Climate Change conference goes paperless
Organisers of this year’s climate change conference underway in Lima, Peru, have gone paperless.
The move is to show global commitment to the issues of deforestation and the attendant greenhouse gas emissions, which are being discussed at climate change conferences.
The usual pack of conference brochures, programmes and speeches for the two -week climate discussions were absent.
Participants were instead expected to access every information including the programme, documents and outcome of meetings online using a wifi connection.
The highlights of major meetings were however printed in single copies for interested participants.
This year, the meeting taking place from December 1-12 is being hosted by the Government of Peru, in Lima.
There have been heightened concerns over the devastating effects of climate change which include rise in temperatures, sea levels, increased drought and floods in some countries, and famine, due to factors largely attributed to human activities.
The conference is being attended by delegates from 194 countries and interested groups, including civil society organisations, scientists, environmentalists and non-governmental organisations.
Adopting the paperless approach is seen by many of the participants from Peru as a major step towards the practical approach to the discussions on climate change.
The production of paper moved from the days of the papyrus, a thick, paper-like material produced from the pith of the Cyperus papyrus plant which was used in ancient Egypt and other Mediterranean cultures for writing in the past to a flourishing industry in recent times.
Ms Carolina Eyzaguirre, a participant from Peru, stated: “When we cut trees, we deforest which in turn contributes to global warming.”
Deforestation causes carbon dioxide to linger in the atmosphere. As carbon dioxide accrues, it produces a layer in the atmosphere that traps radiation from the sun. The radiation converts to heat which causes global warming, which is better known as the greenhouse effect
According to Ms Eyzaguirre, the environmental impact of paper was significant. "With the use of modern technology, such as the printing press and the highly mechanised harvesting of wood, disposable paper has become a cheap commodity. This has led to a high level of consumption and waste," she stated.
Global warming is an increase in the average temperatures of the air and sea at the earth’s surface.
The production and use of paper have a number of adverse effects on the environment known collectively as paper pollution, as pulp mills contribute significantly to air, water and land pollution.
