A Call to Action in Solidarity
with Those Most Affected by Climate Change
Appeal
to Governments and People
on the Occasion of the
UN World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio + 10)
in Johannesburg, August/September 2002
Statement
prepared by
Ecumenical Development and Relief Agencies in collaboration with
The World Council of Churches Climate Change Programme
The scientific world affirms that climate change is already a reality
and its impact is likely to be even more devastating in the future.
There is growing evidence that weather extremes have become more frequent. Floods and droughts intensify. Sea levels are rising. In the coming decades, according to the scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, even a medium scenario predicts that changing climate conditions will turn 150 million people into refugees. A recent study, conducted by a renowned re-insurance company, speaks of an annual damage of up to US$ 300 billion.
For
us these prospects are cause for deep concern. We represent people and
churches in poor communities who will be hit by the adverse effects of
climate change and concerned people and churches in materially rich countries
witnessing that global actions to combat climate change are too slow.
We also represent the churches’ network of relief and development
agencies, which have more than 50 years of experience in working in response
to natural disasters and addressing issues of poverty and injustice. We
are committed to alleviate suffering when catastrophes occur. We participate
in efforts to promote economic justice. Over the years we have been engaged
in numerous development projects. Relief and development agencies are
now faced with a new situation. The increasing need for emergency aid
may easily exceed the moral and economic capacities available in society,
and more and more often years of careful and engaged development will
be wiped out by sudden weather hazards.
The consequences of climate change further accentuate the deep injustice already existing between industrialised and developing countries. Weather anomalies primarily hit the developing countries, where the majority of the world’s population live. At the same time, the poor in these countries make only marginal contributions to total greenhouse gas emissions and they lack the means to protect themselves against the causes and effects of changing climate conditions. At the same time, rich countries continues to be the prime producer of greenhouse gases and it seems to be a lack of commitment by leaders in the most powerful countries to take the necessary political and financial responsibility. The overwhelming magnitude of the task can easily lead to indifference on the one side and to despair on the other.
Therefore, there is an urgent need for action. Every effort must be undertaken to reduce greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.
The Kyoto Protocol is a first step in a global effort to combat climate change. The legal character and the compliance system are a new element in global institutional life. We call on all parties to the Climate Convention that have not ratified to do so, in particular the USA.
However, in the light of the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2000), there can be no illusion: The impact of the Kyoto Protocol will be very small. The Protocol needs to be followed up by much stronger efforts.
The Kyoto Protocol must be ratified but at the same we urge governments to proceed without delay with a new round of negotiations whose targets must be determined in the light of a long-term perspective. Two basic requirements must be met:
1. Stabilisation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at a level in accordance with the overall objective of the Climate Change Convention.
2. A fair distribution of rights and obligations, i.e. establishing per capita emission rights for all countries, as proposed in the ‘Contraction and Convergence’ scheme.
In order to achieve these requirements, strong actions must be taken in order to make possible the necessary transformation from fossil fuel to renewable energy. Developed countries must strongly prioritise steering mechanisms and incentives that favours renewable energy and non fossil fuel based transportation. Investments, and development aid in developing countries must be directed towards sustainable use of energy and sustainable transport systems.
Despite all efforts to reduce the causes of global warming, weather anomalies are bound to increase in the coming years and decades. Since greenhouse gases have a long life and emissions are still growing, climate conditions will continue to change. Inevitably, there will therefore be need for increased mutual assistance and help. To maintain a minimum of justice in our world, a new sense of solidarity is called for.
We appeal therefore to all people not only to persevere in, but to contribute in new ways to, the struggle for a more just and peaceful world.
Only on the basis of a new commitment relief and development agencies will in the future be able to carry out their task.
But at the same, the response of every person is required. Through our life style we can contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Through our witness we can encourage governments to advance on the road towards responsible reduction targets.
Accompanying Text
Why this statement? It has been motivated by the recognition that the consequences of climate change are not given enough attention. Climate change is already a reality and will affect people in all countries, especially in the South, in devastating ways. But will there be the moral and economic resources to respond to this new situation?
The
scientific community is issuing more and more pressing warnings. The Third
Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2000)
concludes that “The Earth’s climate system has demonstrably
changed on both global and regional scales since the pre-industrial era.”
