This just in from the Office of Tony Blair: a bold, collaborative climate deal will create millions of jobs while bolstering all major economies. His recently-released report, entitled “Cutting the Cost: The Economic Benefits of Collaborative Climate Action”, details the difference it would make if countries worked together (versus individually) to fight climate change. In addition to achieving huge cost savings, collaboration would spread the benefits to all countries and create 10 million new jobs over the next 10 years.
The report’s introductory paragraphs elucidate the connection between climate change and economy: “dealing with climate change is also primarily an economic issue, affecting investment…, international trade, competitiveness, jobs, equity and growth itself. It is this economic characteristic – coupled with the fact that climate change can only be successfully addressed at a global level – that has made reaching an ambitious international agreement so difficult, particularly in times of economic crisis.”
Blair implemented additional solutions to these problems 18 months ago, including forming the Breaking the Climate Deadlock Initiative and publishing Technology for a Low Carbon Future prior to the G8 meetings earlier this year. According to the “Cutting the Cost” report, these measures demonstrated how the world can use existing, viable technology to avoid dangerous climate change without breaking the bank.
Hopefully other world leaders will take notice of Blair’s findings in time for the G20 Summit this week and the UN Climate Change Conference in December….