MEDIA ADVISORY
Friends of the Earth International
29 January 2007
MEDIA ADVISORY
Friends of the Earth International
ADVANCE for 2 February 2007
STARK FINDINGS ON CLIMATE CHANGE
PARIS (FRANCE), 2 February 2007 -- The
world's leading scientific experts are set to
deliver the latest, starkest findings on
climate change.
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change begins its release of the
long anticipated Fourth Assessment Report in
Paris on 2 February 2007, which is set to
provide the most credible evidence yet of the
human link to climate change and its
devastating impacts.
The report which has taken six years to
compile draws on research by 2,500 scientists
from over 130 countries and should shock the
world into taking urgent action to reduce
global emissions.
Catherine Pearce, Friends of the Earth's
International Climate Campaigner, said:
"This report will show with unquestionable
certainty that we are to blame for the last
50 years of warming. The recorded changes in
our climate, which had been predicted to
start many years from now are already upon us
- and with some bleak predictions to come. We
can no longer afford to ignore growing and
compelling warnings from the world's leading
experts.
"Further delays in agreements at the
international level are unacceptable in light
of these findings. Governments in the
industrialised world should be leading the
way by going further than existing national
action and working with others to secure
urgent agreement on a more effective second
round of Koyto starting in 2013.
Clearly stronger targets for
industrialised countries, greater attention
to adaptation needs and assistance to
developing countries to follow a low carbon
economy are all required elements. "
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Catherine Pearce, Friends of the Earth's
International Climate Campaigner will be
present in Paris for the: 10th Working Group
I Session from Wednesday 31st January
(meeting starts Monday 29th) at the Salle II
of the UNESCO Building in Paris.
Press conference to present the approved
text of the Summary for Policymakers of the
Report at 9.30 AM Central European Time on
Friday, 2 February at: Salle IV, Mezzanine
Floor), UNESCO Conference Centre, 125, Av de
Suffren, 75007 Paris
BACKGROUND to the Fourth Assessment
Report:
The report is broken down into four
sections.
The timing for publication of each section
is as follows:
2 February - Working Group I, Science of
climate change
6 April - Working Group II, Impacts,
Adaptation and Vulnerability
4 May - Working Group III, Mitigation
Mid November - Final Synthesis Report,
covering key findings of all three Working
Groups.
Working Group I - The Physical Science
Basis of Climate Change, will assess: What
progress has been made in understanding and
attributing climate change?
What do observations of the atmosphere,
oceans, sea level, snow and ice tell us?
How has climate been behaving in the last
hundreds of thousands of years?
What are the projections of future
changes?
The Report includes significantly advanced
observations of the climate system, presents
new projections of future global climate
change using results from 19 climate models,
all with improved representations of physics,
chemistry, and spatial resolution. The report
also covers the range of anthropogenic
greenhouse gases and other factors that drive
climate change.
BACKGROUND the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC):
Recognising the problem of potential
global climate change, the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
established the IPCC in 1988. It is open to
all members of the UN and WMO.
The role of the IPCC is to assess on a
comprehensive, objective, open and
transparent basis the scientific, technical
and socio-economic information relevant to
understanding the scientific basis of risk of
human-induced climate change, its potential
impacts and options for adaptation and
mitigation. It bases its assessment mainly on
peer reviewed and published
scientific/technical literature.
The First IPCC Assessment Report was
completed in 1990. The Report played an
important role in establishing the
Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change by
the UN General Assembly. The UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was
adopted in 1992 and entered into force in
1994. It provides the overall policy
framework for addressing the climate change
issue.
The IPCC has continued to provide
scientific, technical and socio-economic
advice to the world community, and in
particular to the Parties to the UNFCCC
through its periodic assessment reports and
special reports. Its Second Assessment
Report, Climate Change 1995, provided key
input to the negotiations, which led to the
adoption of the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC
in 1997.
The Third Assessment Report (TAR), Climate
Change 2001, was completed in 2001. It was
submitted to the 7th Conference of the
Parties to the UNFCCC and Parties agreed that
it should be used routinely as a useful
reference for providing information for
deliberations on agenda items of the
Conference of the Parties.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Catherine Pearce, Friends of the Earth's
International Climate Campaigner: mobile: +44
(0)7811 283641
IN FRENCH:
Caroline Prak, Friends of the Earth France
Press officer +33-6 86415343 or
+33-1-48513222
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