WWF - Climate change news

Cut airplane emissions, not trade ties

2012-02-22

WWF said today that countries should focus on cutting climate-changing emissions from aviation, rather than retaliating against the European Union for trying to limit emissions from aviation in its airspace. The EU has included aviation in its emissions trading scheme (ETS), which will result in small fees for airlines using European airports.

As aviation is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions – rising 3 to 4% per year - [IPCC WG III report, 2007], WWF would like to see a global, rapid and time-bound process to reach a robust solution to address this uncontrolled source of carbon pollution. In the meantime, the EU ETS is an important first step to control pollution from planes.

Samantha Smith, leader of WWF's global climate and energy initiative, said: "WWF would like to see greenhouse gas emissions from aviation addressed on a global basis. However, as efforts to do this through the International Civil Aviation Organization have made little progress for 14 years, the EU's decision to include aviation in the ETS is an important step towards addressing one of the fastest-growing sources of carbon pollution.

"We would also like to see money from aviation emissions trading earmarked for climate change adaptation and finance in developing countries. This is consistent with the recent Durban climate conference, where UN member states agreed on both the urgent need to cut greenhouse gas emissions and to provide climate finance to developing nations."

Globally, WWF is working towards solutions that will reduce emissions from international transport, including aviation. An important principle in a global approach to controlling these emissions is that there is 'no net incidence' on developing countries.

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. Europe’s Aviation Directive, which included aviation emissions within the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) from 1 January 2012, is a pioneering law that holds airlines accountable for their emissions associated with their commercial flights into or out of EU airports. Aviation is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, rising 3 to 4% per year. Until now, the sector has escaped regulations that would require emissions reductions.

2. In 2011, three U.S. airlines — United/Continental and American — and their trade association, Air Transport Association of America (now known as Airlines for America), challenged the legality of the Europe’s aviation emissions trading system. In December 2011, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled in support of the EU’s move, saying that the EU law was fully compliant with international law: http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2011-12/cp110139en.pdf

For further information, please contact:

George Smeeton
Tel: 01483 412 388
Mob: 07917 052 948
Email: GSmeeton@wwf.org.uk
T: @GSmeeton

Volvo Group and WWF expand climate partnership

2012-02-17

Sanya, China - Volvo Construction Equipment and Volvo Buses have joined the Volvo Group’s cooperation with WWF´s Climate Savers program, pledging to reduce CO2 emissions by 30 million tons from construction equipment, buses and trucks through 2014.

“By expanding the partnership with WWF to include our buses and construction equipment, the Volvo Group will demonstrate that it is serious about continuously raising our targets in terms of reducing carbon-dioxide emissions from our products, by complying with our vision for sustainable and carbon-neutral future transportation,” said Volvo’s CEO Olof Persson.

The Volvo Group became the world’s first auto manufacturer to join WWF Climate Savers in November 2010 with a commitment to reduce the lifetime CO2 emissions of its trucks sold from 2009 to 2014 by 13 million tons compared to 2008 models.

Thanks to improved fuel efficiency, the goal has now been increased to 30 million tons, and will include the company’s buses and construction equipment. Thirty million tons is the same amount of carbon dioxide emitted by Sweden in its entirety in seven months.

Volvo’s joint-venture company, SDLG, will also become the first leading Chinese construction equipment company to be a member of Climate Savers family.

“Emissions in the transport sector have a major impact on the climate and must be met with vigorous initiatives. It is therefore very encouraging that the Volvo Group now wants to broaden their cooperation with WWF by expanding to new business areas” said Håkan Wirtén, Secretary General of WWF Sweden.

Climate Savers and the Volvo Group

WWF’s Climate Savers program involves multinational companies in the battle to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions. The companies that are included in Climate Savers pledge to reduce their carbon-dioxide emissions pursuant to an agreement between the WWF and the company. Independent technical experts review the results, and agreed targets must be more ambitious than the company originally planned. Meanwhile, it Climate Savers are also required to play a leading role in its industry in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The agreement between Volvo and the WWF applies for AB Volvo and the Volvo Group’s brands, Volvo Construction Equipment, Volvo Buses, Volvo Trucks, Mack Trucks, Renault Trucks, UD Trucks and SDLG. SDLG manufactures construction equipment in China, and will be the leading Chinese company in handling climate change towards low carbon economy.

Black carbon initiative should not block real carbon action

2012-02-16

Gland, Switzerland: WWF has welcomed a “black carbon” initiative announced today by the US, Canada, Mexico, Ghana, Sweden and Bangladesh – but warned that the primary effort in reducing dangerous climate changing emissions has to remain on achieving rapid and deep cuts to carbon dioxide emissions.

The substances highlighted in the initiative – black carbon or soot, methane and hydrofluorocarbons – are known as short-lived climate forcers since they do not stay in the atmosphere as long as CO2. Major sources of black carbon include burning of biomass in traditional cookstoves and fires in some developing countries, as well as diesel exhaust.
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‘The fact is that the big emitters like the US and Canada that are advancing this initiative have done very little to reduce CO2 emissions, the primary cause of global warming’ said Samantha Smith, Leader of the WWF Climate and Energy Initiative.

“‘Now they have developed a plan that shifts the focus to others - developing countries in particular. While support for poorer countries is important, their primary responsibility should be to cut their own emissions and address the global challenges posed by climate change.”’

“Cutting black carbon emissions by ensuring adequate access to energy and cleaner cookstoves is in principle good, but we should not assume that this new initiative will deliver quick results”, said Smith.
“There are many practical challenges to this and the other measures in the initiative, including the very large number of sources of pollution, financing, and cultural barriers to adoption of new cooking methods. Success will depend on good mechanisms for finance, accounting and delivery.”

In short, while short-lived forcers provide a window of opportunity it should not distract us from addressing the biggest cause of climate change: CO2 emissions.

APP certifiers distance themselves from sustainability claims

2012-02-15

Pekanbaru, Sumatra – Gland, Switzerland: Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) claims of independent sustainability certification for its operations aren’t supported by the certification schemes and assessors it has nominated, a WWF survey has found.

None of these certifications cover the most controversial operations of the APP’s wood suppliers – mass clearing of native forests which are home to critically endangered tigers, elephants and orang-utans and clearing and drainage of peat areas which result in massive greenhouse gas emissions.

The certification schemes cited by APP cover some, but far from all, supplier timber plantations – but none considered whether plantation establishment involved the clearing of high conservation value forest or whether traditional forest owners had given their “free, prior and informed consent” to forest clearance or plantation establishment.

Another blow to APP global greenwash campaign

“None of the certifiers are prepared to back APP’s claim that their certifications demonstrate its sustainability. This is another blow to the credibility of APP’s massive global greenwash campaign,” said WWF International forest programme director Rod Taylor.

