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WWF criticises government on Climate Change |
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Blair 'failing' over environment - Environmental charity WWF UK has severely criticised the government for what it says is a lack of action on climate change and the environment.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4434456.stm
CO2 levels are the highest for 650,000 years
Also just out are two studies, published in the journal 'Science', showing CO2 levels are the highest for 650,000 years and sea levels have been rising twice as fast in the last 150 years as in the previous 5,000 years (i)(ii).
The studies, added to the myriad evidence released this year, led The Guardian to call 2005 the 'Year that climate change became undeniable'. The leader of the study on sea levels, Professor Kenneth Miller, is quoted as saying, "It is due to humans".
Green Party Principal Speaker Keith Taylor commented: "Every study that is released cements the consensus among independent scientists over man-made climate change: It is undeniable. We will have 50 million environmental refugees by 2010 (iii); the economic cost of cleaning up environmental catastrophes is incalculable; and already the climate change-related annual death toll is 150,000 (iv) - a figure certain to rise year on year."
He continued: "Professor [Thomas] Stocker [project leader of the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica] and his team have shown the link between CO2 levels and global temperature. If, in the light of this, we continue to allow buildings to be built without efficiency measures and without some form of microgeneration; or allow shockingly inefficient cars to be sold at the standard tax rate; or continue to subsidize the aviation industry, then we cannot call ourselves intelligent beings. We need to show the government that putting loyalty to business and the free market above the well-being of the public is not acceptable."
Notes:
(i) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4467420.stm
(ii) http://www.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,12374,1650439,00.html
(iii) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4326666.stm
(iv) http://www.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,12374,1105132,00.html |
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