Tackle Climate Change

Government to map low-carbon road

2009-07-15T02:32:00.000-07:00

A huge expansion of wind power, home insulation and "smart" electricity meters are among measures being planned to build the UK's low-carbon future. Ministers hope their Carbon Transition Plan will help them meet 2020 targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions and expanding renewable energy. Campaigners say the plan is a chance for the UK to lead on climate change. The government admits consumers will pay more for energy, but believes that overall the economy can benefit. The plan is due to be published later on Wednesday. Current government figures say emissions have already fallen by 22% from 1990. The Low Carbon Transition Plan and its associated measures will plot a path towards the 34% target by 2020. They will also aim to point the economy towards EU targets for 2020 of a 15% share of energy from renewables and a 20% increase in energy efficiency. Beyond that, the government has set a goal of slashing emissions by 80% by 2050. As well as tackling climate change, the government believes changing to a low-carbon economy will help create jobs and industries. "We think the environmental industries in Britain can generate about an extra 400,000 jobs by 2015," Climate and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband told BBC News.

"We think there are big, big opportunities, and actually I think it's something people want to hear - what is the post-recession economy going to look like and where are the jobs going to come from - and we know the world is switching to low carbon, and Britain needs to be at the forefront."

In the wind

In April, Chancellor Alistair Darling formally announced that the UK would live within "carbon budgets" - limits on emissions - just as it attempts to live within financial budgets.

The budgets were recommended by the government's advisory body, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), in December; and the key figure - which the government has accepted - is a 34% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2020.

However, many observers say that the renewables sector is currently growing far too slowly to meet the 15% target, and want ministers to be specific about how they will encourage green businesses.

"We will be looking for hard policy content and rapid delivery timetables from Wednesday's documents," said Gaynor Hartnell, policy director of the Renewable Energy Association (REA)

"The encouraging rhetoric we are now hearing from (Energy and Climate Secretary) Ed Miliband and the Prime Minister on the vital importance of our industry must translate into practical and rapid measures."

The Low Carbon Transition Plan - a white paper - will be accompanied by:

a Low Carbon Industrial Strategy, focussing on "green growth" in industry and business
a Renewable Energy Strategy detailing how the UK will meet its 15% target
Low Carbon Transport: a Greener Future, outlining the transport sector's contribution to greenhouse gas reductions.

UN Expert Fears Climate Change Deal At Risk

2009-07-08T04:21:00.000-07:00

The head of UN's Environment Programme has told Sky News it is vital that world leaders reach an agreement on climate change at a conference in December.
As the G8 summit began in Italy, Achim Steiner called on rich nations to concentrate their efforts on securing a new, low carbon economy, rather than focusing on narrow, national agendas.

He told Sky's Environment Correspondent, Catherine Jacob: "I'm concerned that there are many at the moment who are not taking the point in time seriously enough.

"We only have 160 days left and if you continue to negotiate on the minutiae, rather than looking at the big elements of what will constitute an acceptable deal for everyone, then you are beginning to risk a unique opportunity."

He added: "The prospect of not reaching a deal in Copenhagen means we have lost the capacity to deal with climate change as a global community."

As well as a 50% cut in global emissions by 2050, humanitarian campaigners say hundreds of billions of pounds will be needed to help developed countries adapt to global warming.

Gordon Brown has already called for rich nations to pledge £60 billion a year to help poorer countries cope, but it's unclear where the funds will come from.

Campaign groups warn that unless the G8 can reach a meaningful agreement on climate change, December's much sought-after global emissions deal could be dead in the water.

Robert Bailey from Oxfam told Sky News Online it would be a "disaster" for the talks if enough money isn't promised ahead of the Copenhagen summit, because developing countries may feel richer nations aren't serious about tackling climate change.

"Most of all, it'll be a disaster for the poorest and most vulnerable in the world who are least responsible for causing climate change."

With last year's food price rises and subsequent shortages in mind, President Obama has called on the G8 to commit $15 billion for agricultural development.

But with the world in the grip of a recession, many now fear G8 leaders may be unwilling to pledge the money needed to kick start a global low carbon economy.

Obama hopes to push through G8 climate deal

2009-07-06T03:41:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama is hoping to restore momentum to the search for a global deal on climate change this year when he chairs a meeting of the major economies next week during the G8 summit in Italy.

The American president is hoping that the 17-nation meeting – which will include G8 members and a range of other major economies who produce roughly 80% of world carbon emissions – will sign up to a pledge to prevent world temperatures increasing by more than 2C, the maximum thought permissible before climate change becomes irreversible.

It is the first time that Obama has backed the pledge. He will also travel to Moscow ahead of the G8 to try to bind Russia to a global climate change deal.

The meeting of the leading nations is being held in a former army barracks in the Italian town of L'Aquila. The venue was switched to the town, which was shattered by an earthquake earlier this year, by the Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, and the luxuries of normal world-leader summits will be notably absent.

In what could prove a pivotal meeting on Wednesday at the summit, Obama will use his prestige to pull together the developed and developing countries ahead of a make-or-break UN session in Copenhagen designed to set the future framework on climate change, post 2012.

Obama is said to be willing to take the initiative by dropping long-standing US opposition to the 2C target, according to a draft communique.

A UK official said: "The fact that Obama is chairing this meeting and really wants to make progress shows how far the US has travelled over the past year. We are not expecting the developing countries to sign up to targets at this summit, but we need to start making progress."

In Italy, Gordon Brown is also hoping to sell his ambitious plan, unveiled last week, of a $100bn-per-annum climate change aid programme. Brown is the first world leader to put a figure on the amount of green technological aid the west might need to fund to help developing countries grow sustainably. He is trying to break a diplomatic logjam by proposing the financing package by 2020, much of the figure coming from the private sector.

He hopes the proposals will be a lure for developing countries such as India to commit themselves this year to carbon reduction targets. In a severe blow to those hoping to secure a global deal on climate change, India this week again ruled out committing itself to carbon reduction targets. India is the fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and its emissions are projected to treble by 2050.

