GREENPEACE CALLS ON WORLD LEADERS AT UN MEETING TO ACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE – KYOTO: JUST DO IT!
UNITED NATIONS – Speaking at the first high-level meeting on climate change at the United Nations, the Campaigns Director of Greenpeace China, Lo Sze Ping, will challenge world leaders to strengthen the
Kyoto Protocol, the one global agreement to combat climate change.
„Sober scientists and economists are raising alarm bells that can be ignored only at great peril to us all. The Kyoto Protocol is the only way we can deliver real action on climate change. Governments must not be diverted by more rhetoric and posturing such as the upcoming `Major Emitters Meeting’ in Washington. Kyoto: just do it,” says Lo.
Greenpeace is calling for governments to agree to a „Bali Mandate” at the Kyoto meeting in Bali in December. It must address the urgency of climate change through:
– drastic cuts in emissions by industrialized countries;
– creating new market mechanisms to bring developing country action on climate change into the Kyoto system;
– a fund to deliver an energy revolution based on renewable energy and energy efficiency, and
– a reduction in carbon emissions through the elimination of deforestation.
– payment for the impacts of climate change that no longer can be avoided, especially in the developing world (1).
„The work in Bali cannot be a road map, not a wish list, but a clear mandate to a strengthened second phase of the Kyoto Protocol by 2009,” continues Lo.
Lo is also challenging the view that China was not acting on climate change. „To be clear, China is acting as we have already established significant renewable energy and energy efficiency targets. However, we must end our dependency on coal for the production of energy and harness our capacity to develop wind and solar power to address climate change through profitable alternatives.”
China has the capacity to develop 118GW of wind power and 25GW of photovoltaic solar power by 2020. According to the Global Energy Scenario released by Greenpeace International earlier this year, investing in a renewable electricity and energy efficiency future will save 180 billion USD annually, while cutting CO2 emissions in half by 2030. This analysis can be found at: www.energyblueprint.info
„We have all the technology we need to start the job of preventing dangerous climate change – now,” adds Lo. „Governments must just get on with the work.”
Contacts at the U.N.:
Jane Kochersperger, Media Officer, Greenpeace U.S., +1 202 680 3798
Daniel Mittler, Climate Policy Expert, Greenpeace International, +49 171 876 5345
Cindy Baxter, Media Officer, Greenpeace International, cell +202 413 8519
Steve Smith, Media Officer, Greenpeace U.S., +1 202 465 5352
Note: (1) Greenpeace calls for the UN climate conference scheduled to take place in Bali from the 3rd to the 14th December to deliver a Bali Mandate that ensures:
– A peak in global emission by 2015 and more than a halving of global emissions by 2050 from 1990 levels.
– Developed countries, which have historically caused most of the problem, to take the lead and, as a group, to emissions by at least 30% by 2020 (from 1990 levels).
– More countries included in the Kyoto regime. Newly industrialized countries with high per capita incomes such as South Korea, Singapore and Saudi Arabia should adopt binding emission limitation targets. Middle income countries such as China, Brazil, India and South Africa need to participate in the Kyoto emissions trading system (through sectoral or other quantified action commitments e.g. for the electricity sector). These should be tailored to the different circumstances of middle-income countries but must all involve additional action. Incentives must make joining the Kyoto system even more attractive.
– A massive new Clean Technology Deployment Mechanism system aimed at switching to clean, efficient, renewable technology in developing countries.
– A Deforestation Reduction Mechanism in addition to cuts in industrial emissions.
– An Adaptation Mechanism with a reliable financing mechanism to ensure that those effected by unavoidable climate change, who are often the poorest, are redressed.
