media advisory
friends of the earth international
climate change treaty goes live
but battle on emissions has only just
begun
KYOTO (JAPAN) / BRUSSELS (BELGIUM), 14
February 2005 - Friends of the Earth
International warned today that the United
Nations Kyoto agreement on climate change
that will enter into force on February 16 is
only a first modest step towards more drastic
greenhouse gas emission cuts needed to
address climate change. [1]
The day when the Kyoto treaty goes live is
a day to celebrate, but Friends of the Earth
also expressed deep disappointment that on
February 9 the European Union backed away
from its leadership role by refusing to
earmark targets for future gas emission cuts
after the first commitment period of Kyoto
ends in 2012. [2]
Governments and environmental groups
around the globe are set to mark the entry
into force of the Kyoto Protocol with
speeches, exhibitions, parties and parades
[3].
Past emissions of greenhouse gases,
largely from industrialised countries, mean
that the world cannot avoid an increase of
average global temperature to 1.3^(o)C above
pre-industrial levels. If the average
temperature rises beyond 2^(o)C, the impacts
of climate change, which we are already
suffering will become catastrophic. [4]
The evidence that climate change is
proceeding apace is piling up and weather
extremes across the planet are increasing,
both in frequency and intensity. A recent
high-level international taskforce "Meeting
the Climate Challenge" has revealed that
global emissions have to peak by as early as
2015 in order to avoid uncontrollable climate
change.
Catherine Pearce of Friends of the Earth
International said "Whilst Kyoto is an
important first step, we really need to see
some teeth to future international efforts.
The world around us is already changing, in
dramatic and life threatening ways, It is
time for rich countries to act now, before it
becomes too late. The US, as the world's
biggest polluter must of course play its
part."
"In particular the European Union must
continue to take the lead on future action
and should not wait and see what others will
do. With concerted action, industrialised
countries, led by the European Union, can be
delivering cuts in emissions and set us on
the path to 80% reductions by 2050 -- to the
benefit of our economies and the well-being
of our citizens," she added.
Official negotiations in November this
year will begin to discuss commitments post
2012 when the first Kyoto commitment period
is due to end. One key question will be how
to tackle fast growing emissions from
emerging economies such as China, India and
Brazil and introduce policies that decouple
economic growth from emissions.
Friends of the Earth believes that Western
countries which have enjoyed economic growth
through the burning of fossil fuels (and have
therefore contributed most to climate
change), must help finance low carbon
development in the south, and phase out
public financing of fossil fuels and into
cleaner energies.
more information
europe
Catherine Pearce, Friends of the Earth
International (in London) +44 (0)7811 283 641
or direct line: +44 (0)20 7566 1723 or
email
Jan Kowalzig, Climate Campaigner, Friends of
the Earth Europe (in Brussels) +32-2-5426102
or email
Markus Steigenberger, Friends of the Earth
Germany (in Berlin) Tel: +49 30 27586 468 or
email
japan
Yuri Onodera, Climate Campaigner, Friends of
the Earth Japan +81- 3951-1081 or email
americas
Roque Pedace in Argentina: + 54-1146290386
or email
notes
[1]
141 countries
have to date ratified the Kyoto Protocol.
Background information
on
the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change.
[2]
The new proposed
strategy recommends to EU leaders not to
agree on emission cuts after 2012 until the
level of participation from other countries
becomes clear. The document calls on
increased participation by Europe's
international partners, but fails to deliver
a real plan how this could be realised, in
particular regarding the United States.
[3]
On 16 February, the
European Union's executive Commission is
inviting the 141 countries that have ratified
the Kyoto Protocol to a Cocktail Party to
celebrate. Climate Outlaws United States and
Australia are not invited. For more details
on international events marking Kyoto's entry
into force:
unfccc
and
climatenetwork
[4]
Two degrees centigrade
global average warming would threaten many
tens of millions of people with increased
risk of hunger, hundreds of millions with
increased malaria risk, millions with
increased flooding and billions with
increased risk of water shortage.(Ref: Hare,
B (2003) "Assessment of Knowledge on Impacts
of Climate Change - Contribution to the
Specification of Art. 2 of the UNFCCC:
Impacts on Ecosystems, Food Production, Water
and Socioeconomic System"
online
and M Parry, N
Arnell, T McMichael, R Nicholls, P Martens, S
Kovats, M Livermore, C Rosenzweig,A).
Scientific knowledge is increasing
constantly and improving our understanding of
the likely changes that will come from rising
global temperatures and the assessment keeps
getting worse. Some of the most important new
reports and findings of the last twelve
months include:
-
A multi-year international study
published in Nature (Thomas, et. al,
"Extinction risk from climate change",
NATURE (VOL 427) 8 JANUARY 2004 pp. 146 -
148) predicts that mid-range climate change
scenarios will doom a million species to
extinction by mid-century;
-
The Arctic Climate Impacts Assessment ,
commissioned by the Arctic Council,
confirmed that the Arctic is warming much
faster than the rest of the globe. At least
half of the summer sea ice will disappear
by the end of this century, along with
significant melting of the Greenland ice
sheet, with devastating consequences for
seals, bears, local communities, and with
global consequences including (but not
limited to) sea level rise;
-
A study of the European heat wave in
the summer of 2003, published in December
2004 (Ref: Stott, et. al., "Human
contribution to the European heatwave of
2003", NATURE (VOL 432) 2 DECEMBER 2004 pp.
610-614), concluded that there was a clear
global warming fingerprint on the killer
heat wave, and that by mid-century, such a
summer would be cooler than average.
Further reports on climate
impacts
IPCC Third Assessment Report (TAR) Climate
Change 2001
read report
International Symposium on the Stabilisation
of Greenhouse Gases, 1-3 Feb, Hadley Centre,
Steering Committee Report
read report
Impacts of Europe's changing climate, 2004
read report
Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, November
2004
read report
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