Report offers solution to political deadlock crippling climate talks
Rich countries have a 'double duty' to both cut emissions at home while also helping to fund emissions reductions in poor countries in order to get a fair and safe climate deal, according to a new report launched today by international agency, Oxfam (11 June 2009).
The report 'Hang Together or Separately?', launched at the UN talks in Bonn, says that only rich countries can break the deadlock currently crippling international climate negotiations and prevent the world lurching into climate disaster. The framework presented in the report offers a pragmatic way to measure how much rich countries should cut their emissions by and how much separate developing countries must receive to help them cut their emissions as well.
The science shows that annual global emissions need to return to 1990 levels or below by 2020. Oxfam says roughly half of these reductions could be achieved through the establishment of a 'Global Mitigation and Finance Mechanism' which will provide poor countries with the up front support they need to limit the growth in their emissions without compromising their development.
Rich countries must also collectively cut their emissions by at least 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020, with a majority of these reductions occurring at home. Oxfam's report considers for each rich country its responsibility for causing climate change and its capability to respond in order to spell out exactly how much they must cut their emissions to meet this target. It also shows that no rich country is anywhere near delivering their fair share of the reductions needed.
According to the report, the UK must cut its emissions by 45.3% by 2020 on 1990 levels – the EU should have a combined target of 45 per cent. However, the 20-30 per cent target agreed by EU governments shows how politics has over-ruled what is scientifically needed if we are to avoid runaway climate change.
Rich countries are responsible for three quarters of greenhouse gas emissions currently in the atmosphere but it is the world's poorest people who are being hit first and hardest by a changing climate. In Africa, changes to rainfall are already affecting food production, and rising temperatures are boosting the spread of disease.
Many developing countries have already made significant steps to reduce emissions and signalled their willingness to discuss further action – provided that rich countries provide financial and technological support. For example, Mexico has already committed to halving its emissions by 2050 and China is a world leader in renewable energy investment - ploughing $12 billion into renewable energy in 2007.
"Rich countries, who are most responsible for climate change, must break this deadlock. Our proposed approach gives them a way to do that and lead the way in avoiding human catastrophe", said Oxfam's Campaigns and Policy Director Phil Bloomer. "Rich countries have the money and the technology to pull us from the brink of no return. They have a double duty – to deliver massive emissions cuts at home and provide money for poor countries to tackle their emissions too.
"It is unrealistic and immoral for rich countries to expect developing countries to cut their emissions first when it is developing countries who are most vulnerable to climate change and need to develop out of poverty. Every country must play its part and this report offers a realistic way forward instead of the polarised paralysis we are seeing at the moment", he added.
The 'Global Mitigation and Finance Mechanism' would use money from the sale of carbon permits to provide the up-front support developing countries need. The world's poorest countries, such as Uganda and India, would receive 100 percent of the funding they need to shift to a low carbon development path. However, more advanced developing economies such as Brazil and China would be expected to fund a proportion of the costs, depending on their economic capabilities.
Oxfam estimates that at least $150 billion is needed every year to fund both adaptation and mitigation action in developing countries. This is a relatively small amount compared with the cost of inaction – which economist Sir Nicolas Stern estimates could be as much as 5-20 percent of global GDP – and miniscule compared to the trillions of dollars that was found to bail out rich country banks.
Bloomer said: "Without exception, all rich country governments are failing in their duty to protect their citizens from catastrophic climate change. Acting now will save money and save lives."
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Notes for editors
'Hang Together or Separately?' outlines what level of emissions reductions individual rich countries need to make to contribute their fair share of the effort needed to deliver on this target:
The US must deliver 45 per cent cuts where as the climate bill currently making its way through the House of Representatives proposes up to a 14 per cent cut in emissions.
Europe must cut emissions by 44 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 – with the bulk of the cuts occurring domestically. It is currently committed to a 20 - 30 percent reduction.
Japan, which is poised this week to commit to a 7 or 25 per cent reduction or possibly even an increase, must deliver a 56 percent reduction.
Russia, which has yet to set a mid term target, must deliver a 20 percent reduction in emissions.
Australia, which has committed to a 25 percent cut in emissions, would need to deliver reductions of 40 percent.
Canada, whose commitments are equivalent to a 3 per cent drop in emissions on 1990 levels by 2020, would need to deliver a cut of 43 percent.
For more information, a copy of the report or the executive summary, and to arrange an interview contact: Lucy Brinicombe in Oxford on +44 (0)1865 472192 / +44 (0) 7786 110054, or Anna Mitchell in Bonn on + 44 77 96 99 32 88 and Mirjam Hägele in Bonn on + 49 177 8809977
Oxfam has spokespeople at the UN climate change talks from Bangladesh, South Africa, Uganda, US, UK, Germany and Australia.
Pictures and case studies illustrating the impact of a changing climate on poor communities across the world can be downloaded from: www.flickr.com/photos/oxfam/sets/72157618790673677/
Video footage of the impacts of climate change including interviews is available for download from: ftp://kay.oxfam.org.uk (account/username: video12; password: 236video; port: 21)
There are three high-quality MOV files plus a WMV viewing file of the three MOV files. Including in this download is a log and transcript of the three files which have material from Bangladesh, Cambodia and Uganda. Use of these images is free. Oxfam would appreciate being credited with the images if possible. NB. If you are using Internet Explorer it probably won't cope with downloading or opening the folder with ftp sites. If so, you can download free software like FileZilla and use this to access the files.
Oxfam is a founder member of the 'tck tck tck' campaign. The campaign brings together an unprecedented alliance of faith groups, NGOs, trade unions and individual. As world leaders prepare to strike a climate deal in Copenhagen in December, and aims to harness the voices of people from around the globe to demand an ambitious, fair and binding climate deal which reflects the latest science.
Oxfam is a member of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition.
