David Miliband

Climate Change – Believe the Science

An article in the Huffington Post reports on a recent poll – apparently only 57% of Americans think there is solid evidence that the world is getting warmer – down 20% from three years ago.

This is alarming. We need to do more to make sure people – and governments – know the science behind climate change. Hence the map we commissioned from the Hadley Centre, launched at the Science Museum last week.

The article argues that some of this drop is explained by people’s preoccupation with economic issues. This could well be true. But it is a false dichotomy. If we don’t solve the problems of climate change today; the depression of tomorrow – once the full economic effects kick in – would eclipse the current recession.

Lord Stern has said that the economic effects of climate change could cost us more than two world wars and the great depression combined. We must heed such warnings, we must listen to the science, and we must ensure that the Copenhagen Summit heralds an ambitious global deal to limit temperature rises to two degrees.

Posted at 14:26 29 October 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[4]

Blog Action Day

15 October is Blog Action Day related to climate change and Copenhagen in particular.   There isn’t really a better topic for blogging - a deal needs civilian power not just government power. 

I've just done an interview for a Brazilian paper El Globo arguing that we keep the faith in the drive for an ambitious, fair and effective global deal.  That remains my position.

Posted at 11:45 10 October 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[2]

Munich Security Conference

This article from the Atlantic Press Review Blog discusses some interesting comment pieces on NATO at 60. These are issues I'm grappling with at the moment. Tomorrow I make a speech  at the Wehrkunder Security Conference in Munich. Its about how NATO and the EU can deal with both conventional security threats within its borders, and the new global threats from terrorism, climate change and nuclear proliferation.  This is a great opportunity for Europe, NATO, and the world to think clearly and deeply about our common security. I look forward to a fascinating debate with many of the world's leaders in attendance.

Posted at 20:52 05 February 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[6]

Tackling Terrorism

President Obama's interview on  Al Arabiya  sets out in clear terms the foundation of his Administration's approach to the Muslim world(s). 

The watchwords are clear: respect for difference, smart use of power, building a coalition  for  social change. The Prime Minister and I have made similar arguments.  Roger Cohen's article in the New  York  Times on Thursday  provides good context

Posted at 14:27 30 January 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[6]

Carbon capture and storage

One of the last but most important questions to be resolved in the climate and energy deal just agreed at the European Council was how to finance the demonstration of carbon capture and storage (CCS), the technologies that remove carbon emissions from fossil power plants and bury them indefinitely in geological reservoirs underground. In the event we managed to secure a package that will fund the construction of the 10 or so plants we will need in order to discover if we can make CCS work safely and affordably at scale. This fulfils the commitment European leaders made at their Summit last spring.

This is a breakthrough agreement. Coal is a reality. China has in recent years been building 2 new coal plants a week. The US and Germany get 50% of their electricity from coal. Unless we can find a way of ensuring that the coal that is inevitably going to be burned is emission free, there will be no chance of avoiding dangerous climate change.

Today's deal in effect establishes one of the most transformational technology partnerships ever seen. It brings us a big step closer to establishing the zero emission power systems we urgently need, not only in the EU but also in the US, China and elsewhere. It will help those in the US Congress like Senator Kerry who have been pressing for a similar package to change the game on coal in the US. It thereby puts in place a critical precondition for the agreement we need to reach at Copenhagen next year on a new international framework for climate change. That will now take centre stage.  

Posted at 10:48 15 December 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[4]

Climate Champions

150 school children gathered in an ex-sewage works (honestly) for presentations from the international climate change champions and QandA with me. I was impressed that the small seeds of a Defra idea that it was possible to multiply youth effort on climate change should be bearing fruit in presentations to environment ministers meeting recently in Kobe Japan for the G8 plus 5.

Posted at 04:15 08 July 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[2]

Japanese bloggers unite

I met 100 Japanese bloggers tonight at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo to debate how the internet can fuel the drive to meet the challenge of climate change.  The event will be at www.uknow.or.jp .  The predominantly young audience did not give the panel a tough time - you can see the Japanese chief government advisor at www.kiyoshikurokawa.com but did show a zeal and studiousness that was impressive. 
 
I hope they found time to visit the roving highlights of the Turner modern art exhibition three floors up - including Damien Hirst's incredible halved cow.  300 000 visitors in three months are getting a taste of not-so-traditional Britain.

Posted at 17:32 27 June 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[5]

G8 plus 5

I met the Mexican Foreign Minister yesterday to discuss her country’s key bridging role between the G8 “leading industrialised countries” and the plus 5 “emerging economies (Mexico, China, India, Brazil, South Africa).  I support their inclusion in G8 discussions but this is a sore point; their participation in G8 meetings is limited.  I think that is a pity as most of the big G8 issues eg climate change or energy require a deal between the emerging and developed economies.  Not much chance of a deal if they are not at the table.

Posted at 12:06 18 June 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[0]

Memories of San Francisco

I haven't been to San Francisco since 1978 when I spent a year in the US as a junior high school student and my parents took us to California for a holiday. Four or five hours doesn't make up for 30 years. I remember the trolley cars from 1978 and didn't get onto one this time. Last time I didn't meet the mayor; this time I did meet Gavin Newsom who has just been re-elected. He hosted a seminar for me on San Francisco's experience as the (admittedly self-appointed) US gateway to China and the common cause he is trying to forge over climate change policy.  He reports that 860 US cities have now signed up to the Seattle Mayor's initiative which effectively gets cities onto a Kyoto emissions reduction track.

Posted at 11:22 28 May 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[2]

Green Peace

The day of a record oil price of $122 a barrel was a good day to give a lecture at the LSE on the geopolitics of high carbon dependence. The common feature of the resource crunch on fuel, food and water is the hydrocarbon economy. We are being hit in our pockets for being locked into the electricity, heat and transport systems that cause climate change, turning on its head the argument that we cannot afford to take action on climate. See what you think of the argument.

Posted at 13:41 08 May 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[9]