Photo: Robert van Waarden

COWI at the climate debate hotspot 

Asger Garnak, an environmental economist at COWI, was one of 10,000 people from all over the globe who participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali from 3-14 December 2007. This is the place to get fully updated on the climate front.

Watch the video interview with Asger Garnak

Bali is horrendously hot and humid. It seems chaotic and virtually impossible to get a clear overview. But COWI environmental economist Asger Garnak is completely in his element at the United Nations Climate Change Conference which is being held on the tropical island in Indonesia.

For two weeks in December, leading politicians, government officials, scientists, representatives from the business community, popular organisations and many other people from all over the world are meeting to discuss the subject that forms the focal point of their daily work: climate change.

Offers in abundance

Approximately 10,000 people from more than 180 countries are exchanging the latest knowledge on a topic that is set to become even hotter in years to come, and which involves many different aspects - from the political to the financial and technical.

It is the complex political negotiations that are attracting the most attention, but parallel to these several hundred events are being held, including meetings, conferences and seminars. The offers are many for a man like Asger Garnak, who is determined to stay abreast of events in his particular area of expertise and strengthen his international network.

Photo: Robert van Waarden
The Bali conference lokoed at solutions, not just the problems related to climate change, says Asger Garnak


A focus on solutions

"It is incredibly inspiring to be here and be able to absorb all the information and participate in discussions on the latest developments," says Asger Garnak.

"It's also nice to experience the many meetings and initiatives that focus on solutions rather than just on the problems that are brought to light during the tough, political tugs-of-war that are fought when agreements are being negotiated."

Discussions full of substance

"The Danish negotiators are striving to get a process in place for a comprehensive agreement at the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference, which Denmark will host. The contents are being discussed and analysed too. The objective is to determine which types of agreements and obligations have a chance of being accepted and turned into concrete initiatives in the direction of seriously limiting emissions and finding ways to cope with inevitable climate changes. It's also about the political initiatives that are needed, and what can be done in the individual sectors," says Asger Garnak.

"COWI has much to offer in this process. We invest a great deal of time and energy in keeping up with political and financial discussions and analyses. Climate change is a theme that affects every area in which COWI operates, in one way or another. Our broad span puts us in a position to work with all aspects of the climate issue."

By Jesper Heldgaard
Published: 14.12.2007


What is COP13 
COP is short for Conference of Partners. This conference is held every year by the United Nations. The partners are the 200 or so countries that have signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with the purpose of keeping greenhouse gases at a level that prevents dangerous, man-made climate changes.
 
The conference in Bali is the thirteenth of its kind, and the purpose is to create a time frame for the next two years of negotiations that hopefully will lead to a new global agreement at the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference, which will be held in Copenhagen (COP15). The new agreement will replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.