transcript

Nobel Laureates Symposium

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LISA MULLINS: Climate change was the focus of some of the world's leading thinkers gathered this week in London. 19 Nobel Prize winners met at a royal residence of Prince Charles for three days of cloistered discussions of what was described as the “fierce urgency” of the challenge of global warming. We're going to speak with one of those laureates in just a few minutes. Right now, though, the BBC's environment and science correspondent David Shukman was at the closing press conference today. David, with at least 19 minds not including yours, hopefully something good came from this meeting. What did?

DAVID SHUKMAN: Well, the key phrase that they have come up with is that greenhouse gas emissions which are rising year on year must start to fall no later than 2015, just six years away, if we're to head off the worst effects of global warming, if the global temperature is to be kept below an increase of 2 degrees Celsius. A tall order, most say, but these people with their great background, believe that unless world leaders get that message, the world could be in trouble.

MULLINS: And do they have any power to make any movement in that direction, or just make suggestions?

SHUKMAN: All they can do is make suggestions, but they're very well plugged in. The new energy secretary from the United States, Steven Chu, was present for all three days for this conference. The hope was that he and others would take these messages directly to the key administrations – and what's emerging is the picture of an interlocking puzzle. To get an new climate treaty at the Copenhagen talks in December, it's understood that everybody has to be involved. For too long, some observers say, climate talks are being held up because of the issue of who goes first. All the scientists and these nobel laureates are trying to do is to get everyone to make cuts, to go through the same pain together for the same greater good.

MULLINS: I'm not sure many people are familiar with this move toward plight. What is that about?

SHUKMAN: There's a hunt for urgent immediate steps that could be taken, and one favored by a great many researches is an easy one. To paint as many horizontal surfaces as possible white. White is a great reflector and shines back towards space, sun's radiation, and if rooftops, if streets, if car parks were all white or pale, the theory goes this could prove an immediate panacea for the threat of global warming.

MULLINS: So if you're painting over a black roof, does it matter what kind of material you're using or just paint it white?

SHUKMAN: The key thing is the color. The US Army discovered that by having a white coating on its tents in Iraq, it could reduce the fuel burden, reduce the number of fuel convoys that have to travel around Iraq. A lot of wacky ideas are now being taken more seriously.

MULLINS: David Shukman, the BBC's environmental correspondent, thanks.

SHUKMAN: You're welcome.

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