On a weekend APP announcement that they would implement measures to ensure US consumers did not have to choose between tigers and toilet paper, Taylor said the company had a long record of broken promises and he would wait for actual evidence of a company halt to natural forest clearing.

“No amount of public relations can change the fact that APP has bulldozed through their own 2004, 2007 and 2009 deadlines to stop feeding Sumatra’s natural forests through its pulp mills.

“Recent revelations that APP is developing the world’s biggest pulp mill in South Sumatra does not inspire any confidence of the company meeting its 2015 deadline for sustainable sourcing.”

Following a recently issued published analysis of the reality behind APP’s global greenwash campaign from Sumatra NGO coalition Eyes on the Forest, the company cited several forms of certification and assessment to back its claims of sustainability, stating that: “In fact, APP is regularly assessed and certified by many of the world’s leading authorities on sustainable forest management and environmental auditors - including Geneva-based SGS, TUV, AFNOR, the official French auditors for the European ‘ EcoLabel’, PHPL, Indonesian sustainable forest management standard, LEI, Indonesian voluntary sustainable forest management standard, and PEFC Chain-of-Custody, the world’s largest forest certification program.”

WWF asked the nominated certification schemes and assessors whether they supported the APP claim and also asked for detail of what specific APP products or operations were covered by their certifications. The survey covered the key social and environmental measures of free prior and informed consent by landowners and protection of high conservation value forests for forest operations and forest clearance for plantations.

None of the schemes or assessors endorsed the APP statement, with major certifier SGS noting that “None of the TLTV (legality) evaluations conducted by SGS and the statements issued by SGS provide the company with the right to claim that their operations are ‘sustainable forest management’ ” and “The SGS certificates/statements do not support the claim of ‘sustainability’.”

No certificate or assessment issued evaluated the sustainability of the APP group as a whole. The Indonesian voluntary certification scheme LEI said it “did not have data of all APP operations”.

Imported pulp gets certified, Sumatra forests get pulped

Limitations also apply to PEFC Chain-of-Custody certification, often mentioned in APP claims of sustainability. “ The PEFC CoC certificates they hold also do not provide any assurance of their own sustainability since these are simply chain of custody and nothing more,” said SGS which conducts the PEFC certifications. “The PEFC certified material they use in their production, thus enabling them to make PEFC certification claims, is all imported from outside Indonesia as by our understanding there are no PEFC certified forests in Indonesia.”

Key but neglected dimensions of sustainability were whether conversion to plantation involved the clearing of High Conservation Value (HCV) forest or whether those with traditional forest rights or tenure had given their “free, prior and informed consent” to the conversions. The LEI standard, for example confirmed that "The decision to establish forest plantation in certain area, either it was converting natural forest with HCV forest or deep peat and how it was conducted in relation to Free, Prior and Informed Consent is beyond LEI’s standard coverage."

APP suppliers have a record of clearing areas of HCV forest and of neglecting to recognise or do rigorous HCV assessments. There is also a persistent record of land tenure issues around APP operations.

Sumatra has lost more than half its forests

The WWF survey found that none of the certifications demonstrated the legality of the APP wood supply as a whole. Additionally, SGS noted that some plantations had been established on deep peat (more than three metres deep) but Indonesian law lacked clear definition of the conditions under which this was prohibited.

As well as being legally contentious, clearing and drainage of deep peats is a key factor in elevating Indonesia to the leading ranks of carbon emitters globally and opens coastal areas to the risk of seawater incursions.

Sumatra has lost more than half of its native forests in the last 25 years. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature recently upgraded the Red List of threatened species status of the Sumatra elephant to “critically endangered”, citing habitat loss as the main reason. The island’s orang-utans and tigers are also under extreme pressure, with recent documented incursions by APP suppliers into reserves for tiger conservation designated by the company itself and featured in its international greenwashing campaign.

“APP’s claims of sustainability are not convincing to a host of major companies that have ceased to buy paper products from them,” said Taylor.

“APP should realise that performance, not promises and propaganda will get the world off its back. A key performance indicator would be for APP pulp mills to immediately halt all use of wood sourced by clearing tropical forests.”

Notes
 Analysis and details of the responses from the certifying schemes and certifying companies can be found at : http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/app_collated_certifier_responses_final_13_february_2012.pdf
 APP uses four sources of materials to manufacture their products: Indonesian wood obtained from large-scale clearance of natural forest, Indonesian wood obtained from harvesting of plantations, pulp purchased from external sources and recycled materials. The truth behind APP’s greenwash, the latest report by Eyes on the Forest (www.eyesontheforest.or.id), a coalition of Sumatra NGOs including WWF Riau, compares APP claims of sustainability and responsibility to its actual practices. See http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?202809/Massive-APP-greenwash-campaign-is-mostly-hogwash-finds-new-report
 WWF-US last week detailed retailers who had dropped and retailers still stocking APP toilet tissue in the US. To download the report and learn more about WWF’s tissue campaign, please visit www.worldwildlife.org/tp
 PHPL - Pengelolaan Hutan Produksi Lestari – was not included in the survey as it is a mandatory government regulatory tool to verify legality rather than an independent voluntary third party certification of sustainable forestry.

Energy Saving Coalition denounces Council of rolling back EU efficiency policy

2012-02-13

The Coalition sent a Letter to Energy Ministers before the 14th February Energy Council meeting calling on them to stop the roll back of EU energy efficiency policy, and to honour Member States’ earlier commitments on energy efficiency. Click here for the full text of the letter and press release.

WWF finds US grocery retailers stocking toilet paper linked to rainforest destruction

2012-02-08

WASHINGTON, DC: American companies and consumers are inadvertently contributing to Indonesian rain forest and tiger habitat destruction by buying toilet paper and other tissue products made with fiber from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), according to a World Wildlife Fund report released today.

Don’t Flush Tiger Forests: Toilet Paper, U.S. Supermarkets, and the Destruction of Indonesia’s Last Tiger Habitats finds that APP, the fifth-largest tissue producer in the world, is rapidly expanding into the U.S. market with paper linked to rain forest destruction, originating from areas that are the last home for critically endangered species such as Sumatran tigers, elephants, and orangutans.

Products made with APP fiber, such as toilet paper, paper towels and tissue, are increasingly landing in grocery stores, restaurants, schools and hotels across the country under the Paseo and Livi brand names.

Eight large retailers – BI-LO, Brookshire Grocery Company, Delhaize Group (owner of Food Lion chain), Harris Teeter, Kmart, Kroger, SUPERVALU, and Weis Markets – have decided to stop carrying tissue products made with APP fiber during the last several months.

“We applaud the decision by these companies to remove these products from their stores,” said Jan Vertefeuille, head of WWF’s Tiger Campaign.

Since it began operating in Indonesia in 1984, WWF estimates that APP and its affiliates have pulped nearly 5 million acres of tropical forest on the island of Sumatra, which equals an area roughly the size of 4 million football fields or larger than the state of Massachusetts.

