12 Mar 2007 - The G8+5
must push for the launch of formal negotiations
for deep cuts in global emissions of heat
trapping gases, at the UN climate summit
in Indonesia in December this year. Negotiations
should expand and deepen the existing Kyoto
framework and conclude in 2009. This will
send a clear signal to the global carbon
markets that drive investments in clean
development.
Specifically ministers should adopt a "technology
package" covering four areas:
• An agreement on binding global standards
to increase energy efficiency dramatically.
• An agreement on a global target for 25
per cent new renewable energy sources by
2025.
• A roadmap for the development of new technologies,
including solar and geothermal energy and
carbon capture and storage.
• By no later than 2020, guarantee that
all fossil fuel power plants will be equipped
with carbon capture and storage systems
and therefore have zero emissions, or else
have been decommissioned.
Climate change impacts are undermining
welfare and economic performance especially
of the least developed countries. Hence,
a specific “development package” should
be agreed for these countries:
• Comprehensive support for building defences
against climate change impacts (developing
so called adaptation strategies); building
capacity for climate-proof development;
and providing more funding for adaptation
programmes.
• Stop carbon emissions from deforestation:
With up to 20 per cent of global emissions
from changes in land use there is a need
to put in place carefully crafted policies
and measures as part of a Kyoto-plus agreement
that reduce such emissions with the aim
of achieving zero net deforestation by 2020.
THE QUOTE – “This week ministers can give
the planet a clean break by agreeing to
concrete actions that further reduce carbon
pollution,” says Hans Verolme, Director
of WWF’s Global Climate Change programme.
“Who else if not the G8, the world’s richest
economies, should take the lead? Each country
needs to commit to do their fair share.”
BACKGROUND – G8+5 Environment Ministers
are meeting in Potsdam, Germany, on 15-16
March to discuss climate change and biodiversity
actions for the Summit of Heads of State
and Government to agree at Heiligendamm
on 7-8 June, 2007. The G8+5 are the world’s
leading economies (Canada, France, Germany,
Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, USA) along with
the five most important emerging economies
(Brazil, China, India, Mexico South Africa).
Together they are responsible for some 85
per cent of global carbon emissions.
Press Information: WWF’s position statement
on the Germany’s leadership of the G8 process
can be found at: http://www.panda.org/climate/g8
+ More
WWF teams up with Google Earth
12 Mar 2007 - Gland, Switzerland – People
looking for information about WWF’s work
around the world will now be able to find
it on the Google Earth™ mapping service.
The global conservation organization announced
that from today more than 150 of its projects
will be added to Google Earth, the satellite
imagery-based mapping product.
“People interested in conservation and
the environment now will be able to visit
WWF projects in some of the world’s most
threatened and biologically diverse places
from their home computers,” said WWF International’s
Director General James Leape.
“Teaming up with Google Earth is a natural
step for WWF, because we are committed to
protecting and monitoring our environment.
This joint initiative will allow WWF to
spread its conservation message to a vast
new audience.”
“With more than 45 years of on-the-ground
experience, WWF is excited that people everywhere
will have the opportunity to zoom in on
a sample of our projects and gain a better
understanding of just how big the conservation
challenge is and some of the things we are
doing to address it.”
Users of Google Earth will be able to learn
about the geographical location of selected
WWF projects, read a description of each
and be directed to WWF’s global website,
www.panda.org, for more information.
“We’re pleased that the WWF has chosen
Google Earth as a platform for sharing their
incredibly important conservation work,”
said John Hanke, Director of Google Earth
and the Google Maps™ service.
“Google Earth has proven to be a powerful
resource for the environmental community
and for users wanting to learn more about
the world around them.”
Google figures show that its Google Earth
application has been downloaded more than
200 million times.
To find WWF on Google Earth, users must
first download the Google Earth application
from www.earth.google.com. Once downloaded,
users will find WWF in the Featured Content
section under the heading Layers. From there,
click on global awareness and then tick
the box reserved for WWF.
Moira O’Brien-Malone, Head of Press
WWF International
Megan Quinn, Google Inc
END NOTE:
Google, Google Earth and Google Maps are
trademarks of Google Inc. in the United
States and/or other countries. Other trademarks
are the property of their respective owners.
