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New study is an urgent call to arms on climate change, say Greens

15th May 2008

This report not only appears to confirm what we already know, but demands urgent policy frameworks to prevent the most damaging consequences of climate change - a global temperature rise of above 2oC.

Green Party Principal Speaker Dr Caroline Lucas MEP today urged world leaders to act on a decisive report that shows the extent to which climate change is already disrupting global ecosystems and the planet's wildlife, warning that the new figures should be taken on board by the international community as a call to arms on the environment.

The report, compiled by eminent independent climateologists and scientists from around the world and published in the science journal 'Nature' (1), offers conclusive evidence that 90% of environmental damage and disruption around the world can be explained by rising temperatures, most likely driven by human activity.

Dr Lucas said:

"The international community has known for some time now that human-induced climate change is having adverse effects on the environment, and thus on all those who depend upon the environment for their survival. This report not only appears to confirm what we already know, but demands urgent policy frameworks to prevent the most damaging consequences of climate change - a global temperature rise of above 2oC.

"The report explicitly focuses on the devastating impact climate change is having on the world's ecosystems and wildlife, but the simultaneous effects of anthropocentric climate change on humanity are everywhere in evidence - fluctuating global weather patterns causing severe droughts and floods, unstable food production leading to a rise in food prices and a reduction in clean drinking water as global ice caps melt."

Dr. Lucas continued:

"Unlike the three grey political parties, the Green Party has the policies and ideas that propose serious solutions to climate change. Such policies would mean ensure that cutting emissions would bring immediate benefits in the shape of increased employment, decreased fuel poverty, and stronger communities - as well as demonstrating good faith with developing nations by adopting the 'Contraction and Convergence' model which places the greatest onus for reducing emissions on the developed nations which are most responsible for producing them."