The UN is supposed to agree a post-2012 climate change framework in Copenhagen in December. Obama has already pledged to bring US emissions back to 1990 levels by 2020, meaning Washington will rein in emissions by about 14% from 2005 levels. Legislation was passed by Congress last week. Obama's predecessor, George Bush, acted as a brake on progress at G8 summits, first refusing to accept climate change was man made, and then objecting to specific carbon reduction targets.

Obama and Brown are also hoping to use the G8 summit in Italy to prevent western economies backsliding on their previous commitments to Africa, with the British prime minister said to be spending the weekend priming himself on the aid record of G8 member states and planning to go into the meeting to fight.

Italy has one of the worst records on international aid, and is due to cut its aid budget by 56% next year. Brown is struggling to win support for a bare-minimum proposal that the G8 draw up internal rules to police how its members meet their aid commitments

Italy is especially keen to keep the idea off the agenda, since it will embarrass to Berlusconi. Italy had a commitment to ensure aid represents 0.51% of gross national income by 2010. It is on course to hit 0.1%.

Privately, many western diplomats are in despair at the fact the G8 this year is being hosted by the scandal-ridden Italian president. Many have questioned the continued relevance of the G8, and Berlusconi was forced to concede that his plans for new international financial rules to be agreed at the summit will represent little progress.

Britain is also looking for action at the G8 on the UN commitment to cut maternal mortality by 75% by 2015. The number of maternal deaths is stuck at 500,000 per year, suggesting there has been no progress at all since the target was set in 2000.

guardian.co.uk

Swedish leader plans to use climate change miracle to cut greenhouse gases

2009-07-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

Sweden plans to use its “climate change miracle” to convince China and the United States to sign up to tough cuts in greenhouse gases at the Copenhagen summit to find a successor to the Kyoto Protocol.

Fredrik Reinfeldt, the Swedish Prime Minister, said yesterday that his country, which takes over the EU presidency today, would present its own example of 50 per cent economic growth since 1990 combined with a 10 per cent cut in CO2 emissions to try to win over sceptics.

Mr Reinfeldt said that the Copenhagen agreement had to include all the developing countries that were effectively left out by Kyoto if it was to meet the goal of keeping global warming to no more than 2C (3.6F).

He said that Sweden would also try to lead Europe by example into adopting a tough CO2 tax regime based on his own model, which he boasted had the highest rates in the world.

The Swedish presidency has come at the right time to lead the EU into the Copenhagen process after picking up the reins from the Czech Republic under President Klaus, the author of a book on the myth of man-made global warming.

Since 1991 Swedes have paid 20p per litre in carbon tax for petrol, which has helped to cut emissions by 20 per cent, partly by encouraging public transport systems to switch to biogas. “You need to get the right price signals. We introduced a CO2 tax nearly 20 years ago and it is the highest in the world,” Mr Reinfeldt said.

“It puts a price on carbon so consumers feel the cost effect of greenhouse gas and it makes it interesting to look for renewables. I have seen my friends throw out fossil-fuel-based heating and install geothermal, so the carbon tax is very smart and very effective.”

Since the EU has no power to set domestic taxes, Sweden will have to sell its carbon tax to others by example. All of Sweden’s electricity comes from hydroelectric or nuclear power, giving it a 20 per cent rate of renewable energy. “We have put our renewable target at 50 per cent for 2020, so we are preparing for a huge increase in wind power,” he added.

Mr Reinfeldt is braced for tough talks with developing countries already arguing for financial aid from developed countries to go green.

“I came in as Prime Minister in 2006 when everyone was talking about climate change and watching Al Gore’s film,” he said. “It is a much tougher environment now and a lot of countries tend to negotiate as if the outcome should be to get more resources, not more mechanisms to alter the direction of the economy towards a low carbon economy. In Sweden we have shown you can have growth as well as cutting emissions and this is the discussion you have to have with the Chinese, who think we are trying to question their right to growth.”

Sweden has signed an £84 million deal with China to develop wind power. Mr Reinfeldt has also held talks with Gordon Brown on the amount of aid the EU will offer to help the developing world to cut emissions.

Government must secure stronger protection for rainforests say MPs

2009-06-29T13:22:00.001-07:00

A committee of MPs has warned that developed countries must change their patterns of consumption in order to prevent deforestation and tackle climate change.

It comes after work by campaigners, including Catholic Aid agency Cafod who supported the visit of a world renowned Brazilian activist. The activist told MPs that the world’s rainforests cannot be put under further pressure from multinational companies or illegal loggers and miners.

An area of forest the size of England is lost each year and deforestation is the third largest source of greenhouse gases globally, producing more emissions than transport.

The Commons environmental audit committee warned today that deforestation remained “a huge threat to the global climate".

Their report, published today (Monday) followed last week's launch of the government's climate change plan.

Ahead of December's global climate change talks in Copenhagen, the committee called on the government to lobby for an agreement to reduce the economic incentives for deforestation.

MPs urged the government to set limits for the demand of the commodities causing deforestation and backed action to protect rainforest communities.

Governments of developed nations were advised to provide a mechanism to pay for reforestation in poorer nations.
The report urged the government to work with the rest of EU to reduce the demand for products causing deforestation, including banning the import of illegal timber.

Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, from the Yanomami people in the Amazon and dubbed ‘the Dalai Lama of the Rainforest’ had given a stark warning to MPs that any climate change initiatives would be jeopardised if the rainforests are not protected.

Rainforests are a vital defence in tackling climate change say campaigners. They provide critical ecosystem benefits for the whole world by storing water, regulating rainfall and providing a home to over half the planet’s biodiversity.

Rainforests absorb almost 20 percent of the world’s man-made CO2 emissions every year, while tropical deforestation anually releases an extra 17 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.

Between May 2000 and August 2005, Brazil lost more than 132,000 square kilometres of forest - an area larger than Greece. At current rates over half the entire Amazon rainforest may be gone in 20 years time.