“Consumers shouldn’t have to choose between tigers and toilet paper,” said Linda Kramme, a WWF forest expert. “We’re asking retailers, wholesalers and consumers not to buy Paseo or Livi products until APP stops clearing rain forests in Sumatra.”

Fastest-growing toilet paper brand in the U.S.

APP distributes its tissue, paper and paper-based packaging products through a number of North American-based subsidiaries and affiliates, including Solaris Paper, Mercury Paper, Paper Excellence, Global Paper Solutions, and Eagle Ridge Paper.

In recent years, APP has greatly expanded into the U.S. tissue market, including through Paseo and Livi tissue products. Oasis Brands, which markets Paseo, announced in 2011 that Paseo had become the fastest-growing brand of toilet paper in the U.S. Paseo and Livi are also marketed as "away-from-home" products used in public restrooms in restaurants, office buildings, schools and hotels.

“More than 50 percent of shoppers say they consider sustainability when they shop, but Americans may not be aware that products used every day, like paper and tissue, can be linked to devastating impacts on forests in faraway places,” the report states.

To produce the report, WWF researched Paseo sales to U.S. grocery chains and found Paseo products being carried in grocery chains across the country in 2011. WWF contacted 20 grocers sourcing the largest amounts of Paseo to make them aware of Paseo's link to rain forest destruction.

The 12 companies identified and contacted, but that did not respond or commit to stopping Paseo sales, are:

• Albertsons LLC
• Giant Eagle
• Hy-Vee
• IGA
• Ingles
• K-VA-T (sold at Food City)

• Lowes Food Stores
• Marsh
• Price Chopper
• Roundy’s (sold at Roundy's, Pick'n Save, Rainbow and Copps)
• Save Mart
• Spartan

“We urge companies to be responsible stewards of the planet and stop carrying Paseo products until APP stops clearing rain forest,” Kramme said.

Trying to improve the pulp and paper sector

Paseo is produced with pulp from APP, a subsidiary of China-based Sinar Mas Group and one of the world’s largest pulp and paper companies. APP owns two pulp mills on the Indonesian island of Sumatra – one of them among the world’s largest – and is responsible for more deforestation in Sumatra than any other company, according to field investigations, government data and satellite imagery.

The research into APP and its Paseo and Livi tissue paper brands is part of efforts by WWF to encourage a more responsible pulp and paper sector, specifically by addressing the increase in the United States of pulp and paper products produced with rain forest fiber or from plantation fiber from converted rain forest.

WWF is working to ensure that North American paper sourcing no longer negatively impacts Indonesian natural forests and instead drives demand for paper from responsibly developed and managed Indonesian plantations. WWF also is working with other Indonesian pulp and paper producers willing to adopt better practices to bring more options to the marketplace.

Many responsible companies are already showing leadership. One of the easiest ways that companies and consumers can help is by buying tissue products made with fiber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or 100 percent recycled fiber to ensure they aren’t contributing to forest destruction, and urging retailers to stop selling brands linked to destructive practices.

To download the report and learn more about WWF’s tissue campaign, please visit www.worldwildlife.org/tp.

Another record year for Arctic heat

2012-01-23

In what has become an alarmingly regular occurrence, the Arctic set another record for high temperatures last year. According to new data from the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 2011 broke the previous record, set in 2010.

The region's temperature has been rising rapidly since the late 1970s.

"Arctic amplification" speeds up warming

Arctic air temperatures have risen at almost twice the rate of the global average rise over the past few decades. This “arctic amplification” of global warming is largely due to reduced surface reflectivity -- and greater heat absorption -- associated with the loss of snow and ice, especially sea ice.

As a result, most summer sea ice is projected to disappear by 2040, leaving only a small fringe of summer ice in Northeast Canada and Northern Greenland. Summer sea ice is important habitat for Arctic wildlife, and its decline opens previously inaccessible areas of the Arctic to shipping and industrial development.

“These changes have both local and global implications for people.” Says Clive Tesar, leader of the WWF Last Ice Area project. Whether they are reindeer herder, hunters, or fishermen in the Arctic, or office workers in southern cities, people will ultimately feel these major changes to an integral part of the global weather system. We ignore these urgent signals at our peril. We need to both prepare for inevitable change, and work hard to reduce the severity of that change.”

Warming trend globally

Global temperature data released by NASA indicates that global surface temperatures in 2011 were the 9th highest on record, and that the warming was especially concentrated in the Arctic. "We know the planet is absorbing more energy than it is emitting," said James E. Hansen, director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies. "So we are continuing to see a trend toward higher temperatures. Even with the cooling effects of a strong La Niña influence and low solar activity for the past several years, 2011 was one of the 10 warmest years on record."

Learn more:

Analysis of options to move beyond 20% greenhouse gas emission reductions: Member State results

2012-01-19

The European Commission is due to publish a working paper entitled “Analysis of options to move beyond 20% greenhouse gas emission reductions: Member State results”. The latest draft of the paper outlines the costs and benefits for individual EU member states enhancing their climate action to a collective 30 percent emission reduction target for 2020. It concludes that increasing the EU climate ambition will deliver great financial, health and environmental benefits for all member states, including €7bn extra government revenues per year from a reinvigorated European carbon market. It will also propose a series of options to accelerate clean energy investments in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).

This briefing, prepared by Climate Action Network Europe, WWF and Greenpeace, outlines the NGOs’ response and recommendations to this paper.

Not enough incentives for green investments

In recent years, generous allocation of emission allowances and lower industrial output due to the economic downturn have resulted in record-low carbon prices within the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). Due to abundant ETS allowances, businesses can comply with their carbon reduction obligations without additional effort. The Commission working paper warns that low carbon prices have increased the risk of Europe getting locked into new high-carbon investments, such as inefficient power stations and industrial plants.

According to the European Commission, two thirds of countries are already projected to overshoot their targets under the EU’s Effort Sharing Decision, with existing and planned measures. Therefore, low-cost carbon reduction options in sectors covered by this decision, such as the built environment, transport and agriculture, are at risk of remaining unexploited.

Sharing the opportunities between member states

Using three economic models (PRIMES, GAINS and CAPRI) the Commission looked at the economic effects of strengthening the EU carbon market and additional non-ETS measures for individual member states, including energy system costs, fuel expenses, air pollution control and health.

The Commission concludes that a move beyond a 20 per cent emissions reduction target for 2020 would require more investment effort from low-income countries, mainly in Central and Eastern Europe. However, these countries would be well compensated thanks to three financial instruments suggested by the Commission:

1. The Commission proposes that with a higher target only high-income countries would reduce the amount of ETS allowances to be auctioned. This will boost carbon prices and raise government auctioning by €1.9 billion in high income countries by 2020, and by €5.4 billion in lower income member states.

