EurActiv Logo
Actualités & débats européens
- dans votre langue -
Click here for EU news »
EurActiv.com Réseau

TOUTES LES RUBRIQUES

Le G8 conclut un accord a minima sur le réchauffement climatique

Version imprimable
Send by email
Publié 08 juillet 2005, mis à jour 14 décembre 2012

Les dirigeants du G8 préparent une déclaration commune soulignant la gravité du phénomène de réchauffement climatique, mais ne comportant aucun engagement concret en termes d'actions et d'objectifs.

The climate change agreement, which is expected to get official blessing on Friday morning, includes wording which admits that global warming is happening and that it is "partially" due to human activities. It will shy away, however, from mentioning concrete actions and focuses strongly on technological solutions to adapt to climate change. With this compromise, Europeans as well as Americans would be able to claim victory.

Réactions : 

American President George Bush received strong backing on the opening day of the Gleneagles conference from a UK House of Lords report on the economic costs of tackling climate change (see EurActiv 6 July 2005).

On the other hand, the  University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit published a report this week predicting extreme changing weather patterns across Europe over the next eighty years. The findings of the MICE (Modelling the impact of climate extremes) report indicate that:

  •  Heatwaves will become hotter and last longer over much of Europe;
  •  Cold days with temperatures below freezing will decrease by up to four months in Northern Europe by 2070;
  •  Southern Europe and the Mediterranean will experience drier prolonged droughts and reduced rainfall;
  •  There will be an increase in winter rain over most of Europe leading to greater flood risk and water pollution;
  •  The number of severe winter storms over western Europe will increase.

These changing weather patterns will have severe negative impacts for different economic sectors such as winter sports in the Alps or agriculture and forests in Southern Europe.

Ten days ago, a report by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) also predicted a two-thirds increase in the costs of climate change effects by 2080 (see EurActiv 30 June 2005).

Contexte : 

The agenda of the G8 meeting at Gleneagles was turned upside down when the news about the terrorist bombings in London came in. Having received messages of solidarity and support from other world leaders, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair rushed back to London but rejoined the G8 on Thursday evening.

In the meantime, officials continued to work on a final compromise text concerning climate change. But as the London 7/7 attack brought world leaders' attention back to the 'war on terror',  the plight of the African continent and the long-term battle against climate change may turn out to be further victims of the bombings.

More in this section

Publicité

Sponsors

Vidéos

Sustainable Development News videos

Euractiv Sidebar Video Player for use in section aware blocks.

Sustainable Development Promoted videos

Euractiv Sidebar Video Player for use in section aware blocks.

Publicité

Publicité