As the spiritual leader and head of his indigenous community, Davi Kopenawa Yanomami, told MPs on 10th June that the world’s rainforests cannot be put under further pressure from multinational companies or illegal loggers and miners.

Dr Mike Edwards, CAFOD’s Climate Change Advisor, said: “We need to listen to people such as Davi who are warning us that our resource consuming behaviour is destroying the ecosystems upon which all life depends. Climate change is a clear indication that we in Western industrialised societies are living beyond the carrying capacity of the Earth. If we choose not to heed Davi’s words, then we will be facing a very bleak future.”

Developing world will need $100bn per year to fight climate change

2009-06-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

Rich nations should find around $100bn per year to help developing countries cut carbon emissions, reduce deforestation and fight the effects of climate change that is already occurring, according to the British Prime Minister.

Gordon Brown has said that with the Copenhagen climate talks less than six month away that the UK is determined to see an international agreement that puts the world "on a path to avoiding dangerous climate change."

He told ambassadors, green groups and business organisations gathered in London:
"All countries have to take action, but to help developing countries move to low-carbon and climate-resilient growth we will need a new system of financial support for greener technology, deforestation and adaptation."

He said this support would have to come from the wealthy countries that were historically the big emitters of CO2 and would need to be somewhere in the region of $100bn per year.

Climate and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband launched the Government's Roadmap to Copenhagen strategy, saying it was make or break time for our climate and our future.

With less than six months to go before crunch negotiations in Copenhagen, it's clear that there is no plan B for the planet.

"The world's got no option but to work together to get a global climate deal that's ambitious, effective and fair.

"Our climate manifesto puts the British public in the front and centre of our efforts to get a climate deal.

"For people in Britain, getting a global deal now will mean reducing the risk of devastating future climate impacts and the huge extra costs that would bring. But it will also open the door to big new opportunities to create green jobs and economic prosperity."

Arnold Schwarzenegger backs Scottish climate change laws

2009-06-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

FILM star turned politician Arnold Schwarzenegger last night backed Scotland's crackdown on pollution.

It came as MSPs unanimously backed a plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 42 per cent by 2020 in Scotland.

The Terminator star, who is now governor of California, said: "Climate change is a global problem that requires a global solution.

"California has set aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets, but we need the help of the world to tackle the most pressing environmental issue of our time.

"Scotland's ambitious and comprehensive targets encourage other nations to step up to the plate as we look toward an international agreement in Copenhagen, and it sends a message to the world that we must act now and must act swiftly."

The Holyrood decision will mean a race towards electric cars, more wind and wave power and a massive programme to insulate Scotland's draughty homes to save energy.

The target will also have an impact on farming, as methane produced by flatulent cows is one of the causes of global warming.

More trees will have to be planted across large swathes of countryside to soak up CO2 and other gases.

The drive will continue for decades, as Scotland tries to meet an even more ambitious long-term target to cut emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.

The plan follows dire warnings about changes to Scotland's weather by 2080.

By then, Met Office experts believe warmer, wetter winters will make snow covered mountains a thing of the past.

The new target, set out in Holyrood's climate change Bill, followed a U-turn by the SNP government, who originally wanted a 34 per cent cut.

But they agreed the tougher target under pressure from Labour, Lib Dem and Green MSPs.

Labour environment spokeswoman Sarah Boyack said: "The Scottish government's challenge now is to translate this Bill into action and to give leadership to the implementation of the new policies and opportunities."

The targets are based on levels of greenhouse gas emissions in 1990.

They have already come down by 18 per cent since then, so Scotland is already nearly half way towards achieving the new target.

And in the run-up to yesterday's historic debate, campaigners voiced fears the plans were not tough enough.

The ambitious new goal will be downgraded if countries fail to agree new worldwide climate goals at the summit in Copenhagen later this year.

And no formal sanctions will be imposed on ministers if Scotland cannot reach the target by 2020.

But last night campaign group Stop Climate Chaos hailed the move as a "hugely significant example" for other countries to follow.

Chairman Mike Robinson said: "It means Scotland's climate change Bill has the toughest target of any industrialised nation in the world.

"It will be held up as an example, ahead of the climate talks in Copenhagen in December, of what can and should be done."

Richard Dixon, head of the WWF in Scotland, said: "Scotland may be a small nation, but it has proved today that it is prepared to stand up and be counted.

"This new law sets a benchmark that every industrialised country will need to live up to."

More than 100 members of the public were given a chance to lobby constituency MSPs on the new law. One woman come all the way from Ullapool in Wester Ross to attend.

Temperatures could soar by six degrees in the Five Valleys

2009-06-24T03:52:00.000-07:00

TEMPERATURES in the Five Valleys and the surrounding area could rise by just over six degrees Celsius over the next 70 years, an alarming new report has revealed.

The study, which was published by the UK Climate Impact Programme last week, looked at the overall effect of climate change for the next century. The nearest location to Stroud for which figures were given was Gloucester.

Experts predict an average temperature increase of 3.9 degrees Celsius in the south west but warns temperatures could reach levels up to 6.4 degrees hotter than today.

Average temperatures in Gloucestershire currently range between five degrees in the winter to 21 degrees in summer.

As a result, experts predict a greater risk of flooding as sea levels are expected to rise by up to 80cm by 2080 and 20 per cent more winter rain could fall in some regions.

Sarah Lunnon, Stroud's newly elected Green county councillor, said: "The biggest issue facing us is not council tax rises or potholes in the road it is climate change.

"The question is do we in Gloucestershire have the will to provide sufficient funding to implement far-sighted reduction and adaptation schemes." Cllr Lunnon also called for climate change to be a bigger priority by increasing funding and efforts to prevent the release of greenhouse gases.

The impact report, which was updated from a 2002 study, predicts that one in six homes will be at risk of flooding in the next 25 years - double the current figures. Stan Waddington, acting lead cabinet member for the environment at Gloucestershire County Council, added: "We are taking climate change very seriously by doing our bit to reduce carbon emissions and taking steps to keep the county safe."