2. For non-ETS sectors, the Commission proposes to allow transfers between countries of emission quotas. Currently, CEE countries have already overachieved on their emission budgets. They could raise additional funds by selling their surplus emission cuts to other countries .

3. For non-ETS sectors, the Commission emphasises the potential for income from sales between member states of surplus emission budgets. Tightening the effort sharing target by 6% will raise asset values and increase total revenues from trade.

The European Commission points out that together these three mechanisms could reduce the costs of enhanced climate action for Central and Eastern Europe to virtually zero (0.02% of GDP), while the social and economic benefits in terms of investment, employment, cleaner air and health benefits can be maximised.

Moving beyond the 20 percent target will have major benefits for all countries. A 30 percent climate target would mean that, between 2016 and 2020, countries would reduce fossil fuel expenses by €31.3 billion annually (calculated with a conservative oil price of 88 dollar per barrel in 2020). The investments required to move beyond 20 percent would be offset by fuel cost savings. Europe would thereby shape an economy more resilient to fuel price spikes. The Commission estimates that air pollution control costs would go down by €3.6 billion annually and health benefits would be worth between €3.3 and €7.6 billion annually.

Recommendations

Climate Action Network Europe, WWF and Greenpeace welcome the working paper as an opportunity to increase the EU’s climate ambition, while addressing the current weaknesses in the carbon market and creating an enormous potential for investments in the green economy in both the poorer and richer EU countries.

The environmental groups call on the Danish Presidency and EU leaders to urgently address the ailing carbon market and resulting low incentives for carbon reduction investments. Furthermore, action is required to deliver cost-efficient emission reductions in sectors not covered by the ETS. The proposed energy efficiency directive, which is currently being discussed by the EU institutions, provides an excellent opportunity to make progress on both fronts.

The NGOs welcome that the Commission has formulated an investment package to support the transition to competitive and efficient energy economies in Central and Eastern Europe, helping prevent a Europe of two speeds in terms of decarbonisation and energy system modernisation. However, the Commission proposals could be improved by attaching robust greening criteria to any investment support, so as to ensure that additional funds would maximise climate and socio-economic benefits.

For further inquiries, please contact:
Sam van den Plas, WWF European Policy, +32 485 952 201

Julia Michalak, Climate Action Network Europe, +32 495 77 4568

Joris den Blanken, Greenpeace European Unit, +32 476 96 1375

“Future We Want” proposals are not the future we need: WWF

2012-01-12

Gland, Switzerland – The first negotiating draft for the Rio+20 summit on sustainable development has the direction right, but the magnitude wrong, global environmental organization WWF said today.

“The Future We Want” Zero Draft acknowledges the need for poverty eradication, food security, and measures of progress towards sustainable development, but has few practical measures to enable the world to meet challenges in balancing competing global food, water and energy needs over the next 10 years.

“This document recognizes that countries have failed to act effectively on the environment and development over the last two decades but its lack of binding commitments risks setting us up for another decade of failure,” said Lasse Gustavsson, Executive Director, Conservation at WWF International.

“The proposed “Register of Voluntary Commitments” just will not get the world where it needs to be,” he said.

WWF has identified the need to solve the “Food, Energy, Water” equation as crucial to the success of such a critical global conference intended to give the world a new sense of purpose in achieving sustainable development 20 years after the original Earth Summit. But this first negotiating draft for the Rio+20 summit is especially weak on water-related ambition.

“Rio 2012 could fail solely on the basis of what it does – or doesn’t do – on freshwater,” said Gustavsson. “At this point, the document isn’t offering much more than a recommitment to sanitation systems.”

“What we need is water management based on natural, not political boundaries; a commitment to protect and restore vital freshwater systems; protection for the forests that safeguard our water supplies; and to prepare the world for the major water supply impacts of climate change.”

WWF welcomes the commitment to the sustainable management of marine and ocean resources, but is concerned there is no commitment to a sorely needed system of high seas protection, no workable safeguards for the sustainability of dwindling fish stocks, and no proposals for curtailing criminal exploitation of marine living resources.

“We welcome the fact that a number of priority issues have been addressed, including the need for government and business frameworks to develop green economies, a move towards low carbon development and the elimination of environmentally harmful subsidies,” said Gustavsson.

Other WWF concerns:

· The proposals for change are based on “voluntary national commitments” – which are not legally binding and will not commit countries to meet any targets or to work within a given timeframe. Countries need to agree targets, timelines and funding that match the challenges they are tackling.

· The text on developing green economies fails to require bringing social and environmental costs into national accounts, tax measures and certification schemes.

· Proposals to tackle food, water and energy security need specific targets, concrete implementation measures and a clear funding agreement.

· The text fails to take into account the critical role of climate change, and of ecosystem services which are key factors underpinning the production of food, energy and water.

· Many of the proposals for change are vague and open-ended. For example there are no targets for stopping deforestation or goals for effective water management.

“World’s most unnecessary coal mine”

2012-01-06

The Norwegian government has given the go-ahead to a new coal mine in Svalbard, a high-arctic archipelago off the northern coast of Norway, despite clear objections from WWF and an acknowledgement from all Norway’s political parties that climate change is greatest challenge of our time.

"The climate change issue is not determined by yes or no to a new coal mine on Svalbard, but the sum of what all countries are doing. This coal mine is completely unnecessary, and a prosperous country like Norway should have set a good example", says Rasmus Hansson, Secretary-General of WWF-Norway.

WWF believes the project is the world's most unnecessary coal mine, and is asking the government present a plan for Svalbard to be a renewable society .

Words don't match actions

Norway's Labour Party acknowledges in its platform that "climate challenges must be met in all areas of society, locally, nationally and internationally", and that phasing out coal is key to addressing globally rising greenhouse gas emissions. The decision to approve new coal mining, then, shows a tremendous disconnect between words and action. "Now is the time for the Labour party to put forward a phase-out plan as part of the upcoming government white paper on climate change", says Hansson. “The government must also present a plan for Svalbard, the high-arctic climate change showcase of the world, to become a society powered by renewable energy.”

Ten percent of Norway's emissions

The planned mine in Svalbard will produce 1.9 million tonnes of coal per year, creating 5.5 million tonnes of new CO2 emissions per year when it is burned in power plants -- equivalent to ten percent of Norway's total emissions per year. After a start up phase of 2 years, the mine will be fully operational for 4-5 years , and will be exhausted by 2020.

The main argument for further coal mining in Svalbard is to ensure settlement and Norwegian sovereignty on the archipelago. It is estimated that the mine will provide up to 400 jobs.

Coal is one of the most environmentally damaging forms of energy, and according to the International Energy Agency, accounts for half the rise in energy consumption in the past decade. There is widespread agreement that global coal production needs to decline and move to other energy sources in order to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerating global warming.

