An Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report to be
released tomorrow in Bangkok, Thailand, discredits the Harper
government's economic forecasts for combating global warming, says
Greenpeace Canada.
The report estimates that stabilization of greenhouse gas
concentration at 445 to 535 parts per million could be achieved by
2030 at a cost of less than three percent of global GDP, or up to
US$100 per tonne of carbon dioxide. This would limit the global
average temperature increase to two degrees Celsius-beyond which
impacts would become catastrophic.
Environment Minister John Baird, however, says that to meet
Kyoto targets, "the government would need to manufacture a
recession." Last week, he proposed to allow industry to avoid
emissions reductions by contributing to a Technology Fund at a cost
of only CDN$15 to 20 per tonne.
"The Harper government uses the economy as a false excuse for
inaction on Kyoto. This report shows clearly that greenhouse gases
can be cut dramatically without the sky falling," said Dave Martin,
Greenpeace climate coordinator. "We have the technology to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions at a reasonable cost-all we are lacking is
political will."
"The revised Clean Air Act (Bill C-30) has majority support in
Parliament," added Greenpeace climate campaigner Jos Higginson. "It
is urgent that it be brought to a vote in the House of Commons to
finally honor our Kyoto commitment. This is not the time for
partisan politics. Red or blue, Canada still isn't green and our
climate is paying the price."
The report by the IPCC Working Group III, entitled Mitigation of
Climate Change, is the third volume of the IPCC Fourth Assessment
Report. It outlines a variety of mitigation measures to fight
global warming. Previous volumes included the Physical Science
Basis (February 2007) and Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
(April 2007). The final synthesis report will be released in
November.
In February 2007, Greenpeace released a report, Energy
[R]evolution, detailing a global energy scenario that cuts
greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050, with no coal or nuclear
power, while allowing increased energy consumption and economic
growth.
For a
backgrounder on the IPCC report, please see:
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/documents-and-links/publications/greenpeace-briefing-on-the-ipc
For the Greenpeace report,
Energy [R]evolution, please see:
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/documents-and-links/publications/energy-r-evolution-a-sustain
VVPR info: Dave Martin, Climate Coordinator, cell: 416-627-5004Jos Higginson, Climate Campaigner, cell: 416-996-5679Jane Story, Communications Officer, cell: 416-930-9055