A new report produced by a coalition of over 40 prominent civil society organisations from 33 countries says that governments should reject calls for a post-Kyoto treaty (“Kyoto 2”) with binding limits on carbon emissions. The report says a better strategy would be to focus on removing barriers to adaptation, such as subsidies, taxes and regulations that hinder technological innovation and economic growth.
From 3-16 December, government officials will be in Bali, Indonesia, for climate talks. They are set to discuss the establishment of a new treaty, dubbed “Kyoto 2”, which would require all countries to limit emissions of greenhouse gases.
The Civil Society Report on Climate Change concludes that such emissions caps would be counterproductive: they would undermine economic development, harm the poor, and would be unlikely to address the problem of climate change in a meaningful way.
“Kyoto 2 is the wrong solution. Such a treaty would harm billions of poor people, making energy and energy-dependent technologies, such as clean water, more expensive, and would perpetuate poverty by retarding growth”, said Peter Holle, of the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, one of the 41 organisations who published the report.
“Given that nations are having trouble complying with the relatively small emissions cuts required under Kyoto, the economic and social consequences of a Kyoto 2 Treaty could be devastating”, added Holle.
The Civil Society Report argues that adaptation is the best way to enable people to deal with a changing climate. That means:
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Other conclusions in the Civil Society Report on Climate Change include:
For more information or copies of the full report, contact Peter Holle (PH: 204.977.5049 or e-mail: hollep@fcpp.org)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change meet in Bali, Indonesia, from 3-16 December 2007. They will discuss a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.
About the Report
Civil Society Report on Climate Change
Multi-author
Produced by the Civil Society Coalition on Climate Change
Published Tuesday 27 November 2007
ISBN 1-905041-15-2
100 pp.; Price £10
About the Civil Society Coalition on Climate Change (www.csccc.info)
The Civil Society Coalition on Climate Change seeks to educate the public about the science and economics of climate change in an impartial manner. It was established as a response to the many biased and alarmist claims about human-induced climate change, which are being used to justify calls for intervention and regulation.
The Coalition comprises 41 independent civil society organisations from 33 countries, who share a commitment to improving public understanding about a range of public policy issues. All are non-profit organisations that are independent of political parties and government.
