The global environmental organisation marked the opening of the
talks by unveiling a 3 metre high sculpture (1) depicting the earth
on the brink of destruction from a 'tidal wave' of CO2. The
sculpture, Planet Earth: Tipping Point, shows the fragile
planet cowering beneath a giant 'wave' made of wood and coal. It
will remain on display, serving as a daily reminder to government
negotiators that the stakes couldn't be higher.
"The impacts of climate change are racing ahead of the
scientific projections," said Stephanie Tunmore Greenpeace Climate
Campaigner. "Yet there is still an utter lack of any kind of
visionary leadership in these talks. There are still governments
that repeatedly fail to grasp the urgency of the crisis.
"It's pretty simple: to avoid the overwhelming costs of runaway
climate change, the world needs to quit its addiction to coal and
stop destroying forests - or we will be engulfed by a tidal wave of
global warming. That work has to start here now."
Last year, after scientists concluded a shocking report (2)
laying out a grim future under climate change, governments at the
UN climate Conference in Bali pledged to nail down an agreement by
December 2009, in Copenhagen, to save the climate.
One year on, global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise
and the loss of ice at both the Arctic and Antarctic has surpassed
scientists' worst case scenarios. Yet no clear progress on an
agreement is in sight. Literally millions of lives are at risk,
along with devastating economic consequences and species
extinction.
"We are at the halfway point in a two year process to seal a
deal to give the planet a fighting chance. So far we have seen
bickering and foot dragging in these negotiations and little
progress. It's time governments got serious about taking action to
protect the climate."
She noted that the credit crunch must not be used as an excuse
for inaction. "The current economic crisis we're experiencing now
is nothing compared to the trillions of dollars that climate change
will cost us."
Greenpeace warned that at Copenhagen in one year's time, a
global agreement must be reached to save the climate. This means a
deal that sees greenhouse gas emissions peak by 2015, and then drop
dramatically.
In Poznan, governments must agree (3):
• a "climate vision" that will address what the science
requires: global emissions peaking by 2015;
• a draft text on the table to start negotiations in March;
• a detailed work plan to get this completed by Copenhagen in
December 2009; and
• developed countries must agree greenhouse gas emission
reduction targets at the upper end of 25-40 percent, as identified
by the IPCC.
Other contacts: In Poznan, Poland:Cindy Baxter, Greenpeace Communications Officer +48 798 626 771Beth Herzfeld, Greenpeace Communications Officer , +48 798 626 809Michael Crocker, Greenpeace Communications Officer +48 798 626 817Greg McNevin,Greenpeace Communications Officer, (photo/video) +48 696 719 392
Notes: (1) The sculpture, made of wood (representing the ongoing destruction of tropical forests, which account for around 20 percent of global C02 emissions) and lignite coal (coal makes up 30 percent of C02 emissions), made by Dutch artist Ruut Evers. (2) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment concluded in November 2007, see: http://www.ipcc.ch(3) Greenpeace blogs and briefings on issues at the Poznan talks: http://www.greenpeace.org/kyoto