Nobel laureate Pachauri calls for coalition to stimulate political action

Six weeks before the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Nobel Peace Laureate Rajenda K. Pachauri said it is "entirely possible to bring about both technological and lifestyle changes to ensure higher efficiencies" in the way people use natural resources.

Speaking at the development forum, European Development Days, Pachauri reminded governments that to embark upon a "stringent path of mitigation" would cost no more than 3% of GDP. He described the benefits of mitigation as increased in employment, higher agriculture productivity and associated health benefits, which by 2030 could turn out to be a negative cost.

"To achieve this, we need a coalition between government and civil society to spread awareness and knowledge across the public so that every elected leader knows that his or her re-election means setting targets to ensure the welfare . . . of our children and grandchildren," he said.

"In many cases, we are happy about our fast GDP growth, but on the other hand, we didn’t know what we do to the resources and environment," he said.

Pachauri praised Europe for taking the lead in taking action against climate change and praised Japan's new government for setting a stronger emissions reduction target of 25% in the lead up to 2020.

Pachauri has served as the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) since 2002. In 2007 he shared the Nobel peace prize with former US Vice-President Al Gore.

In December 2009, leaders from 190 nations will gather in Copenhagen to address one of the most urgent development crises of our times. They are expected to negotiate a new pact to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.

European Development Days (EDD) is a development forum organised by the European Commission and the country holding the Presidency of the EU, currently Sweden. (Stockholm, 22-24 October 2009).

By Xuefei Chen, People's Daily Online, Stockholm.