First Minister's statement on climate change "dangerously complacent and irresponsible"

A claim, by First Minister Rhodri Morgan, that climate change could benefit the Welsh economy was condemned today by Friends of the Earth Cymru as being dangerously complacent and irresponsible.

Addressing an audience of business people at the Assembly's Senedd yesterday, the First Minister stated that climate change would "hardly be unhelpful" to the Welsh economy as it would give Wales a Spanish or Californian climate.

In response, Friends of the Earth's Assembly Campaigner, Gordon James, said:

"This is a dangerously complacent and irresponsible statement by the First Minister.

"Although opportunities exist in areas such as clean energy developments, the environmental and economic threats posed by climate change significantly outweigh any benefits.

"The climate will become more unstable producing extremes of weather, such as flooding, droughts and storms, which will cause significant economic, social and environmental problems. Today's report from the National Trust about the damage to Wales' coastline[1] gives an indication of what lies in store for us.

"Rhodri's statement gives the impression that there is little to worry about here in Wales. We can, it seems, sit back and look forward to enjoying Spanish sunshine while the tourists flock in. But it is neither economically realistic nor morally acceptable to believe that while Spain turns into a desert and Africa into a graveyard, Welsh businesses will just put more money in the bank.

"The reality will be very different as northern Europe will be creaking under the strain of millions of environmental refugees heading north to escape severe droughts whilst struggling to cope with rising sea levels and extremes of weather.

"Our response to the severe threat posed by climate change is already far too little too late. What we need now is strong political action - this sort of muddled thinking from the First Minister shows an appaling lack of leadership on the most important issue of the day."

Notes

1. See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6356073.stm