James Hansen's Appeal to the G8 on Climate Change
Chris | 04.07.2008 00:08 | G8 Japan 2008 | Analysis | Climate Chaos | Ecology | Sheffield | World
Letter sent to Prime Minister Fukuda before the G8 meeting
- application/pdf 225K
Charts used in presentation at the United Nations University of July 4
- application/pdf 2.3M
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There is urgent need for actions to stem climate change. The Earth’s climate history and ongoing climate changes show that our climate today is approaching tipping points, which, if passed, could have devastating consequences.
Fundamental knowledge about fossil fuel carbon reservoirs reveals an imperative: coal use must be promptly phased out except where CO2 is captured and sequestered. Yet building of new coal-fired power plants continues unabated.
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This letter should explain that the leaders realized their failure to take these actions would cause our descendants to inherit a planet with a warming ocean, disintegrating ice sheets, rising sea level, increasing climate extremes, and vanishing species, but it would have been too much trouble to make changes to our energy systems and to oppose the business interests who insisted on burning every last bit of fossil fuels. By composing this letter the leaders will at least achieve an accurate view of their place in history.
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More from James Hansen can be found via his home page:
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Chris