Why should we consider countries outside our borders? This is not only a question for the European debate. It is historically a question of global trade, global aid and now, increasingly, of the global environment.
Protection of our oceans has been recognised as an international problem, resulting in United Nations legislation. Protection of the atmosphere from rampant greenhouse gas emissions is proving more difficult, but just as necessary.
The past 18 months have seen global temperatures attain a series of record-breaking highs. This is coupled with an El Niño year, when Pacific Ocean circulation brings an eastward flowing current of warm water to the surface around Christmas time at intervals of two to seven years.
Warmer water at the ocean surface feeds atmospheric weather circulation. On 24 October, Hurricane Patricia, the strongest on record, hit the west coast of Mexico. Back home, Storm Desmond hit the UK on 5-6 December, breaking 24-hour and 48-hour rainfall records. The impact of unchecked global warming can only increase in its severity. It is best targeted if we share the benefits of our mistakes and our learnings as we explore the technologies that can bring about vital emissions reductions.
In the challenge to inform and promote decarbonisation across the UK, SCCS inevitably focuses on Scotland and the British Isles. But that is not the whole story. Last week, I travelled to Mexico City where I met experts from Mexico’s Energy Ministry and fellow academics from the top university, Universidad Nacional Autonóma de México. Our goal was to strengthen research and development links to help support Mexico’s efforts to develop carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) as a route to reducing the country’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
Our own ambitions sit well with the philosophy of the UK’s climate mission promoted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office since 2005. Although large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) has so far failed to get off the ground in the UK, we have an extensive body of knowledge and expertise – detailed project studies and world-leading research – that we are sharing with emerging economies, such as Mexico. No other country does this.
During the past five years, we have engaged directly with researchers in the emerging economies of Brazil, South Korea, Japan, South Africa, China – and now Mexico. These nations are seeking to balance economic development with climate action but they lack people skills and experience. What SCCS can offer, through our five partner institutes, is that experience coupled with skills, knowledge, education and training.
Mexico emits around the same amount of CO2 annually as the UK. We share 14th place on the global league table. Under President Felipe Calderón, environment was high on the political agenda, leading to the adoption of the General Law on Climate Change in April 2012 – the first such law in a developing country. This commits Mexico to reduce its emissions by 50% from 2000 levels by 2050.
President Enrique Peña Nieto has since accelerated institutional and educational transformation, environmental transition and sustainable business opportunities. Mexico has been exploring CCS for several years with World Bank advisors and consultants. But now it is about to spend its own money to create a national CCS partnership worth £20 million.
In Paris last year, world leaders agreed to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. But how will we deliver this agreement if developed countries like the UK (claiming to be a climate leader) simply set standards on pieces of paper. Making climate justice happen means taking action. And that includes supporting the ambitions of developing economies, such as Mexico.
Professor Stuart Haszeldine is a director of Scottish Carbon Capture & Storage (SCCS)
