Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
energy supplies.
102
It is dif
cult to understand the view that mitigating
climate change risks should take precedence over the protection of
ecosystems and biodiversity when a key plank of policies and measures
for adapting to a changing climate is to bolster the resilience of ecosys-
tems.
103
Similarly, mitigation measures are being taken in part to reduce
risks that climate change will impair the provision of
by ecosys-
tems through causing changes in their state. With this in mind, actions that
are likely in themselves to heighten risks of regime shifts occurring should
be authorised, if at all, only as a last resort for reducing carbon emissions.
In any event, it is not possible or appropriate to identify a general need to
authorise ecologically harmful development in order to reduce risks of
climate change at the project level of decision-making. This should be a
policy-level decision made in light of knowledge that no alternative means
are available of reducing dependence on carbon-emitting fuels.
The default position under ecological governance would be that devel-
opment that would undermine ecosystem resilience should not be per-
mitted irrespective of the possible environmental bene
'
services
'
ts that it may
yield. The position will only be departed from if it becomes clear, through
knowledge attained from the preparation of plans for policy implemen-
tation, that: (a) damaging activities must be authorised in order to dis-
place the use of policy options that present greater threats of ecological
harm, particularly those identi
ed for sunsetting; and (b) that it is not
possible to avoid their use through a stronger focus on less-stressful policy
options, including reducing consumption and increasing the ef
ciency of
resource use.
The same rationale should be applied to options that will cause serious
harm in worst-case scenarios. Nuclear energy is heavily regulated because
of the threats that it poses for human and ecological well-being.
104
The
102
Department of Energy and Climate Change,
Appraisal of Sustainability for the revised
draft Overarching National Policy Statement for Energy (EN-1): Main Report
'
'
(HM
Government,
2010
), p. 22; Department of Energy and Climate Change,
'
Overarching
National Policy Statement for Energy (EN-1)
'
-
70,
para. 5.3.6.
103
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
'
Conserving Biodiversity: The
UK Approach
(HMGovernment,
2007
),pp.9,13;DepartmentforEnvironment,Food
and Rural Affairs,
'
'
England Biodiversity Strategy: Climate Change Adaptation
Principles
'
-
8; European Commission,
'
Adapting to
Climate Change: Towards a European framework for action
'
,COM(
2009
)147
nal,
12.
104
L. Clarke,
pp. 10
-
in C. Lever-Tracy (ed.) Routledge Handbook of Climate
Change and Society (Abingdon, Routledge: 2010), pp. 308
'
The Nuclear Option
'
-
16.
