms with the crucial roles they play in slowing down the impact of global warming beginning in their households.

Since ill effects have already manifested as in the erratic changes in weather patterns, the panelists said that, before we dip our hands into the complicated and costly carbon market, we zero in on simplifying terms.

“The key is simplifying terms. If we begin in our very own households to implement proper segregation of wastes, the beneficial exponential effects of behavioral changes would spread outside of our homes and into the world,” Abrahan said. “Magsugod man gyod nang mga adaptation and mitigation measures sa ginagmay but beneficial steps,” he added.

As for Arciaga, she further said that, “it’s sad to note nga bisa’g one percent ra atong carbon footprint, but we are most vulnerable kay we live in an archipelago. That’s why we have to reach out to the media to help us educate the people. We have to focus on social mobilization. Kon mapasabot unta nato nang as simple as the use of energy-saving lights, then we could slow down instead of advance the effects of global warming.”

The Kyoto Protocol is an international environmental treaty with the goal of achieving “stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous interference with the climate system.” While carbon trading is a market-based mechanism for helping mitigate the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere, that brings buyers and sellers of carbon credits together with standardized rules of trade just like a stock market. — Maria Eleanor E. Valeros (THE FREEMAN)