Act on fossil fuels plea ahead of UN report
Friends of the Earth press release
IPCC CLIMATE REPORT: DEVASTATION CAN STILL BE PREVENTED IF WE GET OFF DIRTY FOSSIL FUELS, SAYS FRIENDS OF THE EARTH
The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment, Working Group 3 report is expected to identify a number of possible pathways for the world to take. It will set out that to avoid the planet heating up by more than two degrees above pre-industrial levels the world must largely wean itself off fossil fuels. Two degrees of warming would have significant negative impacts on food production, water availability and lead to more extreme weather events, particularly affecting the poorest in the world. Around a third of wildlife species would also be under threat of extinction. Four degrees of warming would be devastating for people everywhere.
Friends of the Earth’s Executive Director, Andy Atkins, said:
“We can only avoid catastrophic climate change if we reduce our dependency on fossil fuels - we’re already on track for four degrees warming which will be impossible for human society to adapt to.
“The developing countries that have done the least to cause climate change need financial support from richer nations for low carbon growth. Globally funded feed-in tariffs to boost the use of solar power would be a good start.
“We have the technology to prevent dangerous climate change. What we lack is the political will of our leaders to strongly champion renewable power and energy efficiency.
“But it’s not all gloom. Millions of people across the globe are already working to transform our energy systems, protect our food supplies and safeguard our planet and its people – including here in the UK where communities are saying no to fracking and yes to clean energy.”
Responding to reports that bioenergy with carbon capture and storage should be used, Andy Atkins added:
“Bioenergy does have a limited role in providing the energy we need, but not when it conflicts with food production or biodiversity protection. It mustn’t be allowed to threaten our forests, peat-lands or grasslands as these are important carbon stores.
“Carbon capture and storage remains as yet an unproven technology, so the focus right now must be on proven tools for reducing emissions such as solar power, wind energy and sustainable farming.
“It would be dangerous to rely on stripping carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere without knowing more about the risks involved, the costs and limits to storing it safely.”
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1. Friends of the Earth has published a report on ‘negative’ technologies that concluded that, if Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is one-day available as a safe and affordable technology, the use of chemical capture of carbon dioxide through artificial trees will be able to deliver much greater reductions in carbon pollution than bioenergy with CSS: http://www.foe.co.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/negatonnes.pdf
2. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a UN body tasked with producing five yearly updates of knowledge on the scientific, technical and socio-economic aspects of climate change. It has three scientific working groups each producing and publishing a detailed report.
3. The third IPCC report, WG3 on mitigation is due out on Sunday 13 April 2014. A Friends of the Earth briefing is here: http://www.foe.co.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/advance-briefing-ipcc-report-climate-mitigaton-45694.pdf
4. The first group, Working Group 1, The Physical Science Basis (WG1) published its report in September 2013. A Friends of the Earth summary of its findings is available here:
http://www.foe.co.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/ipcc_report_2013.pdf
5. Working Group 2, Impacts (WG2) published its report on Monday 31 March 2014. A Friends of the Earth briefing on the report is available here: http://www.foe.co.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/advance-briefing-ipcc-report-climate-impacts-45439.pdf
6. A summary of information on climate change, including filmed interviews with Leading climate scientist Professor Kevin Anderson of the Tyndall Centre and Yeb Sano, Philippines climate change negotiator is available here: https://www.foe.co.uk/news/latest-climate-science
7. Friends of the Earth have written a briefing on globally funded feed-in tariffs: http://www.foe.co.uk/community/campaigns/climate/bonn_resources_39926.html
8. For more than 40 years we’ve seen that the wellbeing of people and planet go hand in hand – and it’s been the inspiration for our campaigns. Together with thousands of people like you we’ve secured safer food and water, defended wildlife and natural habitats, championed the move to clean energy and acted to keep our climate stable. Be a Friend of the Earth – see things differently. For further information visit www.foe.co.uk
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