PGR News from the Pacific

Posted 7:56 PM by Tevita

Germany Hears Cries Of Small Island States
By Ulamila Wragg, Pacific Communications Team, Poznan, Pola
Friday: December 12, 2008

From : Pacific Magazine

In what can be regarded as a breaking of ranks within the European Union, Germany today announced in Poland that it has set a 40 percent emission reduction target from 1990 levels by 2020.

Germany’s Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel delivered his country’s powerful promise this afternoon at the United Nations global climate change conference in the city of Poznan.

Germany’s timing of delivering the promise in Poznan is ironic given that today, heads of states of the EU are also meeting in Brussels to set measures that will allow them to meet 20 percent reduction target of their emission in 2020 compared to 1990. They are keen to also commit to reducing emissions by up to 30 percent if a satisfying agreement is reached in Copenhagen next year.

Germany’s promise today is in line with the plea by the Alliance of Small Islands States (AOSIS) to the global summit that industrialised countries cut emissions by 40 percent from 1990 level by 2020. AOSIS wants the target entrenched in the post-Kyoto Protocol regime that will be sealed in Copenhagen next year.

“Germany has already achieved its Kyoto targets this year and we will exceed them in 2010. We have set ourselves the target of 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 compared with 1990. We have found that if we implement our targets effectively, we will save 17 million Euros on energy imports in 2020,” said Gabriel.

He said Germany is also generating demand in employment-intensive domestic sectors, thus creating 500,000 new jobs by 2020.

“Our negotiations are by far not progressing enough. We are not making any progress on crucial issues. Despite the knowledge on that is necessary, we are not even able to decide on the range of necessary mid-term reductions by developed countries, let alone on urgently needed financing structures for adaptation,” Gabriel said.

Gabriel took the opportunity to call on EU member countries not to exploit the current financial crisis “as an excuse for moving away from committed climate protection.”

“But as we have just learnt from the financial crisis: those trading in bad loans ultimately lose trillions of euros and dollars. And the worst loan we are trading in globally is climate loan. It is already costing human lives in regions where desertification is spreading and sea levels are rising,” he said.

“It is threatening the biodiversity which is the basis of our well being and it will cost our children and grandchildren much more than the current financial crisis if they have to cope with the cost of unchecked climate change.”

“We are the world’s environment ministers. Who, if not we, have the responsibility to remind the world that it cannot postpone the problem of melting icebergs? Nor will rising sea-levels stop for a rest, simply because bankers and brokers have squandered trillions?”

Gabriel said that Poznan has to be more than negotiating technical details.

“Poznan must send the unmistakeable signal that climate change belongs at the very top of the international policy agenda and must not be relegated to ‘any other business'.”



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DIVA-GIS	Thursday, December 11, 2008 Posted 7:56 PM by Tevita Germany Hears Cries Of Small Island States By Ulamila Wragg, Pacific Communications Team, Poznan, Pola Friday: December 12, 2008 From : Pacific Magazine In what can be regarded as a breaking of ranks within the European Union, Germany today announced in Poland that it has set a 40 percent emission reduction target from 1990 levels by 2020. Germany’s Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel delivered his country’s powerful promise this afternoon at the United Nations global climate change conference in the city of Poznan. Germany’s timing of delivering the promise in Poznan is ironic given that today, heads of states of the EU are also meeting in Brussels to set measures that will allow them to meet 20 percent reduction target of their emission in 2020 compared to 1990. They are keen to also commit to reducing emissions by up to 30 percent if a satisfying agreement is reached in Copenhagen next year. Germany’s promise today is in line with the plea by the Alliance of Small Islands States (AOSIS) to the global summit that industrialised countries cut emissions by 40 percent from 1990 level by 2020. AOSIS wants the target entrenched in the post-Kyoto Protocol regime that will be sealed in Copenhagen next year. “Germany has already achieved its Kyoto targets this year and we will exceed them in 2010. We have set ourselves the target of 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 compared with 1990. We have found that if we implement our targets effectively, we will save 17 million Euros on energy imports in 2020,” said Gabriel. He said Germany is also generating demand in employment-intensive domestic sectors, thus creating 500,000 new jobs by 2020. “Our negotiations are by far not progressing enough. We are not making any progress on crucial issues. Despite the knowledge on that is necessary, we are not even able to decide on the range of necessary mid-term reductions by developed countries, let alone on urgently needed financing structures for adaptation,” Gabriel said. Gabriel took the opportunity to call on EU member countries not to exploit the current financial crisis “as an excuse for moving away from committed climate protection.” “But as we have just learnt from the financial crisis: those trading in bad loans ultimately lose trillions of euros and dollars. And the worst loan we are trading in globally is climate loan. It is already costing human lives in regions where desertification is spreading and sea levels are rising,” he said. “It is threatening the biodiversity which is the basis of our well being and it will cost our children and grandchildren much more than the current financial crisis if they have to cope with the cost of unchecked climate change.” “We are the world’s environment ministers. Who, if not we, have the responsibility to remind the world that it cannot postpone the problem of melting icebergs? Nor will rising sea-levels stop for a rest, simply because bankers and brokers have squandered trillions?” Gabriel said that Poznan has to be more than negotiating technical details. “Poznan must send the unmistakeable signal that climate change belongs at the very top of the international policy agenda and must not be relegated to ‘any other business'.” * Comments: Post a Comment	Archive October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 May 2009 June 2009 July 2009 August 2009 September 2009 October 2009 November 2009 January 2010 RSS Feed Alternative feed Contact Tevita Something new: Agrobiodiversity Weblog: For discussions of conservation and sustainable use of the genetic resources of crops, livestock and their wild relatives. 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