Blogs
Introduction
The Swedish youth group participating in the Global Lead Project consists of a few students working outside of school hours to engage in the making of a white paper, covering young opinions on climate change. We are proud to present our final report with thoughts and policy recommendations regarding how to approach these issues. Topics covered are the following; aid to developing countries, energy, agriculture, oceans and water, land/forest management, adaptation and resilience. A short conclusion summarizes our vision.
Aid to Developing Countries
Aid to developing countries is a vital component to achieve a just and sustainable world. Not all countries have the same abilities to approach issues regarding for example the climate. The more developed a country is, the more responsibility it should take to help lift others. This should not be done exclusively by transferring money, but rather by sharing knowledge and modern, green technology through discussions between the concerned countries. Projects consisting of more and different aid than only money could also help manage the problem with corruption in some countries.
Transparency is another important way to deal with corruption. It is also important to base the aid on local projects built together with local parties such as NGO:s and companies. Including local opinions and engagement creates sustainable projects that can stand independently, also after the aid from the supporting country has been withdrawn.
The aid should be a cooperation between countries rather than a charity that might lead to deteriorated local industries.
Energy
In our National Survey the majority of Swedish youth wished to see Sweden take a leading role in fighting climate change. This could be done by setting an example of phasing out fossil fuels and becoming one of the first welfare nations powered exclusively by renewable energy sources.
Developed countries should all lead the way to green development by for example phasing out fossil fuels. The developing countries today are the first countries that cannot base their transition to developed countries on fossil fuels. This is a great challenge that demands collaboration on both local, national and international levels. Governments, companies and scientists need to cooperate and are all necessary for phasing out fossil fuels. However, the allocation of responsibility will take different form between the parties, depending on the country. For example, Sweden has implemented carbon taxes, making it more expensive to emit carbon dioxide which creates an incentive for companies to take action. This increases the demand for renewable energy sources, making it possible for scientists to develop and improve the technology needed.
Agriculture
Agriculture keeps getting more and more effective, but not always more sustainable. To increase sustainability we believe that it is important to counteract monocultures and support organic agriculture. Local small-scale farming not only provides income to farmers and families but also counteracts the large monocultures, common today due to the production being mainly in large scale. Therefore, we think it is important to support small-scale farmers.
To strengthen organic farming with less chemical fertilization and less pesticides there are many actions that can be taken. Subventions, taxes, as well as increased information about production to consumers can encourage the transition to organic agriculture. Furthermore, meat consumption needs to be reduced, since the meat industry today provides for more of the global emissions of greenhouse gases than the whole sector of transport. Meat production also requires tremendous amounts of water. Water usage is another great problem regarding agriculture, which has to be dealt with by efficiently preventing the waste of water recourses. Politicians and consumers have a great responsibility in approaching the problems of animal agriculture and reducing consumption of meat and diary products.
Oceans and water
It is of utmost importance that we manage to keep the global warming below two degrees Celsius by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. We do encourage actions to be taken to not pass a rising temperature of 1,5℃. The rising temperature of the oceans causes changes to the conditions of life, by for example damaging coral reefs, leading to a great loss of biodiversity. Rising sea levels are also a threat to human nations, with seawater intrusion into the groundwater reservoirs, and island nations and coastal cities threatened by flooding. Other threats to life below and above the surface are over fishing, pollution, over fertilization and littering. We believe that some of the solutions can be found in investment in small-scale fishers, penalties for littering as well as support for organic farming, as mentioned above.
Crucial to human life is also the access to fresh water. In addition to reducing the waste of water in agriculture, it is important to invest in well functioning water purification systems as well as modern and effective sewers. Water sanitation plays a key role to social development and a healthy population.
Land/forest management
The preservation of forests is vital for life on earth and for a sustainable world. Forests increase the resilience and therefore the consequences of deforestation are fatal. Possible solutions could be to invest in projects such as REDD+ and promote crop rotation and agroforestry to decrease the demand of deforestation to make place for cropland.
Today there’s a conflict between socioeconomic and ecological sustainability. Often, families are dependent on deforestation for their livelihood and sustainable solutions must be provided. One example could be that the consumers pay more for organic products or/and that the products are subventioned which could make it more profitable for the farmers to have for example crop rotation.
We see raised awareness of deforestation as an important part in this, by informing consumers about the consequences of the products they buy and furthermore, offer alternatives. Recycling and reusing materials can be encouraged by local initiatives and increased possibilities from the government for a circular economy. Subventions to organisations working with trading and sharing tools, clothes and other objects could be one way to do this. Rewards for companies recollecting old and used products to recycle the materials could be another one.
Adaptation & Resilience
The world is facing huge challenges and not everything can be avoided. The consequences can be mitigated by ecological and economical resilience. Replacing natural services is far more expensive than preserving large and rich ecosystems that provide us with clean air, food, materials, pollination, recreation etc., while also working as buffers for future disasters. Forests, mangroves, lakes and rivers need to be protected and prioritized by politicians and companies.
Apart from the ecological resilience that should be preserved, economical resources can provide support, especially for developing countries, to adapt to changes in the climate. Green Climate Fund plays an important part here and it is our belief that nations that are able to, should provide financial support annually to this fund.
It is important to raise awareness of the planetary boundaries and that we keep within these, in the safe operating space for humanity. We believe that it is important that all countries recognize the planetary boundaries and that we work towards a climate change agreement that respects and incorporates these.
Conclusion
By cherishing and preserving biodiversity, encouraging small-scale production and creating incentives for companies and individuals to act responsibly, we believe that it is possible to reach our common goal of 2℃ global warming and to thereby manage the planet within the safe operating space of the planetary boundaries. Informed and active consumers, governments setting rules and boundaries founded on the shared natural resources, companies striving for green growth - by combining knowledge from scientists with the power to act from parties with economical resources, we can work together for a living planet with rich ecosystems, an economy adapted to our resources and civilizations containing healthy, growing populations.
Apart from research and discussions, the Swedish group has and is working to spread awareness to these issues and how to face them by social media and engaging in other projects, such as a meeting with NGO:s to prepare for COP21. We have also appeared on national radio, talking about the anxiety climate issues can cause and how to deal with it by engaging. We hope that COY11 will be rewarding and that we will be able to collaborate and agree on what’s important over nation boundaries. After all, we are all living on the same planet and must do what we can to take care of it.
