Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Yet again, we wait for the UN

There is a report today that Trevor Manuel has been appointed to the UN Green Climate Fund. The Fund was set up at Cancun to help pay for the costs of developing nations reducing their carbon emissions.

His appointment is all very nice - but how long before the money starts flowing? Cabinet has approved IRP2010, with its fleets of windmills. IRP2010 had as its goal reducing our carbon emissions. Windmill power will cost lots more than coal power.

The Copenhagen Accord said the developed world would pay for the cost of reducing emissions in the developing, and Cancun put some teeth in the Accord. This appointment is one of the first signs of anything happening.

While we wait, South Africa gets shorter and shorter of power. Projects are stalled, new jobs aren't appearing, while we dither about carbon. Can we please just get on with the job of producing the cheapest power we can, and stop this carbon farce? It is now damaging our future far more than carbon itself ever will.

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