FACTBOX - Reactions to UN Climate Panel Report
Date: 05-Feb-07
Country: INTERNATIONAL
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said it was "very likely" that human activities were the main cause of warming in the past 50 years, or a 90 percent probability.
That was up from a "likely" link seen in a last report in 2001, or a 66 percent probability.
Following are comments on the report:
ACHIM STEINER, HEAD OF THE UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME
(The new report) "gives us a stark warning that the potential impact will be more dramatic, faster and more drastic in terms of consequences" than previously thought.
"This will change in some parts of the world the fundamental way in which we live."
SHARON HAYS, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY, HEAD OF US IPCC DELEGATION
"This report is a comprehensive and accurate reflection of the current state of climate change science." President George W. Bush "has put in place a comprehensive set of policies to address what he has called the 'serious challenge' of climate change....the current set of policies are working."
BRITISH ENVIRONMENT MINISTER DAVID MILIBAND
"It is another nail in the coffin of the climate change deniers and represents the most authoritative picture to date, showing that the debate over the science of climate change is well and truly over.
"What's now urgently needed is the international political commitment to take action to avoid dangerous climate change. This has been absent so far. If we are to succeed, we will require the engagement not just of environmental ministers but heads of state, prime ministers and finance ministers."
SOUTH AFRICA'S MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT AND TOURISM, MARTHINUS VAN SCHALKWYK:
"The clock is ticking and time is running out for us to avoid major climate change with the real and serious threats to our economies and peoples' livelihoods.
SHARAD JOSHI, INDIAN FARM LEADER AND PARLIAMENT DEPUTY
"I do not share the views of the UN climate panel as it tends to create a scare. It is just a climatic cycle. The cycle of rising temperatures, I believe, will be followed by a cycle of falling mercury.
"It is just a ploy of the developed world to create a scare and prevent developing countries to embark on rapid industrialisation.
INDONESIAN ENVIRONMENT MINISTER RAHMAT WITOELAR:
"We should decrease CO2 emissions drastically by reducing pollution in cities and enforcing environment-friendly biofuel."
"Ageing buses should not run. Factories should follow emission policies. We will sue those who violate the policies. It can take some time since there are a lot of factories. The penalty is the closure of factories."
"Rain forest should never be cut down at all. A major plantation that wishes to clear up a hectare of fields should plant two hectare within 2 years. This effort will eventually bring back our forests."