2023-12-15 04:00:18
In view of the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, it is natural to consider the result of the 28 UN climate conferences as insufficient. However, we must not forget the progress made, notably the commitments of 101 countries which aim for net zero emissions within a few decades. Analyzes carried out by the World Bank in more than forty countries showfurthermore, that it is now possible, thanks to recent technological advances, to achieve our climate goals without compromising economic development or poverty reduction.
Too often, progress is masked by the publicity given to conflicts and aborted reforms (freezing of the carbon tax in France, abandonment of the energy price reform in Ecuador), while 4,500 climate policies have been implemented in the world and that they already have an impact on emissions trajectories. Of course, these measures remain insufficient: it is not a question of being locked into naive optimism, but of learning from these successes in order to be able to replicate them in other contexts. And to understand why it is so difficult to transform ambitious international commitments – such as those made at COP28 – into concrete changes.
If the financial obstacle is major, as the investment needs are significant, it doesn’t explain everything. All studies point to projects and programs that are a priori viable, but blocked by political economy of each country: institutional architecture, negative effects on certain populations and territories, polarization of political life which transforms reforms bringing significant collective benefits into subjects of conflict.
And yet, Canada established a carbon tax, now widely accepted, that reduces emissions and inequalities. Egypt has reformed its fossil fuel subsidies and reallocated resources towards social protection. Kenya has transformed its energy system to increase the share of renewables and improve access to electricity. The study of these policies shows that their success is built on four pillars.
Climate governance
First, we must establish climate governance that links the climate to other objectives, such as job creation or access to energy. There is no single solution: if the European Union is organized around a major climate plan, “Fit-for-55”, other countries have preferred to link the climate to objectives of a different nature. . India, for example, has doubled its green energy production capacity by emphasizing energy security and energy access over emissions reductions.
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