MESSAGE FOR WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2008

U N I T E D   N A T I O N S N A T I O N S   U N I E S 

 

 

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL 

MESSAGE FOR WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2008 

 

KICK THE CARBON HABIT 

 

Addiction is a terrible thing.  It consumes and controls us, makes us deny 

important truths and blinds us to the consequences of our actions.  Our world is in the 

grip of a dangerous carbon habit. 

 

Coal and oil paved the way for the developed world's industrial progress.  Fast- 

developing countries are now taking the same path in search of equal living standards. 

Meanwhile, in the least developed countries, even less sustainable energy sources, such 

as charcoal, remain the only available option for the poor. 

 

Our dependence on carbon-based energy has caused a significant build-up of 

greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Last year, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning 

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change put the final nail in the coffin of global 

warming sceptics.  We know that climate change is happening, and we know that carbon 

dioxide and other greenhouse gases that we emit are the cause.   

 

We don't just burn carbon in the form of fossil fuels.  Throughout the tropics, 

valuable forests are being felled for timber and making paper, for pasture and arable land 

and, increasingly, for plantations to supply a growing demand for biofuels.  This further 

manifestation of our carbon habit not only releases vast amounts of CO2; it also destroys a 

valuable resource for absorbing atmospheric carbon, further contributing to climate 

change. 

 

The environmental, economic and political implications of global warming are 

profound.  Ecosystems -- from mountain to ocean, from the Poles to the tropics -- are 

undergoing rapid change.  Low-lying cities face inundation, fertile lands are turning to 

desert, and weather patterns are becoming ever more unpredictable.   

 

The cost will be borne by all.  The poor will be hardest hit by weather-related 

disasters and by soaring price inflation for staple foods, but even the richest nations face 

the prospect of economic recession and a world in conflict over diminishing resources. 

Mitigating climate change, eradicating poverty and promoting economic and political 

stability all demand the same solution: we must kick the carbon habit. This is the theme 

for World Environment Day 2008. "Kick the Habit: Towards a Low Carbon Economy", 

recognizes the damaging extent of our addiction, and it shows the way forward.   

 

Often we need a crisis to wake us to reality. With the climate crisis upon us, 

businesses and governments are realizing that, far from costing the Earth, addressing 

global warming can actually save money and invigorate economies.  While the estimated 

costs of climate change are incalculable, the price tag for fighting it may be less than any 

of us may have thought.  Some estimates put the cost at less than one per cent of global 

gross domestic product -- a cheap price indeed for waging a global war. 

 

Even better news is that technologies already exist or are under development to 

make our consumption of carbon-based fuels cleaner and more efficient and to harness 

the renewable power of sun, wind and waves.  The private sector, in particular, is 

competing to capitalize on what they recognize as a massive business opportunity.   

 

Around the world, nations, cities, organizations and businesses are looking afresh 

at green options. At the United Nations, I have instructed that the plan for renovating our 

New York headquarters should follow strict environmental guidelines.  I have also asked 

the chief executives of all UN programmes, funds and specialized agencies to move 

swiftly towards carbon neutrality. 

 

Earlier this year, the UN Environment Programme launched a climate neutral 

network -- CN Net -- to energize this growing trend.  Its inaugural members, which 

include countries, cities and companies, are pioneers in a movement that I believe will 

increasingly define environmental, economic and political discourse and decision making 

over the coming decades.   

 

The message of World Environment Day 2008 is that we are all part of the 

solution.  Whether you are an individual, an organization, a business or a government, 

there are many steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint.  It is message we all 

must take to heart.   

 

 http://www.unep.org/wed/2008/english/About_WED_2008/index.asp

 

 

Endangered Pacific islet facing mass relocation

ABC Online, Posted 35 minutes ago 

Updated 28 minutes ago

World Environment Day is an opportunity for a diverse spread of countries, companies and communities to look at their environmental problems and try to find some solutions.

But for the tiny Pacific nation of Kiribati, the environmental outlook is so grim the President, Anote Tong, has issued an appeal for Australia and other countries for help.

He desperately needs assistance to provide a home for his people, amid predictions that global warming will render the low-lying islands uninhabitable in 50 years.