Several schemes are in place to prevent a repeat of the 2007 floods.

Drain and gullies are being cleared and other flood prevention schemes are underway.

UK carbon cuts do not go far enough, scientist says

2009-06-24T03:51:00.000-07:00

The government's environmental policy has been described as 'dangerously optimistic' by a UK climate scientist.

According to Professor Kevin Anderson, the director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, reducing carbon emission levels to 64 percent of those seen in 1990 over the next 11 years would mean there is just a 50-50 chance that global temperature rises will be limited to 2 degrees C.

As a result, he has pressed the case for the government to set a precedent at the forthcoming Copenhagen conference on climate change and adopt a 40 percent target.

In an interview with the Guardian, Mr Anderson suggested that one way to achieve more ambitious carbon cuts - through initiatives such as investment in renewable energy technology and low-carbon transport - would be to give the Department of Energy and Climate Change more power.

He told the news provider that the two government departments most heavily implicated in the country's climate change strategy were like "small dogs yapping at the heels" of more powerful departments.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference is due to be held in Copenhagen from December 7th to December 18th, with the delivery of a successor to the Kyoto protocol high on the list of priorities.

Government comes under fire on clean coal

2009-06-22T04:08:00.001-07:00

The UK government has outlined how it plans to reconcile the need for energy against the carbon emissions of coal-fired power stations - and promptly come under fire from opposition parties and environmentalists.

Government faces an unenviable tightrope walk when it comes to tackling the controversial issue of 'clean' coal but this week unveiled its plans along with a study carried out by consultants AEA Group on the future value of coal carbon abatement technology to UK industry.

The independent report concludes that clean coal technology could bring between £2-4 billion a year into the UK economy by 2030, and support between 30,000-60,000 jobs.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband also tried to go beyond the 'Carbon Capture and Storage ready' policy that has been repeatedly attacked by environmentalists, saying that permission would not be granted to build new coal power stations unless they included demonstration-scale CCS projects from the outset and could be easily retrofitted once CCS became viable on a large scale.

A lack of demonstration projects has been one of the hurdles in Europe's efforts to establish itself as a global leader in the development of CCS.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said: "The conditions we're proposing for new coal are the most environmentally ambitious of any country in the world, requiring the demonstration of CCS on a substantial proportion of any new power station and the 100% retrofit of CCS when it's proven.

"At the same time, by providing funding for demonstrations, we can maintain coal as part of our energy mix, supporting diversity and therefore security of supply.

"By acting early, jobs will also be created as Britain develops the expertise in what could be a major new industry, with CCS projects offering the potential to form the hubs for clusters of low carbon industries.

"By driving the development of CCS in this country, we are also, as a country, playing an essential role in the battle against climate change."

The Conservative's Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Greg Clark said: "the Government has missed a golden opportunity to set an Emissions Performance Standard that would set a legal limit on the release of greenhouse gases from new power stations.

"This announcement should have closed the door on unabated coal, but the Government has left the door ajar."

Greenpeace said the government needed to go further.
"The fact that there is even a consultation on coal is welcome, given that this time last year policy was being decided by myopic ministers in thrall to regressive civil servants, but Ed Miliband needs to go further," said executive director John Sauven.

"His proposed policy leaves us with the threat of a massive new coal plant at Kingsnorth that would only capture and bury a quarter of its emissions and pump out six million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every year, making it the dirtiest new power station built in Britain for decades."

"Britain could and should be a global leader on climate change and Ed Miliband has the power to make that happen, but first he has to rule out emissions from new coal-fired power stations, like Kingsnorth, and set a deadline for closing the existing coal plants like Drax."

National Parks could lead the way following latest climate change projections

2009-06-22T04:07:00.001-07:00

The Welsh Association of National Park Authorities has today called upon National and Local Government to recognise the importance of Wales’ National Parks as climate change figures released by the UK Climate Impact Programme indicate a dramatically worsening climate.

Figures released today by the UK Climate Impact Programme foresee that the wellbeing of people living in Britain will be significantly affected unless more is done to mitigate and adapt to the increasingly likely effects of climate change. The strongest impacts will be on National Parks across the country as lower rainfalls in summer and higher in winter are predicted, with much higher average seasonal temperatures by the 2080s. Wales’ low economic base, small population and high reliance on rural livelihoods are now threatened assets in a changing climate and this is no more so than in the National Parks.

National Parks have joined forces across Britain to look at ways to respond to climate change and are prepared to play an increasingly important role that compliments their existing designation as nationally important protected areas - but they need other organisations and decision makers to recognise the vital role that they can and must play.

The Chairman of the Welsh Association of National Park Authorities, Cllr. Simon Hancock, commented:

“The news from the UK Climate Impact Programme is unfortunate, but it lends even more weight to ensuring there are protected areas such as National Parks, which are now more important and more fragile than ever, vital barometers for the changes now upon us.

“The sheer diversity within all three National Parks in Wales, plus the planning, natural resource management and education expertise within National Park Authorities puts us in an ideal position to test out measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

“National Park Authorities throughout Britain are already working on projects addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development. We share that knowledge and expertise with each other and with the wider family of protected areas – only last week all our ecologists and biodiversity specialists met together in the Norfolk Broads to consider the best responses to climate change.

“We look forward to working with Local Government to share our experiences and look to national Government to continue to provide the leadership and vital investment that’s required to ensure our National Parks fulfil the active role they should be given from now on.”

Paul Sinnadurai, Senior Ecologist and Policy Advisor for the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority who recently attended the Ecologists’ workshop in the Norfolk Broads had this to say: “Welsh National Parks feature some of the most stunningly beautiful landscapes across Britain but also contain Wales’ highest, lowest, warmest, coldest, wettest and driest places. This means that our National Parks are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and so too are the people who live and work in them.

“Wales’ National Parks were the first in Britain to raise awareness of the importance of climate change to all the National Parks and the vital role that they can and must play in leading rural responses to it. In essence we should see our National Parks as living laboratories, testing out the impacts of different kinds of green technology and natural resource management- and that’s exactly what we’re seeing with community-led projects like the Green Valleys initiative which is currently in the running for NESTA’s £1 million Big Green Challenge.