Environmental groups hail historic court decision upholding European law to curb airplane pollution, address climate change

2011-12-21

Statement by environmental intervenors on U.S. airline’s challenge to EU emissions trading system (ETS) for aviation

(Brussels/ London/ San Francisco/ Washington – December 21, 2011): A transatlantic coalition of environmental groups today applauded the decision of Europe’s highest court to uphold the EU law to reduce carbon pollution from airplanes. The decision, from the Court of Justice of the European Union, affirms that the EU law is fully compliant with international law.

The EU Aviation Directive, the world's only mandatory program to address emissions from aviation, will take effect in January 2012. Today’s decision is the suit’s final ruling in the Court of Justice, and the case will now return to the UK High Court, where airlines had originally brought the suit challenging UK regulations implementing the law . The UK High Court will implement the recommendations of the Court of Justice ruling.

“Today's decision, from the highest court in the European Union, makes clear Europe’s innovative law to reduce emissions from international flights is fully consistent with international law, does not infringe on the sovereignty of other nations, and is distinct from the charges and taxes subject to treaty limitations,” said the coalition.

The Court’s decision makes clear that existing law bars precisely the discriminatory treatment of airlines that the United States and others are calling for, and that the US-EU Open Skies Agreement specifically provides for this type of action when pursued for environmental purposes. The decision also finds that the equivalent measures provision of the Aviation Directive “corresponds precisely” to the objectives of ICAO Resolution A37-19 regarding interaction of market-based measures.

The coalition’s six participants include three U.S.-based groups (Center for Biological Diversity, Earthjustice, and Environmental Defense Fund) and three European groups (Aviation Environment Federation, Transport & Environment, and WWF-UK). All six groups are intervenor-defendants in the litigation, and were represented by Kate Harrison of Harrison Grant and Jon Turner and Laura John of the Monckton Chambers.

REACTIONS FROM INTERVENORS

Jason Anderson, Head of EU Climate and energy policy at WWF said: "Today's ruling is a victory for the environment and for international law. The Scrooges who were unwilling to make a minimal contribution to addressing climate change by paying for a small portion of their pollution have been proven wrong. Aviation industry lobbyists should now divert their energies into building on the EU ETS, creating a global approach in ICAO. With the EU law set to tackle emissions, European governments should also ensure the revenue the system generates supports action on climate change in developing countries."

Tim Johnson, Director of the Aviation Environment Federation said: “The Court's finding reinforces the EU's stance on finding a cost effective way of addressing the aviation's significant and growing contribution to climate change. We hope that the focus will now shift away from obstructing its progress on the eve of its introduction and examine how such regional initiatives can form the building blocks of a global agreement.”

Bill Hemmings, Programme Manager of Transport & Environmentsaid: “With the EU-ETS cleared for take-off, the aviation industry has just ten days left to draw up a new flight plan. The news for airlines? The European Court has written your New Years Resolution for you: 'We agree to join other responsible industries and start polluting less'.”

Vera Pardee, Senior Attorney at Center for Biological Diversity said: “We applaud this decision and the EU's resolve against international pressure tactics. Until now, the airlines have sabotaged every effort to curb their greenhouse gas emissions, including introducing bills in the U.S. Congress that threaten to derail international aviation via global trade wars simply to avoid the EU permitting system. The industry should end its obstruction of common-sense “

Martin Wagner, Managing Attorney at Earthjustice said: “This is an important victory for the planet. US aircraft emissions account for nearly half of worldwide carbon dioxide from aircraft; that amount is expected to triple by mid-century. But the US airline industry has fought to avoid playing its part in preventing runaway climate change. With US airlines shirking their duty, Europe has had to take the lead. The airline industry should now pressure the US government to level the playing field by imposing equivalent restrictions on aircraft pollution in the United States.”

Annie Petsonk, International Counsel at Environmental Defense Fund said: “It is high time airlines actually live up to their green claims, and comply with the EU law, which will cut pollution and spark low-carbon innovation. Americans invented the airplane, now it’s time for us to create climate-friendly skies. The EU’s leadership challenges U.S. airlines to take charge and deliver to the flying public clean and green air travel.”

Notes to editors

1. Europe’s Aviation Directive, which includes aviation emissions within the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) from 1 January 2012, is a pioneering law that holds airlines accountable for their emissions associated with their commercial flights into or out of EU airports. Aviation is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions, rising 3 to 4% per year. Until now, the sector has escaped regulations that would require emissions reductions.

2. Three U.S. airlines — United/Continental and American — and their trade association, Air Transport Association of America (now known as Airlines for America), challenged the legality of the Europe’s aviation emissions trading system. In October, an Advocate General – a senior legal advisor appointed by the Court of Justice of the European Union – issued a formal recommendation to the Court supporting the legality of the EU law. The 13-judge Grand Chamber has been deliberating the case since the Advocate General’s opinion was released Oct. 6.

3. Six environmental NGOs are intervenor-defendants in the litigation: three U.S.-based groups (Center for Biological Diversity, Earthjustice, and Environmental Defense Fund) and three European groups (Aviation Environment Federation, Transport & Environment, and WWF-UK).

CONTACTS

Nadège Defrère, WWF European Policy Office, +32 2 743 88 06, ndefrere@wwf.eu

George Smeeton, WWF-UK (UK)

+44 (0)1483 412 388, Mob: +44 (0)7917 052 948, GSmeeton@wwf.org.uk

Tim Johnson, Aviation Environment Federation (UK)

+44 (0) 7710 381742, tim@aef.org.uk

Bill Hemmings, Transport & Environment (BE)

+32 (0) 487 582706, bill.hemmings@transportenvironment.org

Vera Pardee, Center for Biological Diversity (USA)

+1-858-717-1448, vpardee@biologicaldiversity.org

Martin Wagner, Earthjustice (USA)

+1-510-550-6700, mwagner@earthjustice.org

Jennifer Andreassen, Environmental Defense Fund (USA)

+1-202-288-4867, jandreassen@edf.org

About WWF-UK

WWF is one of the world's largest independent conservation organisations, with more than five million supporters and a global network active in more than one hundred countries. We're working to create solutions to the most serious environmental issues facing our planet, so that people and nature can thrive. In 2011, WWF's 50th anniversary year, we are celebrating what we have achieved so far together, and are positive about tackling the challenges of the future. Find out more about our work, past and present at www.wwf.org.uk

About Aviation Environment Federation

AEF is the UK's only environmental organisation dedicated solely to addressing the aviation sector's environmental impacts. Established in 1975, AEF's members include the communities living around the UK's airports and environmental organisations. www.aef.org.uk

About Transport & Environment

Established in 1990, Transport & Environment (T&E) has grown to become the principal environmental organisation campaigning on sustainable transport at the EU level in Brussels. Our primary focus is on European transport and environmental policy but our work in Brussels is supported by around 50 member organisations working to promote an environmentally sound approach to transport across Europe.

