Welsh minister urged to back strong action at Cancun summit

05 December 2010

Wales' Environment Minister, Jane Davidson, has been urged to back strong action at the Cancun Climate Change Summit in Mexico. Before the Minister left Wales for the conference on Saturday, Friends of the Earth Cymru asked her to back demands for the conference that are being put forward by Friends of the Earth International [1].

These stipulate that all countries should agree: 

• Emissions cuts of at least 40% by 2020 on 1990 levels - without offsetting - for all developed countries under the Kyoto Protocol.
• Emissions cuts from the US equivalent to the efforts of other developed countries.
• A new financial mechanism under the authority of the United Nations for the richer developed countries to fund efforts by developing countries to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, Gordon James, said:
 
"The evidence of dangerous climate change continues to mount, with this year expected to be one of the warmest ever globally, as more and more people are suffering the consequences. It's now estimated that 350,000 people die each year as a result of climate change, a figure that could rise to 5 million over the next ten years, and that the cost to the global economy is around $150 billion [2].
 
"Although the impacts are suffered mainly by poor people in developing countries [3], it's the rich developed countries, representing only 15 per cent of the world's population, that are responsible for three quarters of the greenhouse gases that have been emitted globally. We believe that the wealthier countries that have caused the problem have a moral duty to lead the fight against climate change and support clean growth in developing countries.
 
"Such actions would also enable us to reap the economic and job-creating benefits of  less polluting low-carbon technologies. A study by HSBC Bank [4] has estimated, for instance, that the global market for low carbon energy could treble by 2020. Another study has estimated that higher recycling rates across Europe could create over half a million new jobs [5].
 
"We hope that Jane Davidson will be able to demonstrate at Cancun the important role that small nations can play in taking strong action to reduce the impacts of climate change whilst reaping economic benefits."

NOTES

1. The Friends of the Earth demands for the Cancun climate negotiations are outlined in the briefing paper 'Standing on the Precipice'
   A copy of this was sent to Wales' Environment Minister prior to her departure to Cancun.
2. 'The Climate Vulnerability Monitor'
3. 80% of all climate change related deaths are registered among children living in south Asia or Sub-Saharan Africa and 99% of all mortality occurs in developing countries ( 'Climate Vulnerability Monitor').
4. HSBC's report, "Sizing the climate economy"
5. 'More Jobs: Less Waste' by Friends of the Earth, September 2010

For further information, please contact Friends of the Earth Cymru on 029 2022 9577