UN / WORLD ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SURVEY 2009

A new UN report calls for a big investment push to deliver on both reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping communities to cope with climate change. UNTV/ FILE

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:24
• Production Date: 1 September 2009
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: WORLD BANK; INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY - IAEA
• Subject Topical: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT; FINANCING; NATURAL RESOURCES; ENVIRONMENT
• MAMS Id: U090901b

Description

STORY: UN / WORLD ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SURVEY 2009
TRT: 2.24
SOURCE: UNTV/ IAEA/ WORLD BANK
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS

DATELINE: 1 SEPTEMBER 2009, NEW YORK CITY/ FILE

Shotlist

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior UN building

10 SEPTEMBER 2009, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, dais
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Rob Vos, Director of Development Policy and Analysis Division at the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA):
“Climate change is a threat to development. However there is also growing realization that the rich countries are no longer immune to these consequences and furthermore, as a recent US report, a national security report, makes clear that climate change is also seen as a threat to peace and security around the world.”
4. Med shot, reporters
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rob Vos, Director of Development Policy and Analysis Division at the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA):
“What we are arguing in the report is that it is possible to promote development while saving the planet but it will need enormous adjustments in the global economy and in turn will require a change in the mind set of the policy makers and their constituencies worldwide. Hopefully that change of mind set will be the thing that will drive us to seal the deal in Copenhagen.”
6. Med shot, reporters
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Imran Habib Ahmad, Coordinator World Economic and Social Survey 2009:
“There’s been a significant progress in the science of climate change. We’ve now really understood that it is a real challenge, and from previous examples of where humanity has faced challenges like fascism and others, I mean, the Marshall Plan was brought up, investment was provided. I think we need to create that atmosphere. The stimulus plans have provided that money is not really a problem here.”

FILE - IAEA - 10-22 FEBRUARY 2009, MUMBAI / KALPAKKAM / KADAKULAM, INDIA

8. Wide shot, wind turbine propellers l
9. Zoom in, nuclear power plant
10. Wide shot, nuclear power plant under construction

FILE - WORLD BANK - JANUARY 2009, LIEPAJA, LATVIA

11. Med shot, recycling pickup
12. Wide shot, garbage truck approaches garbage yard
13. Zoom out, landfill
14. Wide shot, landfill with windmills

FILE – UNDATED, LOCATIONS UNKNOWN

15. Various shots, tropical storm
16. Various shots, desert

Storyline

As negotiations for a new global agreement to address climate change enter the final stages before the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference this December, the United Nations is issuing a report today (1 September) that analyzes the growing demands on developing countries as threats from a warming world are added to longstanding development challenges.

The report, entitled “The World Economic and Social Survey 2009: Promoting Development, Saving the Planet” spells out the potential of a big investment push to deliver on both reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping communities to cope with climate change, and calls for more truly integrated policy responses to development and climate challenges.

At the New York launch of the publication, Rob Vos, Director of Development Policy and Analysis Division at the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) said that climate change is not only a threat to developing economies but also to rich countries, which “are no longer immune to these consequences”. He also referred to a recent US national security report that “makes clear that climate change is also seen as a threat to peace and security around the world.”

The report does not shy away from describing the enormity of the adjustments that will have to be undertaken by countries at all levels of development if progress is to be made; or from insisting that the advanced countries will have to deliver resources and leadership on a much larger scale than has been the case to date.

Vos said that “it is possible to promote development while saving the planet but it will need enormous adjustments in the global economy and in turn will require a change in the mind set of the policy makers and their constituencies worldwide”

Imran Habib Ahmad, Coordinator of the report compared the need for action to mitigate climate change with the Marshall Plan after World War II when “investment was provided”. He added that the recent stimulus plans to combat the effects of the financial crisis prove that finding the money “is not really a problem.”

According to the report, active participation of all countries in tackling the climate challenge will only come about if developing countries can maintain rapid economic growth. This will require satisfying the growing energy needs of developing countries. This raises the question for climate change negotiators of how poor countries can pursue low-emissions, high-growth development.