Kiribati is made up of three groups of coral atolls. The population stands at 90,000 on land which is barely two metres above sea level.

On a map it may look small, but Kiribati has some big problems. With rising sea levels and erosion, many communities have already relocated.

President Tong is watching on with sadness.

"Every second week when we get the high tides, there's always reports of erosion," he said.

"To plan for the day when you no longer have a country is indeed painful but I think we have to do that."

President Tong has just arrived in New Zealand for talks with Prime Minister Helen Clark.

Prime Minister Clark says there is already a small community from Kiribati in New Zealand.

"If the worst happens no doubt they would be bigger," she said.

He is appealing to her and other leaders to help relocate his people. He says water supplies are being contaminated by the rising sea and time is running out.

"There's a number of scenarios. We are programming for the worst possible case scenario - 50, 60 years. And so we have to think about that," he said.

Global challenge

The President says his people have no options left - they must leave.

"We have to find the next highest spot. At the moment there's only the coconut trees. But I think we have to [leave], in fact I've appealed to the international community that we need to address this challenge," he said.

"It's a challenge, I think not for any one single country but I think for the whole global community.

"Maybe we have a few decades to address this but we believe that we should begin to address the issue yesterday."

President Tong has called upon other countries to follow New Zealand's lead.

"New Zealand offers more opportunity but I think from our own perspective ... it is important that if our people were to relocate, they should do so as trained, skilled people rather than people coming here and adding to the problems, their own problems and to the national problems," he said.

President Tong says migration must start now, on World Environment Day, so the people of Kiribati can find a new home and a new future.

"We want to deny it, we don't want to believe this, and our people don't want to believe this. But it gives us a deep sense of frustration. What do we do?" he asked.

"If you want to lead the people you must always be in the position to provide options, and so this it the option that we are suggesting, in the belief that if it is going to happen we will have at least addressed part of the problem and it won't be such a severe one to address when the time finally comes."

-Adapted from a story originally aired on AM on Thursday, June 5.

GM acknowledges Peak Oil

Petrol prices to be catalyst for green cars

ABC Online, Posted Wed Jun 4, 2008 1:14pm AEST
Updated Wed Jun 4, 2008 1:32pm AEST

Cars with high petrol consumption are set to be sidelined as oil prices continue to climb. (ABC News: Giulio Saggin)

• Audio: Fuel price rises force GM plant closures (AM)

As you drive your car and stare at the petrol gauge, you can take heart that you are not the only one hurting from rising fuel prices.

It has affected the car industry itself in a way that may see the end of cars as we know them.

The change is making its presence felt in America, where people have always embraced the big petrol engine. But it seems its days are numbered.

One of the world's biggest car manufacturers, General Motors, has announced it is closing four of its plants because of the increasing price of fuel.

The company says it will close four factories in the US, Canada and Mexico, and launch a new series of environmentally friendly cars.

It expects to have an all-electric vehicle in showrooms by 2010.

GM's chairman and chief executive Rick Wagoner has told shareholders the changes, which will lead to the loss of 10,000 jobs, are difficult but necessary.

He says the greatest concern is the unprecedented rise in oil prices.

"These higher gasoline prices are changing consumer behaviour, and rapidly," he said.

"We at GM don't think this is a spike or a temporary shift, we believe that it is by and large permanent."

GM says the structural changes will save its North American operations more than $1 billion over two years.

James Shugg, a senior economist with the Westpac Bank in London, says US car figures for the month of May are exceptionally weak.

"For the first month ever, the Honda Civic looks like being the best-selling car in the United States after years of the S-Series truck - a pick-up that Ford makes - being the top-selling car," he said.

The situation has led General Motors to consider selling its trademark Hummer brand.

Mr Wagoner says consumer demand for petrol-guzzling vehicles is drying up and there is a growing push for fuel-efficient cars.

"Going forward, our focus on cars and crossovers will accelerate," he said.

"In fact, 18 of our next new 19 product launches in the US will be cars or crossovers."

Motoring analyst John Mellor is the publisher of GoAuto media, and he says the days of low-cost fuel are over and GM's decision is hardly surprising.

