One of the leaders of an attempt to fly a solar-powered plane around the world has said tackling climate change will create jobs, profits and economic growth.
Ahead of crucial UN talks in Paris on securing a new deal to curb greenhouse gas emissions, Bertrand Piccard, chairman and pilot of Solar Impulse, urged people to take part in the “huge adventure of the 21st century” of switching to clean technology.
The zero-fuel Solar Impulse 2 has broken distance and duration records for solar aviation, and in July completed a gruelling four-day 22-hour flight from Nagoya in Japan to Hawaii, where it is undergoing repairs before attempting the next leg of its trip.
In a video message Mr Piccard said it was wrong to think of climate change as an expensive problem that needs solving for the sake of future generations. It was, he said, “a profitable opportunity for today”.
Replacing old, polluting devices – from lightbulbs to engines, heating systems and industrial processes – with clean technology would halve global energy consumption and carbon emissions, he said.
“This will create jobs, make profit, it will boost the economic development and growth not only for rich countries but also for poor countries who will get a return on these new investments for the structures and infrastructure in the country.”
Speaking ahead of the Paris talks, which aim to get a global deal to prevent temperature rises that will lead to “dangerous” climate change, he urged governments to put in place a legal framework setting out how to reach the goals of cutting emissions.
He said: “It’s extremely important people start to change their minds and be actors of this huge adventure of the 21st century, not just for the environment but for economic development and quality of life.”
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