(04/05/07) VN-rapport klimaatverandering: behoudsgezindheid nefast op lange termijn

• 2007-05-04

Het kortetermijndenken van landen als China en de VS zal ervoor zorgen dat de gevolgen van de klimaatverandering later dubbel zo zwaar zullen aankomen, zowel op economisch als op menselijk vlak. De EU moet voet bij stuk houden om de opwarming te beperken tot 2 °C en andere staten ertoe aanmanen hun vertragingsmanoeuvres te stoppen.

Goede elementen in dit rapport zijn bv. de nadruk op hernieuwbare energie en energie-efficiëntie, maar het globale plaatje ziet er minder goed uit. Het heeft geen zin om de ene vervuilende energie (fossiele brandstoffen) te vervangen door andere, sociaal bedreigende (pure plant oil) of milieuvervuilende (kernenergie) vormen. De politiek moet bereid zijn onze samenleving ertoe te overhalen tot een betere energieconsumptie en vervoer.

Het rapport bevestigt dat de groei van de uitstoot in de komende 20 jaar vooral van het transport zal komen, in het bijzonder ook van de luchtvaart. Het resultaat van het huidige wetgevingsproces daaromtrent moet strenge maatregelen kennen om deze groei te stoppen. Ook andere landen zullen daarin hun verantwoordelijkheid moeten nemen.

UN report on climate change
Swimming against tide on climate change will accentuate the damaging consequences

On the occasion of the publication of the third climate change report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in Bangkok today (1) , Green MEPs Rebecca Harms , Satu Hassi and Claude Turmes said:

"The reluctance of some governments to accept the scientific recommendations has meant the latest IPCC consensus report is unfortunately very conservative in its findings, especially as regards the level of stabilisation of greenhouse gases needed to avoid dangerous climate change. Manipulating the facts may be in their short-term interest but the longer countries like the US and China swim against the tide on climate change, the more painful the consequences will be, whether economically or in terms of human suffering. The EU must stand firm in its objective to limit warming to 2 degrees and press other states to stop delaying the necessary action.

“We welcome the fact that this report proposes solutions to reduce our emissions and the recognition by the IPCC that energy efficiency and renewable energies are the most important measures for bringing climate change in check. However, it is regrettable that they failed to take a look at the whole picture in terms of the potential environmental damage of their proposed solutions. We cannot just assume a business as usual scenario, replacing one polluting energy source with other environmentally- or socially-dangerous alternatives, like nuclear energy or fuel from plants. We need policies that take account of the environmental cost of our energy consumption and transport use to encourage our societies to make the necessary lifestyle changes.”

Commenting of the section of the report dealing with the projected growth in emissions from the transport sector, UK Green MEP Caroline Lucas added:

“The IPCC has confirmed that much of the growth in emissions over the next twenty years will come from the transport sector. The emissions spewed by airlines are expected to grow by a shocking 3-4% per year unless we take action. The EU is currently preparing legislation to deal with emissions from cars and aviation and it is crucial that we get these proposals right and adopt robust measures to stem the growth in transport emissions. Other countries must take responsibility for their pollution as well if we are to tackle this global problem.”

Reactie Europese Commissie

Editors Notes

(1) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has been established to assess scientific, technical and socio- economic information relevant for the understanding of climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation. Today's report is the third in a new series of reports by the IPCC in the context of discussions on international efforts to combat climate change post 2012.