[EGP] EGP PRESS RELEASE : IPCC REPORT

EGP PRESS RELEASE 06.04.2007

EUROPEAN GREENS RESPOND TO LATEST VOLUME OF IPCC REPORT: POLITICIANS NEED TO ACT IMMEDIATELY TO AVOID CLIMATE CATASTROPHE

The European Green Party has responded to the findings of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Working Group II who published the second volume of their Fourth Assessment Report in Brussels today. The EGP Spokespersons say that today’s findings provide yet another warning that urgent action by governments is needed if a major catastrophe is to be avoided.

The second volume of the IPCC Report provides analysis of how climate change is affecting natural and human systems, what the impacts of climate change are likely to be and to what extent adaptation and mitigation can reduce the harmful impacts of Climate Change. EGP Spokespersons ULRIKE LUNACEK and PHILIPPE LAMBERTS criticised the delegations of the United States, China, India, Russia and Saudi Arabia who attempted to water down the report and delayed its release: “This type of behaviour is simply unacceptable and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms. It is the role of the IPCC working groups to assess and present the scientific data regarding climate change and the representatives of governments should not attempt to interfere in this process. Understanding the impacts of Climate Change and how they can be reduced is much more important than the short term economic and political interests of governments.”

EGP Co-Spokesperson ULRIKE LUNACEK said that the report is yet another reminder of the urgent need for politicians to act immediately:

“This latest report by the IPCC shows very starkly that the impact of climate change will be even worse than previously thought and that it will be the world’s poorest people who will suffer, for example as result of the lack of drinking water. The science is clear and cannot be denied: it is now up to political leaders to take effective action to reduce climate change and minimize the damage caused, for example by effectively curbing emissions by private and commercial traffic.” LUNACEK, who is herself an Austrian MP, also referred to the appalling findings that the Alpine region with its melting glaciers is being affected even more by Global Warming than was previously thought.

EGP Co-spokesperson PHILIPPE LAMBERTS demanded that the EU backs its claim to be taking a leadership role in the fight against Climate Change with meaningful action:

“In March EU leaders committed themselves to cutting greenhouse gas emissions to 20% below 1990 levels but scientific analysis clearly shows that a 30% reduction will be needed if the most disastrous effects of Climate change are to be avoided. The EU must do everything in its power to persuade other rich countries to commit to 30% reductions by 2020. The German Presidency of the EU needs to push very hard to get concrete results and has a great opportunity to do this in the run up to the G8 summit in Heiligendamm from June 6^th to 8^thand must not waste that opportunity”

“The IPCC publish the next installment of their report in Bangkok in May and will then offer specific recommendations on what action policy makers need to take to reduce global warming. We await those findings with great interest and will scrutinise the response of politicians, particularly those in the EU, very closely. For our part, the EGP has its own strategy to combat climate change which was adopted at our 6^th Council Meeting in Berlin in March. The EGP’s strategy focuses on three main ways of bringing about a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020: (i) A dramatic increase in the use of renewable energy sources; (ii) Much greater energy efficiency and (iii) Avoiding using up energy on unnecessary activities,” LAMBERTS and LUNACEK concluded.

Graham Burgess

Communications Officer

European Green Party

Tel no: 0032 (0)2 626 0720

Mobile : 00 32 (0)477 902 023

Email : graham.burgess@europeangreens.org