media advisory
3 october 2006
Friends of the Earth International
CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY: NEW ROUND OF
G8 TALKS IN MEXICO
3 October 2006 - Governments are failing
to take the action needed to reach legally
binding targets agreed under the Kyoto treaty
on climate change, Friends of the Earth
International warned ahead of a key meeting
of Ministers from 20 of the biggest
energy-consuming nations in Monterrey,
Mexico.
The October 3-4 gathering is the second of
the 'Gleneagles Dialogue on Clean Energy,
Climate Change and Sustainable Development'
which was born at the 2005 summit of the
group of eight (G-8) richest nations, and
sets the stage for crucial United Nations
talks on international action to tackle
climate change scheduled to take place in
Nairobi, Kenya on November 6-17, 2006.
As well as mitigation measures,
sustainable development and adaptation needs
are also due to be discussed.
Friends of the Earth International is
disappointed that despite requests, civil
society participation and contribution is not
allowed at the meeting.
According to Friends of the Earth
International, existing emission targets
under the Kyoto treaty are insufficient to
avoid dangerous climate change, with far
deeper cuts required. But despite dramatic
scientific warnings and substantial evidence
that climate change is happening faster than
previously predicted, global emissions are
still on the rise. [1]
Catherine Pearce, Friends of the Earth
International climate campaigner said: "Last
year heads of state at the G8 summit in
Gleneagles recognised the urgent need for
decisive action against climate change whilst
'eradicating energy poverty' around the
world. But they are still focused on their
dependence of fossil fuels. To adequately
address climate change this Dialogue must
help to build the conditions for the
solutions to flourish.
A fundamental transformation of our energy
use is required. The richest countries in
this room could begin the challenge with
reversing investment away from fossil fuels
and into renewables and energy efficiency
echnologies. This would also help to build
well needed momentum into the formal UN
climate negotiations. "[2]
In particular, G8 leaders must commit
themselves to strong future actions to combat
climate change. These should include
increased efforts to meet Kyoto targets, and
a clear signal that their commitments will
increase after 2012 (when the first
commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol is
due to end). Collectively the G8 nations,
which represent just 13 per cent of the
world's population, are responsible for 45
per cent of the world's greenhouse gas
emissions.
Many external inputs will be received
during the meeting, including the
International Energy Agency, a presentation
from Sir Nick Stern on his findings so far on
the economics of climate change, and
contributions from the World Bank on their
Clean Energy Investment Framework which feeds
directly into the Dialogue. [5]
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Catherine Pearce, Friends of the Earth
International climate campaigner or Isaac
Rojas, Friends of the Earth Costa Rica, Tel:
+ 44 7811 283 641 (UK mobile)
NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1] Recent scientific reports suggest that
in order to achieve the maximum 2°C
temperature rise target with reasonable
certainty, concentration levels must peak
below 500 ppm and then return below 400ppm,
which would require global CO2 cuts of 50% by
2050. Industrialised countries would have to
cut their CO2 emissions by 80% at least. In
contrast, a concentration of 550ppm, a figure
that has been used as a rule-of-thumb in the
past, has a 68% to 99% chance of exceeding
the 2°C threshold. See: Malte Meinshausen,
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in
Zurich: "On the Risk to Overshoot 2°C";
http://www.up.umnw.ethz.ch/~mmalte/simcap/data.html
[2] A July 13, 2006 BBC poll found
widespread support for alternative energy
strategies and extensive fear that the
climate and environment are being harmed.
See:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/5170152.stm
[3] The Gleneagles Dialogue includes 20
countries (G8+5 together with Indonesia,
Australia, Spain, Poland, Nigeria, South
Korea), the European Commission and key
international organisations including the
World Bank and the International Energy
Agency. The UNFCCC Secretariat
participates.
[4] The Dialogue will report back to G8
Heads of Government during Japan's G8
Presidency in 2008.
[5] Friends of the Earth International has
written a response to the Bank's Clean Energy
Investment Framework with 9 other
organizations. This is available at
http://www.foe.org/camps/intl/EnergyReportDraft091406.pdf
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