“Projects like these have the potential to redefine how people value their landscape and its natural resources, are possibly the best and only way that countries as a whole will be able to respond effectively, working together intelligently, from the bottom up rather than the top down. If the Government wants to try and make a difference to the future described in today’s report they will need to invest in using National Parks like this.”

Climate migrations could be biggest ever

2009-06-16T07:13:00.000-07:00

By mid-century climate change could be causing migration and displacement on a scale never seen before. That's according to a report released by Columbia University, the UN University and CARE International, which says that people in the least developed countries and island states will be affected first and worst.

The report, In Search of Shelter: Mapping the Effects of Climate Change on Human Migration and Displacement was released at a news conference in Bonn, Germany, where negotiators have gathered in the run-up to Copenhagen.

"Societies affected by climate change may find themselves locked into a downward spiral of ecological degradation, towards the bottom of which social safety nets collapse, while tensions and violence rise," said CARE International in a statement. "In this all-too plausible scenario, large populations would be forced to migrate as a matter of immediate survival."

Climate change can exacerbate existing problems, such as political and economic conflicts, extreme weather events, population growth, human destruction of ecosystems and overuse of farmland. The report finds that, although economic and political factors are the dominant drivers of displacement and migration today, climate change is already having a detectable effect and contributing to displacement and migration.

It's not clear how many people will be uprooted, but previous estimates have ranged from 25–50 million by 2010 to almost 700 million by 2050. Breakdown of ecosystem-based economies such as subsistence herding, farming and fishing is likely to be the dominant driver of forced migration, while sea-level rise directly threatens the existence of some 40 countries and saltwater intrusion, flooding and erosion could destroy agriculture in the densely populated Mekong, Nile and Ganges deltas. The Maldives, a Pacific island nation with a population of 300,000 is already considering prospects for total relocation.

The authors believe that most people will relocate within their own country but others may cross borders to find better conditions. The use of adaptation measures could reduce the need for migration but poorer countries are underequipped to support widespread adaptation.

"Policy decisions made today will determine whether migration becomes a matter of choice amongst a range of adaptation options, or merely a matter of survival due to a collective failure by the international community to provide better alternatives," says the report.

Climate change to blame as seabird numbers fall 19%

2009-06-12T05:16:00.000-07:00

SCOTLAND'S seabird population has fallen by almost a fifth in the past eight years after climate change affected the birds' food source, according to a new report.

Scottish Natural Heritage warned that the 19% drop in numbers between 2000 and 2008 was "almost certainly" due to a fall in the number of small fish, such as sandeels, which seabirds feed on.

The organisation said the small fish were being affected by rising sea temperatures, but measures were being put in place to help protect the seabird population.

advertisement
They include a reduction in sandeel fishing within foraging ranges of seabirds and the trapping of seabird predators, including the brown rat and non-native American mink. The Scottish Government's Marine Bill also outlines action to improve conservation.

Professor Colin Galbraith, SNH's policy director, said: "After several decades of increasing seabird abundance, we are now witnessing a period of decline. Key reasons are likely to be linked to food availability, weather, and predation. In particular, climate change appears to have affected plankton abundance at the base of the food web.

"We need to keep a close eye on seabird trends and try to understand what is driving them."

SNH reported that species that feed on shoals of small fish had been hit hardest, with the numbers of black-legged kittiwakes down 55% since the mid-1980s and a 71% fall in the population of the Arctic skua.

However, the numbers of bird species which have a varied diet have increased over the past two decades.

A separate report by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, the UK Government's advisor on nature conservation, revealed a UK-wide decline of 9% of the seabird population since 2000.

U.S and China talk climate change

2009-06-12T05:15:00.000-07:00

THOUSANDS of officials from all over the world this week neared the end of two weeks of difficult talks in Bonn under the United Nations’ climate convention. But they were conscious that even more difficult and probably more important negotiations were under way in Beijing. America’s most senior climate-change officials were meeting their Chinese counterparts. The two countries are by far the world’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gases. They will determine whether a worthwhile global treaty to limit emissions can be concluded as planned in Copenhagen in December.

The treaty is to replace the Kyoto protocol, which expires in 2012. Some 180 countries will take part in the negotiations, but many feel that, on this issue more than any other, China and America make up a “G2” that determines the global post-Kyoto agenda. Shortly before travelling to Beijing, America’s climate-change envoy, Todd Stern, said that, though China may not be the “alpha and omega” of the international process, it was close. His delegation included President Barack Obama’s science adviser, John Holdren, and David Sandalow, the assistant energy secretary.

Details of the talks were scanty. Mr Stern was able to call them “a step in the right direction on the road to Copenhagen”. But progress is painstaking. Zha Daojiong, an energy-security expert at Peking University, says that, although he himself disagrees, many Chinese still feel the world’s original big polluters should be the first to pay for cleaning things up. Others suspect American critics see the issue as yet another stick in a relentless campaign to bash China. As one American official acknowledges, climate change is emerging as the biggest issue in bilateral relations, supplanting trade and human rights.

For their part, American critics of China make much of the rapid growth in its energy consumption. Indeed, in 2007 China overtook America as the world’s leading carbon emitter, with an estimated 1.8 billion tonnes of fossil-fuel emissions. As it decides how America should curb its own emissions, Congress remains keenly aware that potentially painful and costly steps will mean little if China stays on anything approaching its current trajectory.

China asserts its simple right to develop rapidly and make progress towards attaining Western living standards. It also points out that its consumption and emission levels per head remain a mere fraction of America’s. Moreover, a large chunk of its emissions come from producing goods consumed by rich developed nations, which have exported much of their manufacturing industry to China.