About the Center for Biological Diversity

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 320,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. www.biologicaldiversity.org

About Earthjustice

Earthjustice is a non-profit public interest law firm dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth, and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment.

About Environmental Defense Fund

Environmental Defense Fund (edf.org), a leading national nonprofit organization, creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. EDF links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships. See twitter.com/EnvDefenseFund; facebook.com/EnvDefenseFund; edf.org/ClimateTalks

WWF welcomes Parliament’s vote on fixing EU Emissions Trading System

2011-12-20

Today, the European Parliament’s Environment Committee (ENVI) adopted amendments on the draft EU Energy Efficiency Directive which supports the reinforcement of the Emission Trading System (ETS). This should ensure that energy savings will be achieved by European industry alongside emissions reductions

According to WWF’s calculations, reducing ETS emissions by 2.25% annually, as ENVI approved, would cancel over 8.5 billion emission allowances by 2050. (see graph below)

“WWF strongly welcomes this important step towards a key reform of the Emission Trading System. This move will guide Europe’s industry towards low carbon investments”, said Jason Anderson, Head of Climate and Energy at WWF European Policy Office.

“Today’s vote recognised that the EU ETS is in need of urgent repair. With carbon prices at an historical low, we need to find all possible ways to avoid the risk of locking our society into high emitting infrastructure for decades to come”, added Jason Anderson.

Illustration: IMPACT OF 2.25% ETS LINEAR REDUCTION FACTOR

Further information:

Jason Anderson, Head of European Climate and Energy Policy, WWF European Policy Office, Mobile: +32 474 83 76 03, Email: janderson@wwf.eu

Sam Van den plas, Policy Officer- Climate and Energy Programme, Email: svandenplas@wwf.eu |Phone: +32 485 95 22 01

Nadège Defrère, Media and Communication Officer for Climate and Energy, WWF

European Policy Office, Tel. +32 (0)2 743 83 06, Email: ndefrere@wwf.eu

Document pulps APP’s tiger sanctuary claims

2011-12-16

Pekanbaru, Sumatra – A document released today by WWF and partners confirms that a supplier to paper giant Asia Pulp and Paper is clear felling natural tropical forests the company designated as tiger sanctuary.

The document throws into doubt APP claims on Tuesday that current clear cutting activities of supplier PT Ruas Utama Jaya (RUJ) were taking place narrowly outside rather than inside the Senepis Tiger Sanctuary.

The APP document, “Proposal for Rationalization of Senepis-Buluhala Sumatra Tiger Conservation Area”, shows Sinarmas Forestry (APP) and RUJ executives signing off on sanctuary boundaries that clearly put current large scale clearing inside the boundaries.

Click to enlarge (© APP / Eyes on the Forest)

“APP really needs to come clean on its incredible shrinking tiger sanctuary,” said Aditya Bayunanda, pulp & paper coordinator of WWF-Indonesia. “In its media campaigns APP seeks major credit for its minor contribution of about 8000 ha to the 106,000 ha tiger sanctuary.

“And now, according to the map signed off by its executives, it is busily clearing and draining even that minor contribution.”

Click to enlarge (© Eyes of the Forest)
No longer habitat for tigers - or anything much

As recently as 2010, APP was claiming that the presence of its supplier’s concessions on the sanctuary boundaries would provide additional protection. Satellite imagery however shows that huge areas of dense tiger forest that government and scientists had proposed as the Senepis National Park have now been cleared and drained.

“The real story of APP’s tiger conservation impact in this area is not that they contributed only around 8000 ha of their own concessions to the sanctuary and are now clearing that anyway, but that overall they have been responsible for the loss of around 49,000 hectares of the Senepis tiger landscape,” said Hariansyah Usman of Walhi Riau, part of the Eyes on the Forest coalition that conducted the investigation.

“Meanwhile, they are running this massive greenwash advertising campaign through the world media and via various front groups to portray themselves as champions of tiger conservation.

“In trying to deny they are clearing their own designated tiger sanctuary, they have confirmed that they are clearing tiger forest and they are pulping tropical forests in defiance of public commitments to halt this by 2004, then by 2007, then by 2009 and now by 2015.”

The world of difference between APP’s claims and its practice is detailed in the new Eyes on the Forest report “The Truth behind APP’s Greenwash”. On climate, the report notes how emissions calculations conducted for APP and used in its greenwash campaigns disregard the immense emissions from draining deep peat areas such as Senepis for short lived plantation establishment – calculations suggest the carbon footprint of APP paper could be more than 500 times the APP consultant’s claim and 10 times the North America pulp and paper sector average.

The company’s greenwash campaigns and the lobbying of front groups have however failed to prevent a host of major companies ceasing to buy paper products from APP. In the Netherlands, APP’s print and television advertisements have been judged misleading to the public by the country’s Advertising Codes Commission.

EUREAPA Tool launched to help EU policies go beyond resource

2011-12-15

On Wednesday 14 December the One Planet Economy Network EU project (OPEN:EU) launches a unique new tool for mapping ecological carbon and water footprint data across all the 27 EU member states.

Over the past 2 years the 8-partner project has received €1.5million from the EC’s FP7 funding stream and has carried out evidence gathering, software tool design and network dialogue activities to explore how policy makers can achieve a clear understanding of the effects of policies (or the lack of policy) on the environment, so they can make responsible decisions at national and EU government level.

The EUREAPA tool (EU Resource and Energy Analysis Programme Application), a decision making support tool, is now available for free online, aimed at EU and national government policy makers, NGOs and academics. It is based on the integration of the Footprint Family of indicators with an economic model so that the impact of the EU’s trade on the environment can be demonstrated.

The tool can be used to help inform policy making across several of the policy areas identified as key components of the framework for delivering the Flagship Initiative for a Resource-efficient Europe under the Europe 2020 Strategy. For example: agriculture, climate and energy, sustainable consumption and production, transport and water.

Rachel Brown, OPEN:EU Programme Manager at WWF-UK, said: “This is a fantastic tool to help policymakers, NGOs and academics understand the impacts of our consumption patterns on the environment. We hope this will make it easier to evaluate the effect of different policy scenarios in inherently complex areas before bringing them into effect.”

Dr Chris West from the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York, one of the project partners, said: “The EUREAPA tool represents the culmination of a lot of hard work by the OPEN:EU consortium, including a significant contribution from members of the Stockholm Environment Institute. As a group we are excited to make this data and scenario modeling tool freely available, and look forward to its continued use in exploring a transition to a One Planet Economy.”

The OPEN:EU project has also released a report describing the findings of the development of four One Planet Economy (OPE) future scenarios. These scenarios are designed to support policy makers in thinking about the policy effort needed to transform Europe into a One Planet Economy by 2050. These four narratives provide alternative, albeit not necessarily ideal, visions of the transition toward a One Planet Economy in Europe by 2050. They present both an illustration of life in Europe in 2050 and the policy settings that are necessary to support the transition to this common end point under different assumptions about the future.

