Brussels says UN climate report in line with EU policies

BRUSSELS - The European Commission has supported the latest report by the UN climate change panel published on Saturday (17 November) which argues the impact of global warming on the world may be "abrupt and irreversible."

In the fourth and final part of the UN's research, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) puts together the findings on three aspects of climate change – on science, on its likely impact, and options for dealing with the problem.

All three reports dealing with the individual topics were unveiled earlier this year, while the final summary concludes that climate change is "unequivocal" and it could cause an "abrupt and irreversible" impact.

Some species extinctions and the fast melting of glaciers could be among the consequences, while up to 250 million people could have fresh water shortages and food security could be even more vulnerable in Africa than is currently the case.

The UN panel also clearly stated that CO2 and other greenhouse gases emissions are more than 90 percent likely to be the main cause of climate change.

"The report's findings amount to a stark warning that the world must act fast to slash greenhouse gas emissions if we are to prevent climate change from reaching devastating levels," said EU environment commissioner Stavros Dimas.

But Brussels suggests the EU's own policy package could help prevent the catastrophe if its example is followed by other states.

"The good news is that it [the UN panel report] also shows that deep emission cuts are both technologically feasible and economically affordable," Mr Dimas added.

"It fully supports the EU policy that global warming must be limited to no more than 2ºC above the pre-industrial temperature. The global community must respond to this scientific call for action," he noted, stressing that the forthcoming international conference in Bali will be crucial in setting the pace.

In early December, over one hundred of the world's environment ministers will meet on the Indonesian island to debate climate change and try to kick off talks on a broad international deal to succeed the UN's Kyoto Protocol.

The protocol commits 36 industrial nations - without top emitters such as the US and China - to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by at least 5 percent below 1990 levels by 2008-12.

There are strong calls for all key industrial superpowers to sign up to a new and more ambitious post-Kyoto agreement.

For its part, the 27-member EU has agreed to cut down greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 percent - below 1990 levels - by 2020, and possibly a 30 percent reduction if there is global agreement.

The bloc has also committed itself to boosting the use of renewable energy to 20 percent by 2020 and to improve energy efficiency by 20 percent by the same year.