Europe Maps Out Higher Targets

Europe is reasserting its leadership to combat global warming by offering to slash its greenhouse gas emissions by up to 95% by 2050 and by 30% by 2020 if a pact is sealed in Copenhagen, while British Foreign Secretary David Miliband has unveiled an interactive map which shows graphically how climate change could lead to water and food shortages, mass migration and conflict.

Ian Traynor in Sydney Morning Herald (23 October 2009):
BRUSSELS: Europe has attempted to reassert its leadership of the campaign to combat global warming by offering to slash its greenhouse gas emissions by up to 95 per cent by 2050 and by 30 per cent by 2020 if a climate-change pact is sealed in Copenhagen in six weeks’ time.
”This should be seen as a clear message to the world,” said Andreas Carlgren, the Swedish environment minister.
”We expect to reach an agreement in Copenhagen,” he said after environment ministers from the 27 European Union countries met to finalise a common negotiating position.
His optimism contrasts with growing doubts that there is enough time to deliver a binding agreement in Copenhagen.
The EU still has to settle how to pay the developing world to cope with the impact of global warming and disputes over the EU emissions trading scheme.
On Tuesday European finance ministers failed to agree on a funding package for developing countries, with Poland and other poorer east European countries unhappy about being asked to subsidise action in countries such as China and India. Poland is also leading dissent on the emissions trading scheme.
The EU proposal offers to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 to 95 per cent by 2050 in the event of a satisfactory deal.
Ministers reiterated pledges to deepen cuts from 20 to 30 per cent if other world powers signed up for similar action.
Campaigners denounced the accord as inadequate. ”The level of ambition demonstrated by environment ministers will not deliver a fair and just global climate agreement in Copenhagen,” said Sonja Meister, climate campaign co-ordinator for Friends of the Earth.
”Europe must go much
further than this and live up to its historical responsibilities by committing to cut emissions by 40 per cent domestically by 2020.”
Greenpeace said: ”The EU’s position is not strong enough to unlock the stalled negotiations.”
Given the reluctance of the US, China and India to unveil targets or specific figures for a pact, the EU was divided over tactics. But Britain, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands believe Europe can gain from seizing the leadership before Copenhagen.
Guardian News & Media
Source: www.smh.com.au
October 23, 2009
Article from: Agence France-Presse

BRITISH Foreign Secretary David Miliband has unveiled an interactive map demonstrating the impact of global warming in decades to come, to underline the looming threat.
The map, presented at London’s Science Museum, shows graphically how climate change could lead to water and food shortages, mass migration and conflict if action is not taken at a landmark summit in Copenhagen in December.

“The reason for publishing this map is that for many people, not only in our own country but around the world, the penny hasn’t yet dropped that this climate change challenge is real, it’s happening now,” Mr Miliband said.

The effects of climate change are not in “some far flung future” but would affect hundreds of millions of people within his lifetime, he added, unveiling the map with his brother Ed, Britain’s climate change minister.

A 4 degree celsius increase could happen in his children’s lifetime, Mr Miliband warned.

“The penny hasn’t dropped that Copenhagen is the chance to address – on a global scale – the challenge,” he said.

The map shows sea level rises and storm surges with temperatures rising up to 15 degrees, bringing increased risks of forest fires and droughts in Europe, and slashing harvests by up to 40 per cent in southeast Asia and Africa.

Vicky Carroll of the Science Museum said: “We thought it was important for visitors to understand the whole picture.

“There’s so much information about climate change but many people are still confused, so this gives them the evidence in a clear and accessible way.”

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned on Monday the world faces “catastrophe” if action is not agreed to curb the greenhouse gases held resposnible for global warming at the UN talks in Copenhagen.
Source: www.theaustralian.news.com.au