Ban Ki Moon, the current Secretary-General of the U.N. says the commitment to reduce emissions by two percent is not enough to counter current global warming trends, according to Political Affairs.net.
HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 9 (acn) Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, today said that the goals agreed to by the members of the Group of the eight most industrialized nations of the world (G8) are insufficient to counter climate change.
The climate problem brings along a responsibility, which is historical and mandatory for our planet’s future, Ban Ki-Moon told the press at the end of the G8 Summit, held in the Italian city of L'Aquila.
The main industrialized countries decided to reduce global warming by two percent, amidst huge demonstrations on the city’s streets demanding a greater commitment from those governments to mitigate the effects of climate change and the economic crisis.
In the summit, heads of state and ministers from Germany, Canada, The United States, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and Russia agreed to a 50-percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, EFE news agency reported.
UN figures point to these countries as responsible for 80 percent of the gases launched into the world atmosphere; therefore, they are the ones to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which is one of greenhouse gases.
According to the UN data it is necessary to strengthen bank regulations and promote reforms of international financial institutions, in order to cushion the effects of the economic crisis and the food situation on the planet.
From the Cuban News Agency
Others, however are heartened by the fact it was discussed at all, according to cbsnews.com, though even there, it is referred to as a "half-measure."
Why? Because no solid plan of action was agreed upon.
The most exciting thing about this week's G8 meeting in l'Aquila in the hot and sunny mountains of Italy was that it managed to say something new and important.
Contrary to last year's summit in Japan, G8 leaders at this year's summit managed to produce two pieces of news on climate change: First they acknowledged the scientific view that global temperature increases should be limited to two degrees Celsius. Secondly they agreed that the developed countries should reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases by 80 per cent or more by 2050. G8 leaders have never agreed on this before.
If the leaders are serious about what they agreed - and I wouldn't dream of suggesting that they are not - this sets a new, clear direction for the international efforts to combat climate change.
The reference to the science on 2 degrees limit indicates that science must be the basis for where we set our level of ambition on climate change. And the agreement to reduce emissions by 80 per cent in 2050 puts us into the right order of magnitude. WWF would like to see even higher ambitions that would further limit the disruption to our climate system, but this is an important new starting point, and it creates a common, global language on what we are aiming for.
And this was not limited to the developed countries in the G8. Thursday, the same agreement on limiting temperature increases to 2 degrees was also reached in the Major Economies Forum, meaning that developing countries such as Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and South Africa, are now part of this new, global language. Like all countries, they have felt the impacts of climate change and they do not want to miss the narrow window of opportunity available for limiting future damage. They agree on the ambition to limit warming to 2 degrees, and they know of course that there is no way that we can achieve it, without serious climate action on their part as well.
So all the important players agree what the game is we are playing. That's important! Why is it then that I'm only half excited?
My main concern is that the G8 leaders still haven't said much about how they will translate this long-term, principle agreement into the immediate action needed to fulfill the vision. As a group, they have not committed to anything near the level of emissions reductions needed in the short and mid-term. And they have presented very few ideas on what funding they are going to contribute to African countries and other developing countries for adaptation to climate change and for climate action and emissions reductions. What they are offering to the poorest countries in the world, is a little bit like a rich friend's postcard from a 5 star resort saying: I wish you were here.
However, in a surprise move on Thursday, President Obama presented an idea that may help resolve this issue. He got the heads of state at the Major
Economies forum to ask their Finance Minister, or Secretary of Treasury, to come up with ideas on finance for developing countries and to report back to the upcoming G20 meeting in Pittsburg in September. So now we have a process and a timeline that may help us break one of the major deadlocks in the global negotiations on climate change. All eyes will now be on Pittsburgh.
There was also some progress on technology, which is another of the key building blocks in the climate negotiations. The Major Economies Forum agreed to double public funding for research and development of green technologies. They also agreed to a series of country-led initiatives on specific technologies like solar power, smart grid, energy efficiency and advanced vehicles. By November, we will have proposals for roadmaps and action plans for these technologies, and if done well, they can become very important for a global climate agreement.
Progress is still not fast enough but the positive steps on long term vision and on finance and technology in the Major Economies Forum mean that an ambitious global climate deal in Copenhagen is still mission possible.
Notice the difference in language and numbers? This is a reflection of the complexity of the problem. However, through human ingenuity, I have faith that things will work out. Let's just hope no more species go extinct and no one else dies as a direct cause of warming. Wishful thinking, I know, but one can dream. That said, I do believe the denialists will eventually come around.
