No Energy Security Without Climate Security

With oil and gas prices at record highs and fers mounting over future supplies,global energy security will take centre stage at last year's meeting of the group of Eight(G8) industialized nations.As heads of states meet in Russia-one of the world's largest energy exporters and a country benefiting from record energy profits-they will no doubt call for greater cooperationto ensure that global economy is not harmed by unstable oil prices and political instability in many energy producing nations.

Earlier,G8 leader touted climate change as a top priority,but this upcoming meeting in St Petersburg appears set to ignore the issue in order to focus on securing energy supplies.

But there will be no real energy security without a stable and secure environment,particularly in an environment that is being threatned by the ill effects of climate change.

As climate change is the single most important environmental,if not global challenge that we are facing today,we need a plan.Not just any plan,but a comprehensive climate and energy security plan akin to the Marshall Plan after World War 2 that helped rebuild Europe-a plan that attempts tp rstore the Earth's fragile ecosystem by cutting polluting gas emissions and dramatically improving energy efficiency.

Evry litre of oil or gas,every bit of coal that we humans burn,adds to the increasing level of heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions,loke carbon dioxide,which is a byproduct of burning this fuels.About 23 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide are spewed into the Earth's atmosphere every year-most of it by western industrialized countries.This build-up of Carbon dioxide and other gases are contributing to global warming.

Scientific consensus shows that we face grave risks if global temperature rise 2 degree celsius above those of pre-industrial times.Many around the world have already had a taste of what this would bring with temperatures up just 0.7 degree celsius--more frequent and severe storms and heat waves,drought,melting glaciers and rising sea levels.Such events can have immense security and economic implications,including crop failures in key food producing areas,border disputes over resources,mass movement of "environmental"refugees,and the spending of billions of dollars needed to cope with natural disasters.

To help mitigate these risks,we need effective policies to reduce global warming before carbon emissions increase to such a point that they become too difficult to reverse.We need a resounding commitment by governmens at the G8 Summit to energy efficiency,conservation measures and renewable energies.

Compiled by:Saurav Chakraborty