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January 2010
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French Intellectual Calls it “Excessive” and Ineffective
The swine-flu epidemic was the latest high-profile example of the precautionary principle as applied in France. Health officials in France (as in the United States and in other European countries) opted for a massive vaccination program. All the attendant problems (cost, statistical risks of deaths from vaccines, government credibility on health dangers) were accepted by the authorities, who said that they were compelled to take this initiative in the name of the precautionary principle. In the case of some previous threats (such as mad cow disease), Paris took a more cautious approach. In the instance of the swine flu scare, the policy provoked public debate and criticism, especially once it became clear that the imminent threat was small – and as a result, French people ignored the vaccination program. As a case study, this latest episode illustrates some of the contradictions and problems can arise with a systematic adherence to the precautionary principle. Exploring the issue, François Ewald, a French philosopher of risk management, does not criticize the authorities’ handling of the flu threat but he does conclude the precautionary principle may be incompatible with the real-life practices of contemporary Western societies.
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January 2010
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Such Hopes Discredited by Copenhagen
The watered-down outcome of the summit talks at Copenhagen fell dramatically short of expectations set by the EU. Since the 1997 Kyoto pact, Europe has claimed the moral lead on climate-change issues -- and the influence that goes with it. That image was dashed in Copenhagen: EU credibility and ambitions were sidelined in favor of the views of the U.S. and China. To regain a global voice, the EU needs drastic changes as it starts implementing the Lisbon treaty.
In a detailed review of the situation, an article in the Irish Times article -- “Copenhagen debacle brings home limits of EU's influence” – also talks about some apparently uncertain initial European steps to get a new grip on the climate agenda.
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Roundtables
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12/01/09 |
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On Tuesday December 1, 2009, The European Institute, in cooperation with the Royal Danish Embassy, convened a meeting to address prospects for the upcoming Copenhagen climate conference and U.S. energy and environment policy. While expectations for the conference to achieve real success have fallen recently, the experts who addressed the two panel seminar all concurred that this conference is an essential step towards securing effective climate change legislation.
The first panel, moderated by Lisa Friedman, Deputy Editor of ClimateWire, addressed what obstacles must be overcome and whether an agreement can be reached in Copenhagen. His Excellency Friis Arne Petersen, Ambassador of Denmark to the United States, The Honorable Timothy Wirth, President of the United Nations Foundation, The Honorable Eileen Claussen, President of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change and Ned Helme, President of the Center for Clean Air Policy offered their opinions. The conclusions of the first panel were split between pessimism and optimism, but the crucial takeaway was the continuing importance of global dialogue to engage all countries in the climate change process. The second panel was moderated by Anne Thompson, Chief Environmental Affairs Correspondent at NBC and shifted the focus from international mitigation efforts towards U.S. legislative attempts to curb carbon emissions. The panelists included: Jonathan Lash, President of the World Resources Institute, Jason Grumet, President of the Bipartisan Policy Center, Martha Wyrsch, President of Vestas Americas and Jim Connaughton, Executive Vice President of Constellation Energy.
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Roundtables
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11/04/09 |
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During this seminar, experts from both sides of the Atlantic discussed and debated key ideas and mechanisms for reducing global carbon emissions and containing costs. Panelists addressed the debate between the cap and trade system and carbon tax as well as internationalizing efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The speakers noted that effective market measures are critical to making real progress and that the continuing debate between cap and trade and carbon tax measures is crucial for driving innovation and investment.
The meeting consisted of two panel discussions which were followed by engaging question and answer sessions. The first panel addressed ‘Exploring Transatlantic Policy Options for Curbing Carbon Emissions,’ and brought together political and corporate representatives to discuss what is being done to address pressing climate issues. Peter Zapfel, Assistant to the Deputy Director General, DG Environment at the European Commission, Anne Lammila, Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Finland and Sylvain Garnaud, President of Cement Divisions at Lafarge North America, Inc. spoke about the development of the European carbon market and efforts in the United States to reduce carbon emissions. While there was agreement that the U.S. and the EU do not agree on every proposal, there was also a consensus that this is a period of great opportunity for collaboration. The second panel focused on ‘The Carbon Market in Practice’ and brought together experts on cap and trade initiatives and carbon tax to debate the merits of each mechanism. Dr. William Ferretti, Vice President of the Chicago Climate Exchange, Kevin James, Vice President, Carbon Finance at Climate Change Capital and James Handley from the Carbon Tax Center provided a discussion of market initiatives for reducing carbon emissions. Though they disagreed about which mechanisms were most effective, there was convergence on the idea that the most important step the United States can take is to set a price on carbon in order to encourage carbon reduction initiatives. Mark Hopkins, Director of International Energy Efficiency at the United Nations Foundation moderated this meeting. |
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