"General Motors and indeed Ford and Chrysler in America have been hooked on selling very, very large pick-up trucks for many, many years and those pick-up trucks are very thirsty," he said.

"In fact, they are very old-fashioned and they have just been very fortunate for having the low price of petrol for so long."

General Motors says it expects to have an electric car in showrooms by 2010, which will be called the Chevrolet Vault.

Mr Mellor refers to the proposed vehicle as a "clever car".

"Instead of being an electric car that you simply charge from the mains at home or at the office, it also has a small petrol engine in it," he said.

"Rather than driving the vehicle like it does in a hybrid, this little petrol motor simply keeps charging the batteries so it gets a range of about 600 kilometres and its acceleration and performance should actually be quite good."

Adapted from an AM report by Lindy Kerin.

This week's Greenhouse Indicator

To enable a more accurate comparison between States we have calculated an estimate of the average weekly greenhouse gas emissions in each State not included by the Greenhouse Indicator. This information is include below.

 

For more information visit www.theclimategroup.org/indicator

 

VICTORIA

The Greenhouse Indicator accounts for just about all of Victoria's emissions from energy and about 85% of the State's total greenhouse gas emissions. Remaining emissions come from agriculture, waste and industrial processes. Forestry also acts as a sink for about 2% of the total emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions in Victoria not included by the Indicator are estimated to be on average 350,000 tonnes per week.

 

This week's (24 May – 30 May) Victoria Indicator is 2.104 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, the breakdown is as follows:              

                                                         

In tonnes:                                                     

Electricity from coal:1.188 million; 56%            

Natural gas:             0.376million; 18%             

Petroleum:             0.540 million; 26%   

 

Victoria's emissions from energy were 2% or 38,000 tonnes higher this week, the third week in a row that emissions have increased.

Emissions from coal-fired generators were 8% or 88,000 tonnes higher this week due to generating units that had been off-line coming back into production.

Emissions from gas were 9% or 36,000 tonnes lower as a result of less gas used for heating due to the milder weather as well as a 27% reduction in gas-fired generation.

Emissions from petroleum products reduced by 2.5% or 14,000 tonnes.

This week's Indicator is 4.1% higher than the same week in 2007 and total emissions to this stage of 2008 are 1.1% higher than the similar stage last year.

This week's Indicator is 37% above the equivalent 1990 weekly average.

 

NSW

The Greenhouse Indicator accounts for more than 80% of NSW's total energy emissions and 60% of the State's total greenhouse gas emissions. Remaining emissions come from agriculture, land use, waste, industrial processes and fugitive emissions from coal mining. Unlike Victoria, no regular accurate data is currently available for gas consumption other than gas used for electricity generation in NSW. Greenhouse gas emissions in NSW not included by the Indicator are estimated to be on average 1.2 million tonnes per week.

 

This week's (24 – 30 May) NSW Indicator is 1.887 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, the breakdown is as follows:          

                                                         

In tonnes:                                                     

Electricity from coal:                   1.177 million; 62.4%         

Natural gas-fired electricity:         0.009 million; 0.5%           

Petroleum:                                 0.701 million; 37.1%         

 

NSW's energy emissions were 3% or 64,000 tonnes lower this week.

Emissions from coal-fired electricity reduced by 4% or 51,000 tonnes due to increased imports of electricity from other states and a 20% increase in hydro generation.

Emissions from petroleum products reduced by 1.8% or 13,000 tonnes.

This week's Indicator is 4% higher than the same week in 2007 and total emissions to this stage of 2008 are 9 % higher than the similar stage last year.

This week's Indicator is 29% above the equivalent energy average 1990 weekly emissions.

 

 

Rupert Posner
Australia Director

www.theclimategroup.org

Tel: +61 (0)3 9617 4329 | Mob: +61 (0)438 989 420 | Fax: +61 (0)3 9614 2103
The Rialto (Level 39) | 525 Collins Street | Melbourne VIC 3000 |  Australia

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MINIMALIST EMISSIONS REDUCTION TARGETS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY LOST

Is Bartlett Up-To-Date on Latest Science?