Lastly, China points to its impressive improvements in energy efficiency and coal-plant cleanliness in recent years, and its increasingly ambitious commitments to invest in renewable energy sources. According to Deborah Seligsohn, based in Beijing for the World Resources Institute, an American think-tank, China has received too little credit for the steps it has already taken and its commitment to do more. Others argue that China’s leaders have decided both that the Obama administration is serious about climate change, and that China, especially in its drought-prone north, will be a big loser from global warming. On this analysis, they may adopt even more ambitious energy-efficiency targets, if not emissions limits.

Mr Zha urges America to refrain from browbeating China into accepting distant targets for future reductions. That, he said, would be a narrow and empty victory, since it is too late for vague visionary principles. What is needed instead, he argues, is a workable timetable under which America agrees to rethink restrictions on sophisticated exports to China, and Beijing reduces tariffs to encourage the import of cutting-edge green technology.

In this context, another development in Sino-American relations strikes a discordant note. Sichuan Tengzhong, a private Chinese company, is to buy the division of General Motors, a beleaguered American carmaker, that makes the Hummer, a gas-guzzling hulk. There could be few clearer illustrations of the shifting contours of the quarrel between rich and poor countries over who is more to blame for climate change and who should do more to arrest it. Looking more like a tank than a car, the Hummer for years seemed to embody the worst excesses of American consumerism. Now, unless Chinese regulators reject the deal, as they may, it will become another symbol of China’s commercial clout and polluting potential.

Climate change has affected 325 million people

2009-06-01T09:33:00.002-07:00

According to the Global Humanitarian Forum, climate change has affected approximately 325 million people across the globe, causing about $125 billion of costs to the economy every year.The study, which was governed by Kofi Annan, studied information about the change in weather patterns and looked at how damaged crops, disease, starvation, and livelihoods have been affected.There was worse news however, as climate change is expected to cause .5 million deaths every year by the year 2030 and will cost the world’s economy an additional $300b. If nothing is done about climate change, by 2030 costs per year will rise to $600b.Within 25 years 20m will face poverty, 310m people will have failing health due to temperature changes, and 75m will be displaced from their native lands, if something is not done to address the problem.Developing countries are most likely to see effects due to flooding or drought, but heatwaves will impact developed countries equally.Annan encouraged countries to work on major CO2 sites such as Copenhagen and start to place a higher importance on climate change. He called for countries to reach an international agreement to help address climate change and make changes before widespread suffering occurs, at which point significant damage will have already occurred.Additionally, there is a fear that global warming will spark wars over resources that may become scarcer such as food and water.The countries of Bangladesh, Africa, Egypt, and other countries in the forest areas and coastal zones will be the ones that face future displacement of population.Countries that face imminent high deaths of populations include those in the Saharan areas of Africa, south Asia, small Pacific islands, and countries in the Middle East.

VIP visitor's vital lesson to pupils on climate change

2009-06-01T09:33:00.001-07:00

BOLIVIAN aid workers from International aid agency CAFOD visited two schools in Doncaster to talk about their work to save people from the effects of climate change.Children from Our Lady of Mount Carmel, in Intake, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, in Bentley, both heard about the work done by visitor Maria Del Carmen Lopez, a CAFOD Programme Officer based in La Paz, to help people suffering as a result of drought and extreme weather.Meanwhile, pupils from both schools told of work such as tree planting they are carrying out to do their bit against climate change.Angela Powell CAFOD Manager in Hallam said: “The visit demonstrated the importance for children in Doncaster to know about the impact of climate change on other countries so that they can see it is an issue that affects everyone in the world and that we all have a responsibility to do what we can to stop it.

Climate change 'could pose disease risk for pets'

2009-05-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

Climate change may have been high on the political agenda in recent months, but few people will have considered the impact of the problem on our furry friends.

The growing effect of global warming could be a significant concern for pet insurance policyholders and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is now set to reveal the full consequences of the changing climate for dogs and wildlife.

Speakers at the animal charity's annual conference next month will unveil new evidence concerning the effect of a warming planet on pets and farm animals, with concerns that it could increase the spread of diseases.

RSCPA head of external affairs David Bowles said: "[This conference] will provide new information on the predicted increase in the spread of infectious diseases to dogs from the continent and how dog rescue organisations and shelters may need to change their procedures."

The charity this week announced that it has raised more than £210,000 over the course of this year as a result of its Charity of the Year partnership with retail store Wilkinson.

www.animalfriends.org.uk

Climate pressure 'building on US'

2009-05-29T15:38:00.000-07:00

Climate negotiations are to begin in Bonn with pressure building for the US to deliver deeper emissions cuts.Delegates are dealing with the reality that although they are wrangling with the Obama administration, US Congress will help determine the final outcome. President Obama has left Congress to make the running, and the Waxman-Markey Bill is reportedly being watered down as it goes through early stages. It would deliver a cut of 4% on 1990 levels - the Kyoto Protocol benchmark. This is a fraction of the 25-40% cut demanded of developed nations by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The negotiations in Bonn, Germany, are set to begin on Monday. And it's even less than the 60% cut urged by some developing nations who say the science has become more alarming since the IPCC report was published. French dilemma The Obama administration maintains that it represents a good start considering that US emissions have risen steadily since the Kyoto Protocol was signed. President Bush wouldn't promise to stabilise emissions before 2025. But even the proposed cut in Waxman-Markey may be diluted further as it gets buffeted through Congress. Brice Lalonde, the French climate adviser - and cousin of US Senator John Kerry - told BBC News: "We are in a dilemma over the United States. "On the one hand we wish Obama well because he is a welcome change from the obstruction of the previous administration - but on the other hand he simply has to do more. "The problem is that the United States doesn't yet have the imagination to see they can do much more. Of course they can do much more because they have so much margin, because they waste so much." Mr Lalonde will not be impressed that Congressmen have already stripped out some clauses on improving energy efficiency. Su Wei, the Chinese climate negotiator, told BBC News: "There's a substantial change in the US policies. The position has changed from refusing to cut emissions to some kinds of cap being set on emissions of greenhouse gases. In that sense, we think the US policy is in the right direction but much more effort is needed." He was supported by the Indian negotiator Surya Sethi, who told BBC News: "In simple terms they need to do more. If they believe the science - and that's what they are telling us - they need to do more." When asked what would happen if, due to political constraints, the US could not offer deeper cuts, he said: "Then we will have to suffer the consequences." Developing nations are also demanding huge amounts of cash from the US to buy them clean technology. The Waxman-Markey Bill will raise cash through carbon trading but it's unlikely to be enough to satisfy demands. One ray of hope for the climate process is the strong diplomatic link forged between the US and China on the issue. The Obama Administration needs a tangible sign of a concession from the Chinese in order to help make emissions cuts more palatable to the American public and Congress.

