Scientists demand action on climate
Ahead of next month's G8 summit, science academies issue an
unprecedented joint statement
By Stephen Pincock <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Scientific academies from the world's leading nations have issued an
unprecedented joint statement today (June 7) urging the leaders of their
countries to commit to taking prompt action to reduce emissions of
greenhouse gases.
The statement from Britain's Royal Society and the science academies of
France, Russia, Germany, United States, Japan, Italy, and Canada was
released ahead of a G8 summit
<http://www.g8.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1078995902703>
in Gleneagles, Scotland, at which climate change
<http://www.the-scientist.com/news/20021209/06> is expected to be a
major focus. The academies of Brazil, China, and India, not members of
G8, are also signatories.
"It is clear that world leaders, including the G8, can no longer use
uncertainty about aspects of climate change as an excuse for not taking
urgent action to cut greenhouse gas emissions," said Robert May,
president of the Royal Society, in a statement. "The scientific evidence
forcefully points to a need for a truly international effort. Make no
mistake, we have to act now. And the longer we procrastinate, the more
difficult the task of tackling climate change becomes."
May said that the current US policy on climate change was misguided.
"The Bush administration has consistently refused to accept the advice
of the US National Academy of Sciences [NAS]… Getting the US onboard is
critical because of the sheer amount of greenhouse gas emissions they
are responsible for."
May said that President Bush has a chance at Gleneagles to signal that
his administration will no longer ignore the scientific evidence and act
to cut emissions.
The United States isn't the only target of the academies' statement,
however. "The problem with the UK, of course, is that it's all very well
saying that it is an important issue, but you've got to make the
difficult political decisions to back that up," said Ward.
"We don't want to hear any more statements from G8 leaders to the effect
that we don't know enough about the science to be certain," Royal
Society spokesman Bob Ward told /The Scientist/. "We want all the
leaders to accept that we do know enough about the science to take
action on climate change."
The academies urge the G8 nations to find cost-effective steps that can
be taken immediately toward substantial and long-term reductions in
global greenhouse gas emissions.
"Climate change is real," the academies write. "There will always be
uncertainty in understanding a system as complex as the world's climate.
However, there is now strong evidence that significant global warming is
occurring."
"We urge all nations," they conclude, "in the line with the UNFCCC
[United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change] principles, to
take prompt action to reduce the causes of climate change, adapt to its
impacts, and ensure that the issue is included in all relevant national
and international strategies. As national science academies, we commit
to working with governments to help develop and implement the national
and international response to the challenge of climate change."
Environmental campaign group Friends of the Earth welcomed the
academies' statement, but said it was disappointed they hadn't specified
any targets or a timetable for action.
"The national science academies are right to call for prompt action on
climate change. But this document lacks targets or a timetable for
urgent action," The group's climate campaigner, Catherine Pearce, said
in a statement. "It is crucial that the entire world—including the
United States—recognizes that there is a window of opportunity to avert
potentially catastrophic climate change. Emissions must peak and decline
within the next decade. The world must act now before it is too late."
Friends of the Earth spokeswoman Katie Elliott told /The Scientist,/
"They've got all the right sentiments in there... but we wanted some
recognition that emissions need to peak and decline in the next decade."
"It's all very well taking these baby steps, but we really need to ramp
things up now," Elliott added.
*Links for this article*
G8 Summit
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<http://www.g8.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1078995902703>
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