Tasmanian Greens MP Nick McKim
Deputy Leader and Climate Change Spokesperson

Sunday, 1 June 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au

The Tasmanian Greens today welcomed the release of the government's
draft emissions reduction legislation, but labelled David Bartlett's
emissions reduction targets as inadequate and not reflecting
contemporary climate science.

Greens Shadow Climate Change spokesperson Nick McKim MP said that the
legislation should contain interim targets to reduce Tasmania's
emissions and a far stronger 2050 target than Mr Bartlett's minimalist
60%.

"The latest science is telling us that we need immediate and significant
reductions in our emissions, and by proposing a reduction target of just
60% by 2050 Mr Bartlett is showing that he has not done his research on
this issue," said Mr McKim.

"Tasmania is uniquely positioned to respond to the challenges and
opportunities of climate change, but for this to occur we will need to
see far stronger leadership than Mr Bartlett has offered today."

"Climate change is clearly the biggest policy challenge facing the new
Premier but while he continues to fiddle, the planet continues to burn."

"Mr Bartlett's failure to commit to specific interim targets shows a
lack of urgency which is unacceptable given the recent warnings."

"We've heard a fair bit of rhetoric from Mr Bartlett about 'clever and
kind', but this is a long, long way from a clever target."

Mr McKim said that the policies of old-style political parties like the
Labor Party are directly responsible for climate change, and on all the
evidence they lack the political will to act strongly enough to address
the problem.

Vast cracks appear in Arctic ice

By David Shukman  Environment correspondent, BBC News Page last updated at 18:29 GMT, Friday, 23 May 2008 19:29 UK

Watch the video at -  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7418041.stm 

Dramatic evidence of the break-up of the Arctic ice-cap has emerged from research during an expedition by the Canadian military.

Scientists travelling with the troops found major new fractures during an assessment of the state of giant ice shelves in Canada's far north.

The team found a network of cracks that stretched for more than 10 miles (16km) on Ward Hunt, the area's largest shelf.

The fate of the vast ice blocks is seen as a key indicator of climate change.

Satellite image of Ward Hunt Ice Shelf cracks

One of the expedition's scientists, Derek Mueller of Trent University, Ontario, told me: "I was astonished to see these new cracks.

"It means the ice shelf is disintegrating, the pieces are pinned together like a jigsaw but could float away," Dr Mueller explained.

According to another scientist on the expedition, Dr Luke Copland of the University of Ottawa, the new cracks fit into a pattern of change in the Arctic.

"We're seeing very dramatic changes; from the retreat of the glaciers, to the melting of the sea ice.

"We had 23% less (sea ice) last year than we've ever had, and what's happening to the ice shelves is part of that picture."

When ice shelves break apart, they drift offshore into the ocean as "ice islands", transforming the very geography of the coastline.

Mission to Ayles Ice Island

Last year, I was part of a BBC team that joined Dr Mueller and Dr Copland as they carried out the first research on Ayles Ice Island, an iceberg the size of Manhattan.

It has since split into two, each vast chunk of ice now 400 miles (640km) south of its original position.

The rapid changes in the Arctic have reignited disputes over territory.

The Canadian military's expedition was billed as a "sovereignty patrol", the lines of snowmobiles flying Canadian flags in a display of control.

After the record Arctic melting last year, all eyes are now on what happens to the sea ice this summer.

Although its maximum extent last winter was slightly greater than the year before, it was still below the long-term average. 

Bartlett pushes carbon agenda

Posted Sun Jun 1, 2008 1:00pm AEST 

Updated Sun Jun 1, 2008 1:35pm AEST

David Bartlett says final carbon targets will be decided next year. (ABC News: Laurence Palk)

Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett has released more details of his government's plan to cut the state's greenhouse emissions.

Former Premier Paul Lennon has previously indicated plans to cut Tasmania's emissions by at least 60 per cent by 2050, based on 1990 levels.

Mr Bartlett has released details of the Climate Change Bill, which will set interim or sector-based targets.

The Premier says these targets will be decided next year, once the impact of a national emissions trading scheme in Tasmania is fully understood.

He says cutting emissions will be this generation's biggest challenge.