Using the EUREAPA tool, the four OPE scenarios were quantified to explore the influence of different policy approaches on the EU’s carbon, ecological and water footprints and identify policy approaches that have the greatest influence.

The results are staggering. Firstly “no scenario was able to achieve sufficient reduction to achieve footprints within… environmental limits” which challenges the idea that our economies can continue to grow while simultaneously reducing our environmental impacts. Secondly, the notion that we can simply decarbonise our economies as the sole way out of this mess raises further questions about current political fixations. Decarbonisation of the electricity supply must be supplemented by production efficiency and resource sufficiency measures. Finally, the quantification report leads us to the plain fact that we are all in this together and that simply working on a domestic approach is not enough. All of these options also need to be replicated outside of the EU.

For further information:
George Smeeton, Tel: 01483 412 388, Mob: 07917 052 948, email: GSmeeton@wwf.org.uk

Energy Roadmap 2050: A long road with no clear direction

2011-12-15

Brussels, Belgium – Today the European Commission will publish its Energy Roadmap 2050 which presents different scenarios towards decarbonisation of the energy system. They all have a common thread: continued strong growth in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Importantly, decarbonisation is projected to be no more expensive than continuing with our current polluting system. Unfortunately, the main messages of this think piece seem contradicted by current legislative developments.

Jason Anderson, Head of EU Climate and Energy Policy at WWF European Policy Office said:

“Oettinger’s roadmap will remain a pure think piece if not backed by effective legislation. It is a mystery how the Commission imagines we will be able to transform the energy system with a carbon price rapidly approaching zero and a draft energy efficiency law that is woefully weak.

Despite noting the role of efficiency and renewable energy, the communication still inflates their relative costs and under-emphasises their potential. Scenarios like these have a long track record of being out of step with the real development of the renewables industry, which consistently outstrips projections.

EU legislation needs to be improved immediately. The revolution in our energy system will inevitably be good for jobs and the green economy in Europe. But the industries of tomorrow can’t be built on words alone.”

Further information:

• Jason Anderson, Head of European Climate and Energy Policy, WWF European Policy Office , Mobile: +32 474 83 76 03, email: janderson@wwf.eu

• Nadège Defrère, Media and Communications Officer for Climate and Energy, WWF European Policy Office, Tel. +32 (0)2 743 83 06, email: ndefrere@wwf.eu

Insurance sector key to China meeting renewable energy targets

2011-12-14

Beijing, China – A report published today by WWF and RSA states that China may not be able to tap fully into its renewable energy potential due to lack of an insurance system for the sector.

The aim to reduce CO₂ emissions by 45% and generate 15% of energy from non-fossil sources by 2020 has positioned China as the fastest growing renewable market in the world. However, the development of China’s wind energy industry has grown so rapidly that local insurers have not been able to keep up the pace. Insurance is needed to cover risks related, for example, to natural disasters, mechanical failures or operational activities.

Opportunities and Challenges

The report Wind Energy Insurance in China: Opportunities & Challenges has found that more than 80% domestic insurers and wind energy companies are not developing insurance products to meet the demand of nearly 40,000 turbines and a predicted increase of 10,000 per annum.

In other regions, such as North America and Europe, insurers have been working with wind energy companies for over three decades, offering products that cover all elements of their operations.

By establishing an effective insurance system and involving international insurers on complex risks, China’s wind energy industry could increase capacity and benefit from know-how exchange.

Use all financial tools that can boost renewable energy

“Wind energy has high potential for low carbon development but it’s not risk free. As technology continues to develop and we see bigger wind turbines, experienced insurers are needed to understand, manage and reduce the potential risks”, said Elton Chang, CEO of RSA China. “The technical support of insurers is paramount for the growth of the sector, especially as further growth is expected in offshore wind energy.”

“WWF envisions a future in which 100% of energy will be from renewable sources by 2050. To support this goal, it is important that we use all financial tools that can boost renewable energy. Insurers play a significant role to mitigate risk, reduce financial costs and increase investments in this crucial sector”, said Dr. Li Lin, Deputy Country Representative at WWF China.

WWF: Governments fail on ambition, courage at UN climate change talks

2011-12-11

Durban, South Africa -- After two weeks of sparring and a day-long extension, governments once again failed today to provide the inspiration and ambition to tackle climate change and provide hope for hundreds of millions around the world who suffer and will continue to suffer from climate-related impacts.

Governments reached a weak agreement that established a Green Climate Fund with little money, postponed major decisions on the content of the Kyoto Protocol, and made an unclear commitment to a global agreement from 2020 that could leave us legally bound to 4 degrees of global warming.

Samantha Smith, leader of WWF’s global climate and energy initiative issued the following statement:

“Governments did just enough to keep talking, but their job is to protect their people. They failed to do that here in Durban today. Science tells us that we need to act right now – because the extreme weather, droughts and heat waves caused by climate change will get worse.

“But it is clear today that the mandates of a few political leaders have outweighed the concerns of millions, leaving people and the natural world we depend on at risk. Catastrophe is a strong word but it is not strong enough for a future with 4 degrees of warming.

“Unfortunately, governments here have spent the last two crucial final days of negotiations focused on only a handful of specific words in the negotiating texts, instead of spending their political capital on committing to more and real action to address climate change.

“Some countries here, like the United States, showed they were not interested in supporting an ambitious outcome in Durban. The US -- afraid of the politics at home – fought over a few words, but missed the bigger story: limiting dangerous climate change.

“Overall, the responsibility for this lies with a handful of entrenched governments – like the US, Japan, Russia, and Canada – who have consistently resisted raising the level of ambition on climate change. This is what brought us to this point.

“One crumb of comfort in Durban has been the emergence of a large group of high ambition countries, led by the most vulnerable nations and small island states, including many in Africa.

“We can’t keep doing what we’ve been doing, or we’re going to choke on our own carbon and run out of natural resources – and that means we won’t have food, water and energy for all.”

“We know climate change is a global problem and it needs a global response. This process didn’t deliver that today, but that doesn’t mean the global fight to tackle climate change has stopped, both within this process and outside of it.”

Tasneem Essop, head of international climate change strategy and of WWF’s COP 17 delegation:

“Greenhouse gas emissions were at their highest levels this year, so we need an aggregated response to this problem – one that includes continued action on climate change from progressive business, from governments at the national level, and from the public and civil society, who must keep up the call to arms.

“While negotiators and ministers were sitting behind closed doors, they weren’t hearing the people’s call, made by faith leaders, youth, women in protests and demonstrations, inside and outside the venue, to act with urgency. These people, including WWF, will hold them accountable.”

Jim Leape, WWF Director General said:

"Politicians here in Durban have shown an alarming inability to come to grips with the challenge of climate change. Encouraging words about finding solutions have turned into nothing but hot air.

