You may or may not have heard the hype about “COP21” in the media, political arenas, or on the cover of an airport magazine (pictured above). It kind of sounds like an underground music festival or maybe a conference for cops? It is a conference...in early December, Paris will host the 21st Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. So not as exciting as a music festival, but it does have far more potential for global impact.

The Kyoto Protocol following the summit in 1997 brought 37 countries together to pledge to reduce their greenhouse gases by at least 5%. Kyoto brought the issue of climate change to direct policy, but most countries have failed to meet their Kyoto goals. The 2009 summit in Copenhangen failed to reach consensus and the decision was delayed to 2015, to COP21.

The objective of COP21 is to devise a new agreement in which countries will pledge to reduce green house gas emissions in order to keep the average global temperature increase under 2 degrees Celsius (as compared to pre-industrial levels). This means reducing greenhouse gases by 40 to 70% by 2050 from 2010 levels.

While the contribution of human activity to climate change is still disputed by some, action needs to be taken to mitigate the immediate impact of fossil fuels on human health and the environment. Air pollution has become a major concern for China. Island nations are completely threatened by rising sea levels from melting ice caps. 

Recognizing that cities are responsible for 70% of carbon emissions, 1000 mayors and city officials will come together at a side summit at COP21. Led by Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, and NYC’s Michael R. Bloomberg, cities will devise a local plan to combat global warming.

With more than 1 billion of the world population still without electricity, the global demand for energy continues to rise. Developed countries must pave the way in clean energy and foster sustainable development in growing economies.

For more information, check out the COP21paris.org and the IAEA's 2015 report on Climate Change and Nuclear Power.

by Lenka Kollar

​18% of the worldwide population, or 1.3 billion people, don't have access to electricity, according to the OECD. And, nearly 40% (2.7 billion people) still rely on traditional biomass (wood, charcoal, agricultural waste and animal dung) for cooking. Most of these people are in Sub-Saharan Africa and developing Asia, regions that are experiencing large economic and populations growth.

Access to sustainable forms of energy leads to immediate and significant savings in labor needed for collecting traditional fuels. In addition, the use of artificial lighting provided by electricity allows people to work beyond daylight hours. With more time, people in developing countries can do more productive activities the generate more economic growth, such as education and industrial work.

Access to electricity allows for the refrigeration of food, thus reducing the risk of food shortages. Organizations have access to information technologies with electricity and computers, further enhancing education and communication. Energy is also a major contributor to improving access to modern medicine.

Population growth and rapid urbanization will drive upward pressure on energy demand in developing countries, this will have a major impact on the environment. The magnitude of this impact on climate change will strongly depend on policy measures undertaken by governments. 

Governments and international organizations are working together to tackle the global development and energy challenge through the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, a new legal instrument on climate change will be prepared and approved at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) in Paris this December, superseding the Kyoto Protocol.

A plan is needed to keep the "2-degree" scenario, meaning that we must control the emissions of greenhouse gases so that the increase of global average temperature will not exceed 2°C relative to pre-industrial levels. This will take a comprehensive plan of action involving sustainable development, energy efficiency, and, most importantly, extensive use of clean energy.

For more information, check out the 2015 IAEA Report on Climate Change and Nuclear Power.

By Lenka Kollar

One of my classmates from INSEAD recently launched a Kickstarter campaign for Cannybots, toy robots designed to teach kids how to program and tinker in a playful way.

I'm really excited for Cannybots to make their way to schools and students' homes to inspire young kids to to be creative while building and playing with something. By making programming and tinkering fun, kids will develop their analytical capabilities without even realizing it, and maybe even be inspired to study and pursue careers in STEM!

As a child, I loved to play with Legos and puzzles, and I think those early days of building and solving things led me to be interested in engineering.  Back then, all of the Legos and other building toys were "boy oriented" so it's very valuable that Cannybots is unisex and appealing to all kids. 

To see how Cannybots work and to contribute to their campaign, check out the Kickstarter page!