Archived press release

International climate scientists issue stark global warning

2 February 2007

Urgent Action needed to prevent climate catastrophe

Friends of the Earth today called on world leaders to take urgent action to cut emissions of greenhouse gases after the planet's leading scientific experts, endorsed by the world's governments, delivered the starkest warning yet on the threat of global climate change.

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published its long anticipated Fourth Assessment Report in Paris today (Friday 2^nd January) providing the most credible and convincing evidence so far of the human link to climate change and its devastating impacts [1].

The report, which has taken six years to compile draws on research by 2,500 scientists from over 130 countries, should shock the world into taking urgent action to reduce global emissions. The report itself has been endorsed by world's governments.

Friends of the EarthClimate Campaigner, Catherine Pearce, said:

"This report shows that human activity is responsible for the last 50 years of global warming, and that the impacts of climate change have already begun."

"The alarm bells are ringing. The world must wake up to the threat posed by climate change. There is still time to act, but urgent action is required. World governments have signed up to and accept these findings, making the reason for action all the more compelling. The industrialized world, including the USA, must lead the way by making significant cuts in their emissions, helping less developed countries develop sustainable, low-carbon economies, and agreeing a more effective and stronger second round to the Kyoto agreement on climate change from 2013."

"The UK Government has played an important role in helping to put climate change at the top of the international agenda. But it must lead by example. Despite promising substantial cuts, UK carbon dioxide emissions have risen under Labour. This is why the Government's proposed new law on climate change must include targets for cutting emissions by at least three per cent every year."

The release of today's report follows a four day meeting in which governments scrutinized the 14 page summary word by word. During the painstaking process to agree the final report, some governments attempted to tone down the text, while others said it did not go far enough. The co-Chairs of Working Group I worked extremely hard to complete the process in time and to ensure a strong, robust summary.

Notes

[1] The IPCC is online at http://www.ipcc.ch

[2] In November's Queen's Speech theUK Government agreed to introduce a new law to tackle climate change. It followed a campaign led by Friends of the Earth throughThe Big Ask climate campaign (www.thebigask.com). The Government will shortly consult on the details of the new law. Friends of the Earth - backed by support from hundreds of MPs and tens of thousands of people - are calling for the new law to require annual cuts in carbon dioxide of at least three per cent every year.

3. Background to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):

Recognising the problem of potential global climate change, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) established the IPCC in 1988. It is open to all members of the UN and WMO.

The role of the IPCC is to assess on a comprehensive, objective, open and transparent basis the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation. It bases its assessment mainly on peer reviewed and published scientific/technical literature.

The First IPCC Assessment Report was completed in 1990. The Report played an important role in establishing the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a UN Framework Convention on Climate Change by the UN General Assembly. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted in 1992 and entered into force in 1994. It provides the overall policy framework for addressing the climate change issue.

The IPCC has continued to provide scientific, technical and socio-economic advice to the world community, and in particular to the Parties to the UNFCCC through its periodic assessment reports and special reports. Its Second Assessment Report, Climate Change 1995, provided key input to the negotiations, which led to the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC in 1997.

The Third Assessment Report (TAR), Climate Change 2001, was completed in 2001. It was submitted to the 7th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC and Parties agreed that it should be used routinely as a useful reference for providing information for deliberations on agenda items of the Conference of the Parties.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust