The 6.7mhigh thermometer’s message: “Don’t cook the climate!” It will bethere for the next two weeks.
“Foryears, governments have let us, their citizens, down by failing to get to gripswith the problem of climate change. They’ve left us increasingly exposed to thebiggest threat that civilisation has ever faced,” said Stephanie Tunmore of Greenpeace International.
”InBali, Governments have to get down to business - and act on the basis of thealarming scientific findings about climate change that they themselves approvedjust two weeks ago (1). That means keeping the planet’s temperature asfar below 2ºC as possible. Millions, especially the world’s poorestpeople, are already suffering from climate impacts such as storms and floods.”
Inorder to keep temperatures at safe levels, global emissions must peak by 2015and then start falling. In real terms, this means industrialisedcountries committing to cut emissions by at least 30 per cent by 2020 and atleast 80 per cent by 2050. Globally, emissions must be halved by 2050.This must happen under the Kyoto Protocol’s second phase, which comes intoforce in 2012.
Greenpeacewants governments at this meeting to set a two-year deadline to agree theaction plan we need for the very survival of the planet. This must be an actionplan that drastically cuts emissions from fossil fuels and ends deforestation,a massive contributor to CO2 emissions. This is not negotiable.
InBali, Governments must agree the key elementsof this action plan and create a detailed agenda to ensure that negotiationsare concluded by 2009.
Thedeveloped countries, responsible for over 80 per cent of all the man-madeemissions currently in the atmosphere - must also find ways to help thedeveloping world to deal with the impacts of climate change and to obtain cleantechnology.
“Wealso must see more developing countries agreeing to tackle their ownemissions,” said Yang Ailun of Greenpeace China.
The2009 agreement must also see funding for adaptation, a mechanism for thetransfer of clean technology and a separate mechanism on tropicaldeforestation, which contributes about one fifth of global emissions.
Greenpeacebelieves it is possible to keep the worst impacts of climate change - such asextreme weather events, water crises and increased hunger - from putting millionsof people at risk. This will take a revolution in the way we use and produceenergy, and a strong commitment to stop deforestation worldwide.
Other contacts: Greenpeace Media Contacts in Bali:Cindy Baxter, Greenpeace International Communications: +6281 33 794 9713Martin Baker, Greenpeace International Communications: +6281 33 794 9714Jo Kuper, Greenpeace International Communications: +6281 33 794 9715 Campaign Contacts:Stephanie Tunmore, Greenpeace International Climate & Energy Campaign : +44 7796 957 451 or +6281 33 794 9705 Gavin Edwards, Greenpeace International Climate & Energy Campaign: +31 652 381 429
Notes: 1) On November 17, the Intergovernmental Panel on climate change Fourth Assessment Report concluded that climate change was “unequivocal.”