06
Apr 2009 - New evidence from the North and
South Poles indicates that time is running
out for the world’s leaders to respond to
climate change.
As ministers from Arctic
Council and Antarctic Treaty states hold
their first ever joint meeting in Washington
on April 6 celebrating the 50th Anniversary
of the signing of the Antarctic Treaty,
WWF is challenging the ministers to mark
the occasion by affirming their commitment
to climate change action.
The conservation organisation
provided the ministers with compelling recent
evidence from both the north and south poles
that clearly demonstrates global temperature
increases must be kept well under two degrees
Celsius.
“A global average temperature
rise of 2 degrees is clearly too much for
the poles,” says Rob Nicoll, Manager of
WWF’s Antarctic and Southern Oceans Initiative.
“Scientists are already
unpleasantly surprised at how quickly the
impacts of warming such as sea ice loss
are showing up in the polar regions, exceeding
recent predictions.”
Global average warming
due to climate change since the late 1800s
is showing severe impacts at less than one
degree, as the Arctic is warming at about
twice the global average and parts of the
Antarctic are also outstripping the global
average.
The polar regions themselves
have profound and not yet fully understood
impacts on climate globally, and there are
fears that polar tipping points could trigger
abrupt change around the world.
A forthcoming report
on Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment
from the Scientific Committee on Antarctic
Research is expected to up previous estimates
on Antarctica’s expected substantial contributions
to sea level rises.
Marine food chains of
global significance are also under threat
from warming in the Antarctic. “Ice shelves
the size of small countries are crumbling
away and the latest evidence from the Antarctic
is showing that the effects of global warming
there are increasing in magnitude,” said
Mr Nicoll.
“The penguins may feel
it first, but the rest of us won’t be far
behind.”
The warming of the Antarctic
is not yet as acute as the Arctic, but it
is yet a further indication that the meltdown
of our polar caps continues apace. If world
leaders fail to act on this information
the effects will be calamitous.
“The world is caught
in a polar pincer movement,” said Neil Hamilton,
Director of WWF International’s Arctic Programme.
“What is happening at
the poles will control the world’s climate.
If we do not stop the poles from melting,
the whole world will feel it, in the form
of runaway warming and rising waters.”
Right now the Catlin
Arctic Survey expedition is sampling the
thickness of Arctic sea ice. The expedition,
partly sponsored by WWF, is likely to confirm
scientists’ fears that the older, thicker
ice is disappearing. This has led them to
predict that the summer sea ice could disappear
within a generation, leading to catastrophic
consequences for the entire ecosystem, everything
from single celled animals to whales.
“The Ministers meeting
today in Washington have a special responsibility
to the world,” said Mr Hamilton.
“They are the custodians
of the poles, and this would be an opportunity
for them to show the world that they are
ready to step up and shoulder their responsibility
to keep the poles frozen, by committing
to taking urgent and effective action at
the Copenhagen climate meeting this December.”
Please note: WWF will
hold a briefing for Washington reporters
immediately outside the State Department
once the ministerial is over. There will
also be two teleconference briefings for
reporters outside Washington, details of
these are on a separate media advisory.
Reporters who have not received the advisory
can contact the people listed below.
Joe Pouliot, Director of Climate and Policy
Communications, WWF US
Clive Tesar, Head of Communications, WWF
International Arctic Programme
Dr. Neil T. M. Hamilton, Director, WWF International
Arctic Programme.
Rob Nicoll, Manager, WWF Antarctic and Southern
Oceans Initiative
More background is available at panda.org/arctic.
+ More
Bonn climate talks bring
friendly atmosphere but only little progress
– WWF
08 Apr 2009 - Bonn,
April 8 – Climate negotiations in Bonn have
resulted in a friendlier atmosphere among
delegates but no steps forward were taken
on key issues such as emission reductions
and financial support, WWF said on Wednesday.
According to the global
conservation group, delegations have shown
a more positive and open approach compared
to last year’s meeting in Poznan, but progress
on technical details stood in sharp contrast
to the lack of political breakthroughs in
areas which are vital to forge the deal
at the Copenhagen Summit.
“Friendly rhetoric certainly
helps, but without serious commitment and
binding targets to reduce CO2 it simply
isn’t good enough to protect a fragile planet
from runaway climate change,” said Kim Carstensen,
leader of WWF’s Global Climate Initiative.
“The atmosphere at the
talks in Bonn may have improved, but the
climate out there is still spinning out
of control. We must turn nice words into
aggressive action to tackle the giant threat
that’s upon us,” he said.
WWF points out that
industrialized countries have to commit
to ambitious midterm emission reduction
targets to strike a deal at the Copenhagen
Summit.
They also have to put
enough money on the table to fund low carbon
development and vital adaptation measures
in developing countries.
A new US delegation
that’s willing to engage and become part
of the solution benefited the talks, as
well as ambitious positions put forward
by developing country groupings. There is
now a much clearer picture where different
countries stand on key issues in the debate
– and therefore a basis for real negotiations.
“Stringent targets for
emission cuts will be the heart of the new
global deal, and finance for technology
and adaptation is the lifeblood”, says Carstensen.
“But the heart is not beating and the blood
is not flowing, as Bonn only managed to
build a frame and some muscles, bringing
parties closer to consensus on the overall
structure and the mechanisms of the deal.”
The group of Least Developed
Countries has called for USD 2 billion to
finance the implementation of their national
adaptation plans.
In WWF’s view, providing
this modest amount of support in time for
the next round of Bonn talks in June would
be the right signal from developed countries
at this point.
“Today billions are
flowing into recovery packages to save polluting
industries and bad banks, but a financial
stimulus to protect the UN climate talks
from bankruptcy and to help those suffering
from the impacts is missing,” says Carstensen.
“Whether they are called
Obama, Merkel, Harper, Aso or Brown: the
leaders of rich nations must make it their
personal agenda to put together a climate
recovery package – in order to secure agreement
on the global climate deal and ensure smart
investments for a low carbon future.”