FOR INTERVIEWS OR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT

Ian Morrison, ian.morrison@wwfus.org, +27-76-211-3097 or +1-202-372-6373
Steve Ertel, steve.ertel@wwfus.org, +27-79-284-4268 or +1-202-460-4641
Lang Banks, lbanks@wwfscotland.org.uk, +27-76-829-4173 or +44 7919 961961
Caroline Behringer, caroline.behringer@wwfus.org, +27-71-322-3810 or +1-202-344-0852
Quathar Jacobs, qjacobs@wwf.org.za, +27-82-538-7710
Martina Lippuner, mlippuner@wwf.panda.org, +27 729209392
Franko Petri, Franko.petri@wwf.at, +27-76-591-8317

Sam Smith, Leader of the WWF Climate and Energy Initiative, answers your questions on COP17

2011-12-10

Hi,

My name is Sam Smith and I lead the WWF Climate and Energy Initiative.

Long story short - my work is to help fight climate change - a threat getting bigger by the day. Why? Because I think that our planet is simply amazing and that we need to protect it.

Sure it can take some knocks and bruises. But we're beginning to pull and stretch it further than it has ever been stretched before. And things aren't getting any better - new climate research shows that greenhouse gas emissions are rising more rapidly than predicted.

Climate change is a global threat that makes borders and politics irrelevant - and it needs a united response from the world’s governments. That's why WWF is at COP17 in Durban. Because it is a tipping point in the UN negotiation process on climate change.

And now I can hear you say...

"Wow... Stop !!! What's with all these processes, frameworks and politics? I just don't get it. Why is it important and what is it going to change?"

I'm sure you've probably heard of COP17before, but like most people, you don't understand it or think that it can make a difference.

I am a firm believer that climate change is real and that what goes on during these negotiations is important. Governments need to take action to address climate change, and that they need to start doing it in Durban.

If not, the story of worsening natural disasters caused by climate change will fill the pages of history books with a narrative of failed ambitions and a lack of courage from world leaders.

I am here to answer your questions on climate change, COP17 and the the UNFCCC framework. Because as I said, I believe it's important - and I think it should be important to you too.

Just post your questions to me in a comment below, and in a few days, I will come back to you with a video of my responses.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and getting back to you!

Best wishes,

Sam

WWF: Climate talks helping create a 4° world

2011-12-09

Durban, South Africa: Government leaders are still not seeing the big picture—we are here to address catastrophic climate change, WWF said today ahead of the closing of the climate negotiations in Durban, South Africa.

Samantha Smith, leader of WWF’s global climate and energy initiative issued the following statement:

“There is still time to make some incremental progress on a few key issues here in Durban, but it’s important to realize that incremental progress is pretty much all we’ve seen for 17 years.

“The bottom line is that – no matter the final scenario – we are not seeing the kind of ambition of governments that will keep warming to 2°. In fact, some scenarios in play here could result in being legally bound to a 4° world. This would have dire consequences and result in an unstable future where the basic needs of people, like food and water, could no longer be met.

“So it’s important that governments, when they finish here, remind themselves that they don’t yet deserve any congratulations – we haven’t solved the threat of climate change and they are responsible for that.

“In Cancun, governments agreed that they would limit global warming to 2° in order to avoid disastrous climate change. But what they’re doing here could mean we’ll miss that target with catastrophic consequences for people and nature all over the world. And they need to remember that when they go home.

“The people are not fooled. Impacts are already being felt by hundreds of millions around the world. From the United States, which in the last year has experienced 14 climate-related weather disasters costing more than $1 billion USD each, to the Horn of Africa, which is experiencing its worst drought in 60 years.

“WWF is not giving up. Broader civil society is not giving up. The people are not giving up. When this meeting ends, the fight for a secure and fair future for our world will go on, both inside and outside this process.

“There are a few hours left. If leaders are truly serious about addressing climate change, they must use this time to ensure we keep 2° in reach. They must commit to a 2015 timeline for agreeing an ambitious deal and immediately chart a course to get us back on track.

“They must reflect on why they are here and prove to the public that they will do more to reduce pollution and be held accountable to those promises.

“Anything less is unacceptable.”

FOR INTERVIEWS OR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT

Ian Morrison, ian.morrison@wwfus.org, +27-76-211-3097 or +1-202-372-6373
Steve Ertel, steve.ertel@wwfus.org, +27-79-284-4268 or +1-202-460-4641
Lang Banks, lbanks@wwfscotland.org.uk, +27-76-829-4173 or +44 7919 961961
Caroline Behringer, caroline.behringer@wwfus.org, +27-71-322-3810 or +1-202-344-0852
Quathar Jacobs, qjacobs@wwf.org.za, +27-82-538-7710
Florence Anouboudem Tsobgnie, FAnouboudem@wwfcarpo.org, +27 720248704,
Martina Lippuner, mlippuner@wwf.panda.org, +27 729209392
Franko Petri, Franko.petri@wwf.at, +27-76-591-8317

Joint Declaration of Intent on REDD+ in the Congo Basin between Central African and Partner Countries

2011-12-08

(Durban, South Africa) – Today, seven central African countries and partner donor countries
signed a Joint Declaration of Intent on REDD+ in the Congo Basin.

“These Congo Basin countries are taking the first step forward as partners and showing
willingness to advance the REDD+ process in the region,” said Raymond Lumbuenamo,
National Director of WWF Democratic Republic Congo. “WWF welcomes the recognition of
REDD+ as an important component of green economies and the need to address drivers of
deforestation.”

“Yet, WWF would like to see a specific target, timeline and plan for taking the commitments
forward,” said Lumbuenamo. “We need both immediate, scaledup financial commitments along
with clear targets that contribute to a shared vision.”

“WWF believes that these ambitions have the potential to send a positive signal to stimulate
further REDD+ efforts in the Congo Basin. WWF strongly urges Congo Basin and Donor
countries to follow this precedent and to link the Declaration to a measurable and timebound
goal that safeguards forest quality and prevents degradation,” said Lumbuenamo.

According to WWF, measurable and timebound goals have been at the core of many of the
comparable global agreements on reductions in deforestation and forest degradation including,
for instance:
• Indonesia reduce emissions by 26% in 2020, or by 41% with international donor
assistance
• Brazil – reduce deforestation by 71% below the average rate of deforestation between
19962005 (1.95 million hectares) by 2017
• Guyana avoiding cumulative forestbased emissions of 1.5 gigatons of CO2e by 2020

“We appreciate the spirit of the Declaration and ask all partners to turn good intentions into
actions,” said Bruce Cabarle, Leader of WWF’s Forest & Climate Initiative.

For further information:

Melissa Tupper
Communications Director
Forest & Climate Initiative
Mobile in Durban: +27 (0) 72 05 20 470
Melissa.Tupper@wwfus.org