Brussels, 04/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - If things go unchecked, climate change will reach dramatic proportions by 2050, but the technological solutions are there to prevent a catastrophe and limit global warming to 2°C above pre-industrial levels. They just have to be deployed, and doing so will not ruin the international community, far from it. The ball is now in the political decision-makers' court. Thus may be summarised the conclusions of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) delivered in Bangkok on 3 May. After the report published in Paris in February (on the state of our scientific knowledge), the one published in Brussels in April (on the impact of climate change and adaptation to it), this report, entitled “Mitigation of Climate Change” is the third and final contribution to the fourth IPCC report, which will be finalised shortly. Centred on technological remedies to a malady that can be controlled, the report is addressed particularly to decision-makers.
As soon as he knew of the contents of the report, European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas called on all the developed countries and emerging countries with strong economic growth to urgently undertake to make significant reductions in their greenhouse gas emissions. “This important IPCC report confirms that significant global reductions in greenhouse gases are essential and urgent. It recognises that the technologies and policies to achieve these cuts exist today, so there is no excuse for waiting. Its conclusions fully support the EU's view that developed countries must reduce emissions to 30% below 1990 levels by 2020, and global emissions must be halved by 2050 … It is now time for the rest of the international community to follow our lead and commit to ambitious reduction targets. Negotiations on a new global climate change agreement must be launched at the next UN ministerial conference in December” (in Bali: ED.), the Commissioner said in a press release.
The main findings of the IPCC report are:
- Without action global greenhouse gas emissions will be 25% to 90% above current levels by 2030, with the highest growth levels in the transport sector. Two-thirds or more of the global emissions growth will come from developing countries, but per capita emissions in 2030 will still be substantially higher in developed countries than in developing nations.
- Limiting average global warming to 2°C above the pre-industrial level will require a cut in greenhouse gas emissions of more than 50% of current levels by 2050.
- Such low emissions scenarios can be achieved at a cost of less than 3% of global GDP by 2030, a fraction of the overall growth over this period.
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions will cut air pollution, and therefore also its associated health costs, improve energy security and increase employment. Near-term health benefits from reduced air pollution can offset a substantial part of the cost of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
- The technologies and potential to reduce emissions exists in all main emitting sectors, i.e. energy supply, transport, buildings, industry, agriculture, forestry and waste, in both developed and developing countries.
- Long term targets for stabilising the global temperature can be achieved using a portfolio of existing commercially available technologies as well as technologies in the pipeline. What are needed are sufficient incentives to develop and deploy them. Establishing a price for carbon creates such incentive and can be achieved through taxes, charges and tradable permit systems.
- Solar and wind power, nuclear energy, more energy efficient lighting, capture of carbon emitted by coal-fired plants, oil and gas platforms, and changing life styles are among the remedies identified.
The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, disappointed that the reluctance of some governments - particularly China and the United States - to accept the scientific recommendations has meant that the latest IPCC report “is unfortunately very conservative in its findings, especially as regards the level of stabilisation of greenhouse gases needed to avoid dangerous climate change”, has called on the EU stand firm. The Greens/EFA welcome the fact that the report proposes solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and that the IPCC has recognised that “energy efficiency and renewable energies are the most important measures for bringing climate change in check”. But they are unhappy that nuclear power is also included, without taking account of the environmental consequences. (an)