Engineers say existing technology could slash global emissions

The statement was presented on 23 September to the South African Deputy High Commissioner ahead of December’s COP17 climate change talks in Durban. The statement says that technologies for zero emissions transport, among other energy efficiency measures have all been demonstrated. However they are not being developed for wide-scale use fast enough and there is a desperate need for financial and legislative support from governments around the world if they are to fulfil their potential.

Dr Colin Brown, director of engineering at the London-based Institution of Mechanical Engineers – one of the 11 organisations supporting the statement – said: “While the world’s politicians have been locked in talks with no output, engineers across the globe have been busy developing technologies that can bring down emissions and help create a more stable future for the planet. We are now overdue for government commitment, with ambitious, concrete emissions targets that give the right signals to industry, so they can be rolled out on a global scale.”

The statement calls for:

• A global commitment at Durban to a peak in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, followed by substantial reductions by 2050;
• Governments to ensure that green policies do not unfairly and unintentionally act to the detriment of one particular industry or country;
• Intensive effort to train and retrain workforces to ensure we have the right skills for the new industries that will spring up around green technologies;
• A heavier emphasis to be placed on boosting energy efficiency, which is the best available measure to bring down emissions in the short and medium term.

The 11 organisations include the Danish Society of Engineers (IDA), India’s Institution of Engineers (IEI), Germany’s Association of Engineers (VDI), Australia’s Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers (APESMA) and the UK’s Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), together with institutions from Japan, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Honduras. Collectively they represent over 1.2 million engineers in four continents.

The joint statement is the product of a landmark biennial conference held by IMechE. The Future Climate 2 conference brought together speakers from government, academia and engineering institutions to discuss the technologies needed to combat climate change.