The agenda for day 2 was a veritable menu of topics: assessments of the Special Climate Change Fund and the Least Developed Countries Fund, technology transfer, carbon capture and storage as clean development mechanism activities, standardized baselines under the CDM, the scientific, technical and socio-economic aspects of mitigation and a full raft of side events and press briefings. More to follow on this shortly.
With international aviation and maritime transport also on the agenda, and the tricky conference logistics the subject of much debate among conference delegates, infrastructure has been a hot topic.
With regard to climate change and sustainability, infrastructure planning and development is a key component of C02 emission reductions, greater reliance on cleaner energies, and access to freshwater and healthcare provision. Infrastructure at large is undoubtedly one of the great universal challenges of the 21st century, and in recent years has become a critical issue for governments and businesses worldwide, as developed economies seek to address decades of under-investment and as high growth economies establish their place in global markets. And, over the coming years, it will become an acute issue for all of us, as we invest in infrastructure on a scale unprecedented in history.
Like the negotiations taking place in Cancun, infrastructure development is complex, as well as critical, and decisions taken today are shaping the society of the future. It is already a matter of life and death for the billions who do not enjoy clean freshwater, good healthcare, or access to reliable systems of energy and transport. For all of us, effective infrastructure is essential to the way we live, and to supporting economic growth. It is essential, therefore, that we all seek to raise awareness and share knowledge of what we are observing globally.
KPMG International today launches its first issue of Insight magazine: We are privileged to be involved in many of the exciting changes that are happening, across many sectors, and at various stages of the lifecycle of infrastructure.
This new magazine seeks to share some of the insights KPMG firms’ professionals have gained through the process. Sector reviews and provocative feature articles speak to many of our own local issues within a global context, while regional spotlights and country-specific commentaries provide a view into some of the most critical challenges facing local markets today.
Read Yvo de Boer’s thoughts on ‘striving for sustainability’ on page 11, where he talks about what infrastructure can do to help achieve measurable progress on climate change and sustainability, what needs to change to kick-start that evolution, and whether the world can achieve a goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050.