They can't ignore facts forever.
I hope.
HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 9 (acn) Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, today said that the goals agreed to by the members of the Group of the eight most industrialized nations of the world (G8) are insufficient to counter climate change.
The climate problem brings along a responsibility, which is historical and mandatory for our planet’s future, Ban Ki-Moon told the press at the end of the G8 Summit, held in the Italian city of L'Aquila.
The main industrialized countries decided to reduce global warming by two percent, amidst huge demonstrations on the city’s streets demanding a greater commitment from those governments to mitigate the effects of climate change and the economic crisis.
In the summit, heads of state and ministers from Germany, Canada, The United States, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and Russia agreed to a 50-percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, EFE news agency reported.
UN figures point to these countries as responsible for 80 percent of the gases launched into the world atmosphere; therefore, they are the ones to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which is one of greenhouse gases.
According to the UN data it is necessary to strengthen bank regulations and promote reforms of international financial institutions, in order to cushion the effects of the economic crisis and the food situation on the planet.
From the Cuban News Agency
Others, however are heartened by the fact it was discussed at all, according to cbsnews.com, though even there, it is referred to as a "half-measure."
Why? Because no solid plan of action was agreed upon.
The most exciting thing about this week's G8 meeting in l'Aquila in the hot and sunny mountains of Italy was that it managed to say something new and important.
Contrary to last year's summit in Japan, G8 leaders at this year's summit managed to produce two pieces of news on climate change: First they acknowledged the scientific view that global temperature increases should be limited to two degrees Celsius. Secondly they agreed that the developed countries should reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases by 80 per cent or more by 2050. G8 leaders have never agreed on this before.
If the leaders are serious about what they agreed - and I wouldn't dream of suggesting that they are not - this sets a new, clear direction for the international efforts to combat climate change.
The reference to the science on 2 degrees limit indicates that science must be the basis for where we set our level of ambition on climate change. And the agreement to reduce emissions by 80 per cent in 2050 puts us into the right order of magnitude. WWF would like to see even higher ambitions that would further limit the disruption to our climate system, but this is an important new starting point, and it creates a common, global language on what we are aiming for.
And this was not limited to the developed countries in the G8. Thursday, the same agreement on limiting temperature increases to 2 degrees was also reached in the Major Economies Forum, meaning that developing countries such as Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and South Africa, are now part of this new, global language. Like all countries, they have felt the impacts of climate change and they do not want to miss the narrow window of opportunity available for limiting future damage. They agree on the ambition to limit warming to 2 degrees, and they know of course that there is no way that we can achieve it, without serious climate action on their part as well.
So all the important players agree what the game is we are playing. That's important! Why is it then that I'm only half excited?
My main concern is that the G8 leaders still haven't said much about how they will translate this long-term, principle agreement into the immediate action needed to fulfill the vision. As a group, they have not committed to anything near the level of emissions reductions needed in the short and mid-term. And they have presented very few ideas on what funding they are going to contribute to African countries and other developing countries for adaptation to climate change and for climate action and emissions reductions. What they are offering to the poorest countries in the world, is a little bit like a rich friend's postcard from a 5 star resort saying: I wish you were here.
However, in a surprise move on Thursday, President Obama presented an idea that may help resolve this issue. He got the heads of state at the Major
Economies forum to ask their Finance Minister, or Secretary of Treasury, to come up with ideas on finance for developing countries and to report back to the upcoming G20 meeting in Pittsburg in September. So now we have a process and a timeline that may help us break one of the major deadlocks in the global negotiations on climate change. All eyes will now be on Pittsburgh.
There was also some progress on technology, which is another of the key building blocks in the climate negotiations. The Major Economies Forum agreed to double public funding for research and development of green technologies. They also agreed to a series of country-led initiatives on specific technologies like solar power, smart grid, energy efficiency and advanced vehicles. By November, we will have proposals for roadmaps and action plans for these technologies, and if done well, they can become very important for a global climate agreement.
Progress is still not fast enough but the positive steps on long term vision and on finance and technology in the Major Economies Forum mean that an ambitious global climate deal in Copenhagen is still mission possible.
Notice the difference in language and numbers? This is a reflection of the complexity of the problem. However, through human ingenuity, I have faith that things will work out. Let's just hope no more species go extinct and no one else dies as a direct cause of warming. Wishful thinking, I know, but one can dream. That said, I do believe the denialists will eventually come around.
They can't ignore facts forever.
I hope.
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