'Climate change making Everest harder to scale'

2009-05-26T03:48:00.001-07:00

A sherpa who holds the world record for climbing Everest has warned that climate change is making the mountain harder to scale.

Apa Sherpa, 49 - who made his 19th successful ascent last week carrying the banner "Stop Climate Change, Let the Himalayas Live!" - said that rising temperatures have melted the snow trail to the peak, leaving just barren rocks which is more treacherous to climb.

Apa added that his team had picked more than five tonnes of rubbish on Everest. He said: "We must maintain it and keep it clean."

Burping of the lambs blows roast off menu

2009-05-23T16:40:00.000-07:00

GIVE up lamb roasts and save the planet. Government advisers are developing menus to combat climate change by cutting out “high carbon” food such as meat from sheep, whose burping poses a serious threat to the environment.

Out will go kebabs, greenhouse tomatoes and alcohol. Instead, diners will be encouraged to consume more potatoes and seasonal vegetables, as well as pork and chicken, which generate fewer carbon emissions.

“Changing our lifestyles, including our diets, is going to be one of the crucial elements in cutting carbon emissions,” said David Kennedy, chief executive of the Committee on Climate Change.

Kennedy has stopped eating his favourite doner kebabs because they contain lamb.

A government-sponsored study into greenhouse gases found that producing 2.2lb of lamb released the equivalent of 37lb of carbon dioxide.

The problem is because sheep burp so much methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Cows are only slightly better behaved. The production of 2.2lb of beef releases methane equivalent to 35lb of CO2 Tomatoes, most of which are grown in heated glasshouses, are the most “carbon-intensive” vegetable, each 2.2lb generating more than 20lb of CO2 Potatoes, in contrast, release only about 1lb of CO2 for each 2.2lb of food. The figures are similar for most other native fruit and vegetables.

“We are not saying that everyone should become vegetarian or give up drinking but moving towards less carbon intensive foods will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve health,” said Kennedy.

The climate committee is analysing emissions from farming and will suggest measures to reduce them. However, it has concluded that people will have to change their habits.

Alcoholic drinks are another significant contributory factor, with the growing and processing of crops such as hops and malt into beer and whisky helping to generate 1.5% of the nation’s greenhouse gases.

The Carbon Trust, a government-funded firm, is working with food and drink companies to calculate the “carbon footprints” of products - sometimes with surprising results.

Coca-Cola, for example, generates only about half the greenhouse gas emissions of Innocent’s “smoothies”. Cadbury’s chocolate generates about 4½lb for every 2.2lb eaten - less than half that from theof CO2 same weight of chicken.

Climate Change 'Major Threat To Human Health'

2009-05-14T12:24:00.000-07:00

Climate change is the biggest threat to human health this century, according to a new report in The Lancet.The medical journal commissioned a team of experts from University College London to compile a dossier of evidence showing the effects climate change will have on our health.

They said fatal heatwaves, food shortages, water scarcity and extreme weather events will all increase if global warming is allowed to continue.

The global health service will carry the biggest cost burden.

For example, they said events like the European heatwave, which killed around 70,000 people in 2003, will be more common. That means in Britain, the number of skin cancers and cataracts will increase.

And mosquito-spread diseases like malaria, traditionally common in the tropics, will be more widespread.

Dr Richard Horton, editor of The Lancet, said doctors have been in denial over climate change and need a wake-up call.

He explained: "What I hope it does is to make them realise that climate change is an urgent and dangerous issue that effects the patients they see on a daily basis.

"Their patients might not die tomorrow because of climate change but for them, their children and their grandchildren, climate change is going to be a danger to all of us."

The report pointed to scientific evidence that the 12 warmest years on record so far, have occurred in the last 13 years.

They said most scientists now agree that limiting temperature rise to a relatively safe level of two degrees by the end of the century is highly unlikely.

And they said food and water shortages - both a huge problem for the health service -were already increasing in certain parts of the world where the poorest will be hardest hit.

But while inaction could cost our NHS billions, the report also said, if we act now to cut our emissions, the health cost could decrease dramatically.

Professor Mark Maslin, director of UCL's Environment Institute, told Sky News Online: "If we redesign our cities so people walk more, cycle more, use public transport, suddenly we drop the incidence of obesity, heart disease, strokes and stress-related illness.

"So what we can see is that there are huge amounts of win-win solutions. If we lower the carbon emissions of our cities, we increase our health."

The authors hope their report will have the same sobering effect on health professionals as the Stern Report on the cost of climate change had on economists.

Above all, they say the Department of Health needs to start working with other government departments, to ensure action is taken now.

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "We welcome any initiatives that highlight the health impacts of climate change, and encourage the health sector's role in reducing emissions."

London Array wind farm gets green light

2009-05-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

The go-ahead has been given to plans to build the world’s largest windfarm off the Kent coast.

The organisations behind the London Array scheme have agreed to invest £2.2bn on the first phase of the project and work could be underway within weeks.

The 90-square-mile site will be built around 12 miles off the coast north of Margate and will feature almost 350 turbines – 175 of which will be built in phase one, which could be producing renewable power to homes by 2012.

On-shore work is set to start this summer with off-shore work to follow in early 2011.

The project will eventually displace the emission of 1.9tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

The three parties involved, DONG Energy, E.ON and Masdar announced the go-ahead for phase one after the UK Government recently proposed to increase its support for offshore wind power.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: “The London Array is a flagship project in our drive to cut emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 and meet future energy needs.

