Why development policy matters

Emerging markets – and poor countries in general – have a fundamental role to play in climate protection. Their economic growth and energy consumption are rising rapidly. Accordingly, they are increasingly contributing to causing climate change. Industrialised nations must not only reduce their own C02 emissions, they also need to help partners set up sustainable energy-supply systems and support other climate-protection measures.

In April, the Christian Democrats in the Bundestag, Germany’s Federal Parliament, held a symposium on “climate protection in development policy”. The participants demanded that German assistance be expanded. So far, it has focused on advice for the energy sector and measures to increase energy efficiency. In accordance with the polluter-pays principle, it was argued that Germany should, on top of that, both help developing countries to adapt to climate change and contribute to compensating for damages. Options for doing so arise in the context of talks on an internationally-agreed regime dealing with environmental refugees, the provision of additional funds for disaster management, the stabilisation of ecosystems or reducing poverty, which climate change will exacerbate in many regions.

Moreover, it matters immensely that the private sector become more involved in climate protection, beyond the trade in emission certificates. In order to interest private investors in climate-related projects, however, solid returns and a stable planning environment would be helpful. That challenge is particularly relevant in developing countries. Therefore, state programmes should protect and promote investments. Small, innovative pilot projects in the field of renewable energies also deserve support, as they can stimulate sustainable solutions for energy supply in general.

At the symposium, it was also argued that development policy-makers should react to the growing demand for regenerative resources in energy supply, as the production of biofuels will imply greater pressure on agriculture and forestry. Experts said that international certification was necessary for all land and forest projects, in order to ensure that land and other resources are used sustainably in developing countries. Production must neither destroy ecosystems nor crowd out staple foods. Binding strategies and rules for land use would therefore be necessary.

Finally, the participants concluded that development cooperation must contribute more to the conservation of forests and reforestation in developing countries. According to figures from the World Resource Institute, such measures could capture up to a third of global CO2 emissions. Funding for – and monitoring of – such measures must improve, according to the participants in Berlin. Concepts for trading emission-credits from forest conservation projects are yet to be fully designed.

Christian Ruck, Member of the Bundestag