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Monthly archives: November 2009

How many tons are you?

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the-climate-account

If you were asked to mention something that contributes to global warming, what would you say? Emissions from vehicles or maybe industries? Then you would give one of the answers that 71 percent of the Swedes who have been interviewed in a survey by the Swedish Environment Protection Agency have stated.
This survey shows that 96 percent of the Swedes see climate change as an important issue for society. As seen above many also are aware of some of the sources of greenhouse gas emissions. But the survey also indicates that rather few Swedes are aware of that even just the meat production of the world – according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization – is a bigger emitter than all transports put together. So: we better start looking at what we are eating.
To get a better picture of your emissions, try a new calculator developed by the Swedish Environmental Research Institute (available in English).
 

Sara Jeswani - Sustainability

November 12, 2009

Living on less — for climate’s sake

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live-simple
Photo: Katie/Flickr. 

As a global climate deal in Copenhagen in December seems more and more unlikely, many climate activists’ frustration grows, and new campaigns pop up everywhere.
A few weeks ago a campaign called Nödstopp (“”Emergency stop”) started here in Sweden. Those behind it are climate activists who want to start a discussion around consumption and what we as human beings really need to be happy.

Reduced consumption

If we are to reach the climate goals that science point out, they argue, it will require enormous changes. So in order to show the Swedish government that they are willing to do these changes, they have decided that up until December 18, when the Copenhagen meeting ends, they will live on an amount of money that equals social allowance. That is what the Swedish state has laid down to be a minimum of what is needed to maintain oneself.
“We do this because we think it is more important to leave a planet with functioning eco systems than having an increased material standard of life year in, year out.
A reduced consumption is at the same time in line with research findings which show that more consumption leads to increased emissions of greenhouse gases.”

“The best things are free”

Consuming less isn’t just about making sacrifices and doesn’t mean living a dull and grey life, they underscore.
One of those who have joined the campaign writes: “I can’t really notice a big difference, maybe except from when it comes to buying food. The rest of what is enjoyable in life is free anyway – work out, love and a good book (well, almost anyway).”

Sara Jeswani - Sustainability

November 9, 2009

Culture helps us get the message

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Borneo-rainforest
Borneo’s rainforest, from the film and photo exhibition The Testament of Tebaran. Photo: Mattias Klum.

Ever since the big 350 concert evening a few weeks ago I have been thinking quite a lot about culture and art as a way of communicating the message of how urgent the ecological crisis is. Knowing the facts is essential, but somehow culture seems to have an ability to make us grasp things in a way that facts and figures doesn’t always manage.

“A tool that isn’t used enough”

Recently I read an interesting article in Nature, by the Canadian writer and journalist Sanjay Khanna, who explores this a bit more. He writes that artists, skilled in conveying ideas through the senses, can have an influential role in shaping public opinion about climate change.
One of the examples he brings up is the Swedish photographer Mattias Klum, who says that “Art is a tool that isn’t used enough to effect change”. During the climate meeting in Copenhagen in December Mattias Klum’s photo work The Testament of Tebaran will be exhibited to show the effect that deforestation has on climate change.

Palm oil destroying forests

The Testament of Tebaran is also a film where “the last man of a dying Bornean tribe tells his story while unassuming consumers shop for the products that cause his extinction.”
Klum and his colleague journalist Folke Rydén have dug into the facts behind palm oil, which is used for biodiesel. Biodiesel has been marketed as a green alternative to fuel in the west. But the problem is, palm oil production causes great destruction of the rain forests and the people who live there.
Read more about the film here.

Sara Jeswani - Sustainability

November 5, 2009

An opening for nuclear plans causes debate

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forsmark-nuclear-power-plant
Forsmark, one of Sweden’s existing nuclear power plants. Photo: Vattenfall.

A few days ago the Swedish state-owned power company Vattenfall announced that they are starting a partnership with parts of the Swedish basic industry. The aim is to secure energy production and electricity supply, and according to Vattenfall this might result in a new nuclear power plant being constructed.

The debate reawakens

This news caused a lot of attention. Nuclear power has been a sensitive matter in Sweden ever since the 1980 referendum, which after enormous debates decided that “Nuclear power shall be phased out, while taking consideration of the need for electric power for the maintenance of employment and welfare.”
Earlier this year the government decided to lift the ban. And with Vattenfall opening up to invest in new nuclear energy, the discussion is back.

Clashing arguments

In the light of global warming supporters of nuclear power mean that it represents the most realistic way of covering Sweden’s energy consumption. Their opponents retort that the long term storage of nuclear waste still isn’t entirely solved, that uranium also is a finite resource and that there are risks associated with nuclear power.

Vattenfall was also the aim of environmental groups earlier last week, when Greenpeace dumped 18 tonnes of coal outside the government chancellery Rosenbad, as a protest against state-owned Vattenfall running coal power plants outside Sweden.

anti-coal-activists
The banner says “Reinfeldt stop Sweden’s coal power plants”. Photo: Greenpeace.

Sara Jeswani - Sustainability

November 2, 2009