Press release - November 3, 2009
In an address to a joint session of the United States (US) congress today that preceded an EU-US summit in Washington, German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on the US to tear down the walls of the 21st century, to commit to the goal of staying below a two degrees Celsius global temperature increase and to make binding commitments in the Copenhagen climate negotiations. The US is currently falling behind the rest of the world in the fight against climate change by refusing to make concrete commitments to cut carbon emissions ahead of the global climate conference taking place in Copenhagen in December.
Greenpeace's EU climate and energy policy director Joris den Blanken said: "Chancellor Merkel has sent a clear signal to the United States. As the country with the greatest historical responsibility for climate change, the US now needs to put substantial and concrete commitments on emission reductions on the table. President Obama promised to lead on climate change: it's time he backed his pledge up with some action. Otherwise, Copenhagen could fail."
Chancellor Merkel agreed last week with other European leaders on the EU's position going into Copenhagen. The EU has pledged to conditionally cut emissions by 30% by 2020, under a global Copenhagen climate treaty that will supplement the Kyoto agreement. In September 2009, leading climate scientists called on rich countries to reduce carbon emissions by at least 40% in order to keep global warming below dangerous levels.[1] With climate legislation still awaiting congressional approval, US President Barack Obama is yet to make a pledge. The US climate bill would reduce US emissions by a meagre 4% compared to 1990 levels.
Greenpeace calls on EU representatives attending the EU-US summit today to urge President Obama to personally attend the climate conference in Copenhagen and to make stronger commitments on emission reductions.
Other contacts:
Stefan Krug, Head of political unit, Greenpeace Germany (in Barcelona: +34 608 536 427)
Mike Crocker, Greenpeace USA media director (in Barcelona: +34 626 415 442)
Notes:
[1] Scientists statement on 40% emissions reduction target for developed countries, http://assets.panda.org/downloads/scientists_statement___september_2009.pdf