In his landmark state of the Union speech on February 12 last, President Barack Obama reaffirmed his intention to intensify US efforts to tackle climate change. He laid down a direct challenge to the congress to act with legislation and emphasised that if this did not happen than his administration would continue to take executive actions “to reduce pollution, prepare own communities for the consequence of climate change and speed the transition to more sustainable source of energy.”

Obama’s forceful rhetoric will be welcomed by many across the world, and comes during a period when it may seem hard not to be sceptic about the successful global battle to manage the huge risks of climate change. For instance, the most recent United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCC) International Summit in Doha in December made only modest progress, despite the fact that evidence mounts that our planet is heating up and prospects of preventing dangerous climate change, which all countries have agreed should be avoided by limiting warming to no more than 2 degrees celsius seem to be receding.

However, far from this being a hopeless situation some reckon that Obama’s statement of intent underlines a growing possibility that we may potentially be reaching a point when the tide decisively turns on tackling climate change. Yet, to be sure, much more needs to be done – but if one takes a step behind and examines what is already happening at national and sub-national level in countries right across the world, a relatively positive picture is beginning to emerge.

That is, domestic laws and regulations to address climate change are being passed at an increasing rate – in stark contrast to the pace of progress in international negotiations. In the past year alone, as described in a new report published by GLOBE international, 32 of 33 surveyed countries including the US have introduced or are making progress on significant climate or related legislation and regulation.

This is nothing less than a game changer. In the past 12 months alone

a. China after the publication of its 12th five-year plan in 2011, has proceeded with more detailed implementation guidelines including rules for its emissions trading pilots, progress with drafting its climate change law and publication of an energy white paper. Moreover at the end of October last, sub national legislation was passed in Shenzhen to tackle climate change.

b. Mexico has passed a general law on climate change – a comprehensive legislative framework packaged together with the readiness to tackle the deforestation.

c. South Korea passed legislation to begin a nationwide emission trading scheme by 2015.

d. South Africa has proposed a carbon tax in its latest budget. There has also been some progress in the developed world as well as in the US. For instance, the European Union passed a new directive on energy efficiency and Germany strengthened legislation relating to CCS and energy efficiency. As these examples underline, developed countries are leading this drive. Many are concluding it in their national interest to reduce green house gas emissions by embracing low carbon growth and development. They see that expanding domestic sources of renewable energy not only reduces emissions but also increases energy security by reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels.

Reducing energy demands through greater efficiency reduces cost and increases competitiveness. Improving resilience to the impacts of climate change also makes sound economic change. Many governments and companies have recognised that a green race has started, and they are determined to compete. They also acknowledged that, over time those that produce in ‘dirty’ ways will be increasingly likely to face broader adjustment mechanisms which take account of the subsidy associated with their taking advantage of any unpriced pollution.

If follows, therefore, that advancing domestic legislation on climate change, and experiencing the co-benefits of reducing emissions, is a crucial building block to help create the political conditions to enable a comprehensive, global climate agreement to be reached. Domestic laws give clear signals about direction of policy, increasing confidence and reducing uncertainty -- particularly for the private sector which can drive low-carbon economic growth.

Brig (retd) M Abdul Hafiz is a former DG of BIISS.