Keeping a cool head at a time of global warming

30th March 2009

Roberto Menia

Undersecretary - Ministry for the Environment Land and Sea

Biography

Roberto Menia was born in Pieve di Cadore December 3, 1961. Married since 1998 with Francesca, has a daughter, Lucrezia, born in 2005.
He began his political activity in youth organizations of the MSI, leading since 1980, the Youth Front of Trieste and became national president of FUAN 1988 to 1996.
Doctor of Laws publicist and journalist, has been for over 10 years city councilmen of Trieste and from 2001 to 2003 councillor of Department of Culture.
Regional Coordinator of the People of Freedom - National Alliance, is a member of the national executive of AN and from 1998 until his appointment to the Secretary of the department was responsible for external initiatives and propaganda of his party.
Is member of Parliament since 1994, elected legislatures in the XII, XIII, XIV, XVI and XVI: he has given his name to the law which established February 10 as “World Day of Remembrance” dedicated to the martyrs of Foibe and the Istrian exiles, Fiume and Dalmatia.
In the XII legislature took part to the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Special Commission for Community and Community policies. Member of the Italian delegation to the North Atlantic Assembly. In the XIII legislature, he was Secretary of the Defense Committee. In the XIV was member of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, the Presidency of the Council and Home office, a member of the Defense Committee and the Commission of Inquiry on the “Mitrokhin dossier” and the activity of Italian Intelligence. In the XV was member of the transport committee, post and telecommunications.
As part of his present role he deals with the parliamentary activity of the Ministry of the Environment, delegate to the problems of water and watersheds national and desertification also plays an intense international activity representing our government in different contexts such as Assembly UNEP (United Nations Program for Environment), the Arctic Council and the Conference of the Alps.

Abstract

Climate change is now a priority in the international agendas of governments, and not just at the global level of the enlarged G8 circuit or within the framework of United Nations negotiations leading to the Copenhagen Conference.
According to the forecasts of the Word Energy Outlook 2008, primary energy demand will grow on average by 1.6% annually between 2006 and 2030, with fossil fuels representing 80% of the global energy mix in 2030 (non-OECD countries will account for 87% of the increase). CO2 emissions from energy use will increase in the order of 45% by 2030 (with non-OECD countries responsible for 97% of the CO2 increase).
The world is facing a profound economic and financial crisis, with the slowing down of advanced economies and now also of emerging economies such as China, India and Brazil. According to the IMF World Economic Outlook, global productivity will decrease until 2009, when it will be at 0.5%. Due to the current economic and financial crisis, it is likely that governments will concentrate on not burdening trade and industry with greater costs and further regulation at a time when the economy is in a fragile state and jobs are at risk. Therefore the financial crisis has put into question the basic assumptions that lie behind the development of many policies. In response to the financial crisis, governments are injecting huge amounts of money in order to “repair the financial system, recapitalise the banks and isolate the bad assets”. Many people are coming to the view that one of the potential public responses to tackling the climate crisis and the financial crisis together would be a “green” anti-crisis packet with economic incentives, investment in research and development of technologies with low-carbon content and new energy infrastructures. A number of governments have already announced stimulus plans which are going in this direction.
The G8 environment summit in Siracusa, Sicily, broadened to include Brazil, Mexico, China, South Africa, India, Australia, South Korea, Indonesia and Egypt, will open with an initial session devoted to discussion on “Prospects of and barriers to development and the spread of low-carbon content technologies in the short, medium and long term”, with particular reference to the financial architecture required to promote such technologies, also within the context of the current global economic and financial crisis.
Alongside representatives of the private sector of the various countries meeting in Siracusa and of the International Organisations, the Environment Ministers will have a chance to discuss opportunities to promote technological innovation to stimulate economic growth, with a view to taking on the double challenge of climate change and energy security.
In preparation for the Ministers’ meeting at Siracusa, the Environment Minister will host the Forum on low-carbon technologies in Trieste, where international representatives of the financial institutions, of the private sector and of the Institutions will be able to discuss the state of implementation of research and development of the most promising technologies in the energy and automobile sectors, and also the most effective financial methods to increase the use and transfer of such technologies to markets, especially in countries with emerging economies and in developing countries.
Scientific research plays a key role in these issues, and we rely on the scientific community to fully carry out its responsibility to provide accurate, honest and reliable information about the effects, causes and mechanisms of climate change. This role is becoming increasingly important now that we are moving towards the establishment of adaptation and mitigation policies, which must be based on a solid scientific foundation. International cooperation on climate change research must be stimulated, both through regional initiatives such as the Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Climate Change, an initiative of the Italian government which is becoming a point of reference for the whole Mediterranean region, and through bilateral cooperation programs between Italy and other countries.