Huge global challenges ahead as UN climate talks fizzle out
Posted on 2008 under solar power for homes | No Comment13 Dec
13 December 2008 – Go Solar Power For Homes Dot Com are sad to announce that the much anticipated 2008 UN climate talks have come to a disappointing end in Poland yesterday. Set at a time when some serious action needs to be taken about climate change, once again at yet another UN climate talks the world’s leaders have avoided making any big decisions that might upset big business.
This year’s UN climate talks generated two main outcomes. Firstly, a timetable has been agreed for work between now and the UN climate talks in Copenhagen at the end of next year. Secondly, an Adaptation Fund has been set up to pay for poorer countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
What Friends of the Earth Had To Say
Friends of the Earth Executive Director Andy Atkins told Go Solar Power For Homes Dot Com, “The UN climate talks fizzled out with no progress on the big decisions. We’re on a countdown to catastrophic climate change, yet the developed world is ignoring the ticking clock.
“The science clearly shows that developed nations must cut their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2020 but this issue has been avoided at these talks.
“Long ago rich countries agreed to provide finance to poorer nations so that they can build sustainable green economies and adapt to the devastating impacts of climate change but this cash is still nowhere to be seen.
“There’s now a plan to make decisions in 2009 but a radical quickening in pace is urgently required. Rich nations may be travelling first class, but when the ship hits the rocks they’ll still drown.”
Industrialized countries’ emissions targets
The industrialized countries signed up to specific targets relating to climate change at the Kyoto Protocol making them legally obliged to set new emissions reductions targets for the period following 2012, in light of the latest science. The science shows that rich countries have to take responsibility for climate change by making cuts of at least 40 per cent by 2020. In Poland, industrialized countries failed to propose new targets and are even showing less ambition than at last year’s UN climate talks in Bali.
Industrialized countries have to make their proposals for their new emissions targets by June 2009, but progress at this year’s UN climate talks in Poland would have made an agreement next year much easier.
The UK stuck to the EU position on climate change by making a commitment to reduce emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, or 30 per cent in the context of an international agreement. The UK could have inspired international ambition by unilaterally declaring that it would cut its own emissions by 40 per cent by 2020. The UK’s Climate Change Committee has recommended a 42 per cent cut by 2020, if a global agreement is reached.
Go Solar Power For Homes Dot Com supports the work of Friends of the Earth, an organization that believes the environment is for everyone, wanting a healthy planet and a good quality of life for all those who live on it. They inspire people to act together for a thriving environment and campaign on a range of issues including climate change, biodiversity, waste, transport and food. For further information visit the Friends of the Earth website.
From Sam Deane,
your solar power for homes guide,
at www dot go solar power for homes dot com.
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Info via: Friends of the Earth Pic via: iStockPhoto
The Trackback, http://www.gosolarpowerforhomes.com/solar-power-for-homes/huge-global-challenges-ahead-as-un-climate-talks-fizzle-out by Sam Deane, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
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