We have to reckon with more and more unexpected weather extremes. They
will bring suffering on many people, especially in the South.
The negotiations on the implementation of the Climate Change Convention
are advancing at a slow speed. The Kyoto Protocol is certainly a beginning
but it will not prevent climate patterns from changing. Since emissions
continue to increase, weather hazards are bound to occur more often.
A few examples may serve as illustrations:
Southern Africa is hit by a severe drought, causing food shortages in Malawi, Zambia,
Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries. Erratic weather for the last few years, marked by alternating periods of flooding and drought, has laid the foundations for the current crisis. In the case of Malawi, the advice of the International Monetary Fund to sell grain reserves in order to balance the currency account of the country and to stop support for small farmers has made the country extremely vulnerable to the drought and created the conditions for a severe famine. According to IPCC, heavy rainfalls and droughts will become worse in this century because of climate change.The Pacific Churches declared: “We are concerned with the issue of Climate Change. Changing weather pattern and excessive high tides in most of the low coral islands indicate the reality of the issue which threatens the lives of people in the Pacific, and especially those living in low coral islands and coastal areas. The Pacific Christians believe that their land is their heritage from God to live happily and peacefully on it. Man was give the responsibility to administer and balance the environment, but decline in maintaining this because of his pride to gain more economic development through the use of gas emissions which has an impact on the lives of other people. The Pacific Council of Churches (PCC) through some of the Churches in the Pacific have taken a step forward in raising awareness on the issue at national and local level. PCC have also encouraged its Member Churches and National Councils of Churches to raise the issue with their own governments and to take the issue for further discussion at regional and international levels and to appeal for all industrial countries in the world to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. It is also envisaged that each country and government in the Pacific will work towards making necessary legal acts that protect and reduce the import of items form overseas that contribute to the building up of gas emission in the region.”
These prospects leave the churches, and especially their relief and development agencies, in a deep dilemma. They have to respond to more and more catastrophes. But can they count on the continuing support of their efforts? There is the distinct danger that the readiness and the resources to respond to unexpected events and setbacks will no longer be available. It is for this reason that the World Council of Churches and related Relief- and Development Agencies initiated this appeal, inviting all who share these concerns to join.
Over the past years the insurance business has carefully assessed the risks involved in climate change. Their representatives have spoken out in favour of more consistent action. They have made clear that they may find themselves obliged either to increase primes or to refuse covering certain risks. The churches’ relief and development agencies offer a comparable signal. Action is urgently required to avoid suffering. They will not abandon the tasks of solidarity but they call for the support of all parts of society to be able to carry out their task.
The dilemma clearly indicates an urgent need for action. The Kyoto Protocol needs to be ratified as quickly as possible. Despite its deficiencies it provides at least a legal and institutional framework within which further negotiations can be conducted. The “Call to Action” highlights two requirements:
1. Stabilisation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at a level that is in accordance with the overall objective of the Climate Convention.
2. A fair distribution of rights and obligations, i.e. establishing per capita emissions rights for all countries as proposed in the ‘Contraction and Convergence’ scheme.
The
goal is to prevent increasing dangerous interference with the natural
climate system. The IPCC Third Assessment Report indicates that the six
Kyoto greenhouse gases, measured as carbon dioxide equivalents, should
not exceed the level of 450-550 ppm.
This leads us to the conclusion that the next commitment period must start
building a system for targets related to a specific “secure”
greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere and an equity burden of
the emissions that allows for this. We foresee targets related to per
capita emissions. Proposals of the Global Commons Institute (United Kingdom)
on “Contraction and Convergence” have gained support from
churches and Christian development agencies. For high emitters this would
lead to a step-by-step approach over the commitment period during which
the emissions are reduced, while for the least developed countries and
low emitters, a step-by-step approach for the possibility to increase
emissions, while at the same time building up and investing in sustainable
energy use, could be foreseen.
Ultimately, the statement appeals to every single person. In order to act, governments must be able to rely on the support of the public. Each person’s witness counts. Through a renewed life style people can contribute to advance the cause.
Reference: For a more detailed presentation of the issue, see the
WCC publication ‘Solidarity
with Victims of Climate Change’, January 2002, Geneva.
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