04/07/2005 - The US is
bottom of the G8 climate change class, turning
in the worst performance of all the top eight
economies in dealing with global warming,
according to a new rating published by WWF.
The global conservation organization’s “G8
Climate Scorecards” show that while the US
remains the climate change schoolroom dunce,
none of the other top eight students look
particularly bright either. The scorecards
show that none of the G8 countries are taking
the required lead when it comes to cutting
emissions, increasing the share of renewable
energies or improving energy efficiency.
“The Bush administration is not only failing
to deal with the threat of climate change
but is also actively trying to water-down
the G8’s efforts on the issues,” said Jennifer
Morgan, Director WWF’s Global Climate Change
Programme. “If the US is lagging behind then
it’s time for them to be left behind.”
“The seven other Heads of State at the summit
in Gleneagles must insist that a clear and
concrete outcome is all that will be acceptable
if we are to stand any chance in stemming
the adverse affects of climate change, even
if this means going it alone without the Bush
administration,” she added.
The scorecards use a total of ten criteria
to provide a comparable snapshot of recent
and expected greenhouse gas emissions in each
of the G8 economies. They also show how effectively
governments are reacting to the threat of
climate change and provide an overall evaluation
of the climate performance of each country.
Within the scorecards, the US performed worst,
not having ratified the Kyoto Protocol and
not having put any substantive measures in
place to curb emissions. The US has the highest
emission rates for greenhouse gases among
G8 countries sourcing around two thirds of
its energy needs from coal and oil. And under
the Bush administration the world’s largest
economy’s dependence on coal and oil is set
to increase.
The three countries furthest along in dealing
with climate change issues include France,
Germany and the UK, but each is likely to
see increases in emissions if further measures
are not implemented soon. Canada, Italy, Japan
and Russia rank much lower and are far from
meeting the criteria required to keep the
global rise in temperatures below 2°C
by 2050.
"All the G8 are far from securing a
safe and stable climate,” says Jennifer Morgan.
“With clear differences in the level of commitment
and efforts to solve the climate crisis, no
single country could truly claim to be a climate
leader,"
The five major developing countries (Brazil,
China, India, Mexico and South Africa) are
expecting large growth in emissions as their
economies expand, although they are already
implementing measures to cut emissions. WWF
is calling on the G8 to announce clear programmes
and financing to assist them to develop in
a less carbon-intensive fashion.
The global conservation organization also
wants the G8 to commit to keeping the rise
in global temperatures below 2°C above
pre-industrial levels, provide a clear policy
framework for Kyoto countries to meet their
targets, and for all countries to support
even deeper cuts in CO2 emissions.
EDITORS NOTES
1. The G8 Climate Scorecards are available
at http://www.panda.org/climate. See link
in righthand menue on this page.
2. WWF's materials on G8 are available at
http://www.panda.org/climate/g8. They include
briefings on G8 policy, on carbon-neutral
technology alternatives, and on climate change
impacts.
3. A full copy of the WWF commissioned report
– Climate change impacts in the Mediterranean
resulting from a 2°C global temperature
rise – can be downloaded at http://www.panda.org/climate/med2degrees.
4. The Kyoto Treaty implements the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC). The Kyoto Protocol sets binding
targets for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
for industrialized countries; its text was
adopted at the Kyoto conference of the Parties
to the Climate Treaty in December 1997 in
Japan
5. For climate change B-roll footage contact
Claire Doole, Head of Press, WWF International,
t +41 22 364 9565, email cdoole@wwfint.org.
6. For more information on WWF’s Global Climate
Change Programme go to http://www.panda.org/climate.
7. For more information on WWF’s PowerSwitch!
Campaign got to http://www.panda.org/powerswitch.
