UN Study Denies Climate Protection Precludes Growth

A high-level panel at the United Nations has said the world can save money by investing in low-carbon energy, contradicting naysayers' claims that climate protection does not make economic sense.

At the crossroads of ecology and economy, an international panel said Tuesday investments in climate protection could also bolster growth.



"It is possible to tackle global climate change and it is possible to have economic growth at the same time," said Mexico's former president, Felipe Calderon, who introduced a report compiled by former heads of state, business figures and economists.



The study sought to allay many people's fears that aggressive climate protection could undermine jobs and economic growth, but it warned that time is of the essence.



The next 15 years will be crucial in implementing a broader shift toward more dependence on renewable energies, it said.



During that time, "the global economy will grow by more than half" and "a billion more people will migrate to cities," the report said.



It also quantified scientists' certainty that a rise in heatwaves, floods, droughts and rising sea levels was caused by humans rather than ebbs and flows in the climate, saying it was 95 percent probable that these changes were not natural.



The study preempted an upcoming climate summit scheduled for Sept. 23, which will be hosted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.



cjc/bew (Reuters, AFP)