“The UK is a world leader in offshore wind farms, creating jobs and prosperity for the economy. That's why we have increased our support for this technology as we move towards a low carbon future.”

He added: “E.ON, DONG Energy and Masdar are to be congratulated for their work on the London Array."

Anders Eldrup, CEO of DONG Energy, said: “I'm thrilled that we today also have the final investment decision on the London Array project.

“The decision to build the London Array offshore wind farm is a very significant cornerstone in DONG Energy’s strategy to increase the proportion of electricity generated from renewable energy sources.”

E.ON’s chief executive Dr Wulf Bernotat said: “I’m delighted that work can now get underway on the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

“Today’s announcement is proof that, if all interested parties work together, renewable power can be taken to its next level and so make a real difference to the fight against climate change.”

Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive of Masdar, said: "This project is a great achievement for the UK government, E.ON, DONG Energy and Masdar, which exemplifies our commitment to build cooperation to take renewable energy further down the path to widespread global adoption.”

The Government’s Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said: “This is another green light for green energy. It’s a vote of confidence in the support the Government has put into backing renewable energy.

“The UK is already the world’s leading offshore wind power and this multi-billion pound project will help keep us there, cut our carbon emissions and contribute to secure energy supplies.”

Partnership essential to combat climate change and fight fuel poverty

2009-05-11T08:13:00.001-07:00

A partnership approach between energy suppliers and generators and local agencies is essential to combat climate change and attack fuel poverty, asserts Northgate Public Services in a response published today.

Welcoming the government’s approach to reducing domestic carbon emissions outlined in the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP), Northgate argues that the overall success of the scheme depends on clarifying roles and responsibilities to ensure a collaborative approach between energy providers, local authorities and community based organisations. It recommends that, in the short term, the parties draw up a memorandum of understanding and, in the long term, local authorities are given a statutory duty to promote climate change.

In its response, Northgate also calls for the roll out of Home Energy Audits and the use of ‘before’ and ‘after’ audits, carried out by Domestic Energy Assessors at a community level. It suggests that these should be used to assess the effectiveness of the measures carried out, and this information could then be used to attribute an appropriate bonus to the energy supplier or generator. It also says that the proposed new body of Home Energy Assessors should have DEA accreditation, to ensure quality of service and gain consumer trust.

Northgate argues that the government should actively encourage the implementation of free measures, and where charging is necessary, it must ensure that charges are fair and reasonable. It also says that to encourage intensive action at a community level, work should be targeted at all households in the area regardless of tenure. This will ensure that both private and social housing will benefit from CESP measures.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, said today: “We warmly welcome the overall strategy outlined in the consultation. CESP tackles climate change and focuses support on low income households.

“Given the scale of the challenge that we face, we believe that the government needs to adopt a bolder approach in relation to local partnerships. It also needs to be more innovative in the way it uses Home Energy Audits as a catalyst for altering opinion and changing behaviour.

“We believe that our recommended measures would not only take further steps towards building a low carbon future, but also help to eradicate fuel poverty sooner rather than later, ensuring a fairer society for all.”

Council signs up to climate change declaration

2009-05-08T08:10:00.000-07:00

WILTSHIRE Council has become the latest local authority to show its commitment to the fight against climate change by signing the Nottingham Declaration this week.

More than 300 local councils have now signed the declaration, each pledging to actively tackle climate change in their area and to help the UK deliver its national climate change targets.

By signing the declaration Wiltshire Council has agreed to develop plans with its partners and local community over the next two years to address the causes and impacts of climate changes. The council will work with all sectors to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, increase the community’s resilience to climate change and tackle fuel poverty.

Alistair Cunningham, the council’s service director for economy and enterprise, said: “I'm pleased that we've made this pledge to combat climate change. It shows that Wiltshire Council is committed to reducing its carbon footprint. The council will also work with partners, communities and businesses across the county to reduce their carbon footprints.”

Gary Mantle, director of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and chair of the new Wiltshire Environmental Alliance, said: “We are delighted that Wiltshire Council has shown its commitment to climate change and signed this very important declaration. Climate change is occurring and will continue to have far reaching effects on the UK’s people and places, economy, society and environment.”

Climate Change Bill Strengthened in Scotland

2009-05-07T14:51:00.000-07:00

The Scottish Government is taking further steps to strengthen its Climate Change Bill.

Climate Change Minister Stewart Stevenson said that targets to reduce harmful greenhouse gases will now inlclude a new interim target to cut emissions by 34 per cent by 2020. However, Ministers intend to introduce an amendment to the Bill to ensure this rises to at least 42 per cent as soon as the EU agrees to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2020.

Further measures will ensure that carbon cutting action is taken in Scotland, by limiting the use of international credits.

Mr Stevenson was responding to the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee's report on the Bill ahead of the Parliamentary debate on Wednesday.

Mr Stevenson said:

"Climate change is the greatest environmental threat facing humankind and if global action isn't taken to reduce emissions significantly the world faces an uncertain future. This Scottish Government is taking a leading role, introducing the most ambitious climate change legislation anywhere in the world.

"The Bill sets a target of reducing Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050, including emissions from international aviation and shipping. But 2050 is a long way off and we need to be certain we are taking effective action now. That is why this Government has insisted on the inclusion of annual targets, including the addition of a new much tougher 2020 interim target.

"The actions we take today can bring clear and tangible benefits to Scotland now and in the future. In these challenging economic times we need to play to our strengths and build the low carbon economy of the future. Last week's carbon capture study shows that Scotland has the ability to safely accommodate industrial emissions generated in Scotland and North East of England for the next 200 years, confirming we are European leaders in this field.

"Achieving these targets will be challenging. But I am confident that Government, business and the people of Scotland are ready to rise to the challenge."

The Bill will establish a legal framework for emissions reductions in the run up to 2050.

The Scottish Government is currently developing a range of short, medium and long term policy options to drive the changes needed to meet our ambitious targets. These options will be published in the summer.