WWF-UK: Climate change: five years left to save the world
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Climate change: five years left to save the world
Tuesday 15 May 2007
A major new WWF report has concluded it is still possible to save the planet from a climate change catastrophe, but that world leaders have just five years to do so.
The report, Climate Solutions: WWF's vision for 2050 - launched on 15 May 2007 - shows for the first time that the world can produce more than enough sustainable energy to meet global demand and curb climate change, but only if key decisions are made by 2012.
It goes beyond recent conclusions by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that new technologies were sufficient to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. WWF's report shows how this can be done using only sustainable, environmentally friendly energy sources.
Climate Solutions also shows that the necessary cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved without resorting to the nuclear option. The finding is in stark contrast to the UK government's insistence that new nuclear power stations are needed to meet its own less ambitious emissions reduction targets.
"The world has never been more aware of climate change, or the urgent need to slow its advance," said James Leape, WWF International's Director General.
"The question is how to rein in dangerously high levels of carbon dioxide emissions without stunting development and reducing living standards. The Climate Solutions report shows not only that this can be done, it shows how we can do it."
WWF has identified six key ways to meet global energy demand without damaging the global climate:
Keith Allott, head of WWF-UK's climate change programme, added: "This report shows that although the scale of the climate change challenge can seem daunting, it can be tackled provided we act with real urgency."
It goes beyond recent conclusions by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that new technologies were sufficient to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. WWF's report shows how this can be done using only sustainable, environmentally friendly energy sources.
Climate Solutions also shows that the necessary cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved without resorting to the nuclear option. The finding is in stark contrast to the UK government's insistence that new nuclear power stations are needed to meet its own less ambitious emissions reduction targets.
"The world has never been more aware of climate change, or the urgent need to slow its advance," said James Leape, WWF International's Director General.
"The question is how to rein in dangerously high levels of carbon dioxide emissions without stunting development and reducing living standards. The Climate Solutions report shows not only that this can be done, it shows how we can do it."
WWF has identified six key ways to meet global energy demand without damaging the global climate:
- improving energy efficiency;
- stopping forest loss;
- accelerating the development of low-emissions technologies;
- developing flexible fuels;
- replacing high-carbon coal with low-carbon gas; and
- equipping fossil-fuel plants with carbon capture and storage technology.
Keith Allott, head of WWF-UK's climate change programme, added: "This report shows that although the scale of the climate change challenge can seem daunting, it can be tackled provided we act with real urgency."
"The world has never been more aware of climate change, or the urgent need to slow its advance."
James Leape, Director General WWF International
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