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Foe welcomes meacher's new leadership on climate
4 June 1997
Friends of the Earth International (FOEI) today welcomed the acknowledgement by the Government of the need for urgent action on climate change within the next ten years. In his first major speech on the threat of global warming, Minister for Environmental Protection, Michael Meacher MP, said that critical climate talks in Kyoto in December would be a failure if developed countries did not agree reductions in climate-changing emissions by 2005. Until now, the Government's target date for emissions reductions has been 2010. Mr Meacher said that he hoped the June Environment Council would agree a 2005 target.
FOEI is urging Governments attending the Kyoto Climate Summit in December to agree a target of 20% cut in emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, by 2005 to avoid the risk of dangerous climate change.
Setting a 2005 target will convince developing countries that the industrialised nations are serious about cutting emissions, will provide industry with a signal that it needs to change its investment patterns now, and will improve economic efficiency and create jobs through the early take-up of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures.
Tony Juniper, Friends of the Earth International, said:
"This new indication from the Government that emissions must be cut much earlier than 2010 is to be welcomed. We hope the Government will now demonstrate just how serious it is about showing leadership by going to Europe and international negotiations pushing for a 20% cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2005. We can't afford to wait another five years to make the necessary cuts - the ecological, social and economic consequences are potentially disastrous.We need action sooner rather than later and the UK must be at the forefront of promoting that."
ENDS
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Dec 2008
