WWF - WWF United Kingdom (UK) office

Tuna commission urged to add fishing halt to trade ban to save bluefin

2009-11-07

Recife, Brazil – WWF, the global conservation organization, is urging countries meeting in Brazil this week to agree urgently on a temporary fishing ban for the beleaguered Atlantic bluefin tuna, as an essential measure to avoid imminent stock collapse.

The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is gathering in Recife, Brazil for its annual meeting, where the 48 contracting parties are under pressure to decide on measures that will ensure the long-term survival of a species that has long been the victim of illegal and over-fishing, disregard for rules and science, and being targeted by far too many boats.

“WWF wants to see Atlantic bluefin tuna surviving long into the future – both the amazing species and the fishing industry it has supported for thousands of years,” said Dr Sergi Tudela, Head of Fisheries at WWF Mediterranean.

“This is ICCAT’s role, to ensure the sustainable commercial exploitation of bluefin tuna, but it has failed spectacularly in this mandate and there is no option left but to stop fishing and let this wild animal recover. It is the only way forward, there is simply no Plan B.”

ICCAT’s own analysis shows that a moratorium will give the best chance of recovery to the seriously overexploited bluefin tuna stocks in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean.

The organization’s scientific committee analysed fish stocks at a special meeting in October, demonstrating with their data that Atlantic bluefin tuna fulfils the criteria to be listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), as proposed by the Principality of Monaco and to be voted on next March – a step that would ban all international commercial trade.

WWF sees the trade ban as a necessary parallel measure to a moratorium on fishing. ICCAT’s scientific analysis also shows that a suspension of fishing is the only measure with a chance of ensuring Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks no longer meet the criteria for CITES Appendix I by 2019.

The tuna commission astonished the world with a scheme
for continued overfishing that it labeled a recovery plan.

“Atlantic bluefin tuna stocks are sadly collapsing even faster than ICCAT’s reputation,” added Sergi Tudela of WWF. “For ICCAT to justify its existence and show the world it is capable of responsible fisheries management, how can it do anything but stick to the best available science, close the Atlantic bluefin tuna fishery now and give the fish a breather?

"Anything else would be a slap in the face to science, a slap in the face to those who care about sustainable seafood, and a slap in the face to ICCAT’s own survival – if there’s no more fish, there’s no more fish to manage.”

The latest science shows that Atlantic bluefin tuna’s spawning population has declined to below 15% of pre-fishing levels – and may even have dropped to under 10%.

Meeting just a year ago, ICCAT’s members ritually tossed overboard the advice of their own scientists and did not even put the fishing closure supported by its own review on the agenda. The tuna commission astonished the world with a scheme for continued overfishing that it labeled a recovery plan but that WWF named a “collapse plan”. In response, increasing numbers of global retailers, restaurants, chefs and consumers are stopping buying, selling, serving and eating this endangered species.

For more information: Gemma Parkes, +39 346 387 3237, gparkes@wwfmedpo.org

Notes to editor
 Footage and photos available on request
 For more on WWF’s tuna campaign, see www.panda.org/tuna

G20 finance ministers fail to reach green on climate financing

2009-11-07

St Andrews, Scotland – Finance ministers of the world’s dominant economies failed to reach agreement on the financing required for a global agreement to stave off catastrophic climate change, WWF said today as the G20 finance ministers meeting here broke up with no resolution to issues dividing developed and emerging economies.

The lack of progress made by the G20 in St. Andrews, follows another week of inconclusive negotiations in UN climate talks in Barcelona as the world heads towards the crucial UN climate conference in Copenhagen in a month’s time.

With the G20 now having considered the climate financing issue three times without reaching common ground, WWF remains sceptical about today's promise to make further progress before Copenhagen.

“The G20 Finance Ministers meeting turned out to be a mostly irrelevant sideshow on the way to the talks in Copenhagen in a months’ time," said Dr Richard Dixon, Director of WWF Scotland.

"Failure to come to agreement here is a major disappointment.

“This is a group that can throw money at collapsing banks but cannot find adequate figures for the far worse challenge to the global economy of a collapsing climate system."

In detail, the G20 ministers acknowledged the need to increase significantly and urgently the scale of funding but failed to make any reference to the sums required, estimated to be around $160bn a year of public financing.

They also failed to agree on new sources of funding for a climate deal, such as auctioning emissions credits and levies on aviation and shipping.

"Talk of a financial transaction tax which has the potential to raise hundreds of billions in new funding every year turned out to be a red herring without solid political support," Dr Dixon said.

The G20 agreed some principals on a mechanism to administer and distribute these funds but failed to turn these into concrete proposals and - despite last week's pledges from Europe - no new money was put on the table to help the most vulnerable countries adapt to a changing climate.

It is estimated the immediate need for the most vulnerable nations is around $10bn a year.

WWF endorsed the G20s continuing professed interest in winding back fossil fuel use subsidies, but said the group needed to focus its main attention on getting an effective global deal on climate.

“If we are to keep the planet below the danger threshold of a 2ºC temperature rise, the rich nations of the world are going to have to help developing countries follow a low-carbon development path and help them cope with the impacts of current and future climate change," Dr Dixon said.

"We wanted to see solid proposals on how the money would be raised, managed and distributed and an indication of how soon the countries most vulnerable to climate change will receive assistance. The G20 has failed to deliver and the real work will now have to be done at Copenhagen.”

Fishing for funds to be placed off limits for rule breakers

2009-10-21

Brussels, Belgium: European governments and enterprises continuing to flout fisheries regulations are to be denied access to EU public funds, according to measures agreed by the EU Fisheries Council this week.

WWF has welcomed the Control and Enforcement Regulation creates a common system of rules and sanctions to be applied at national level in Europe.

“Existing rules have been applied poorly or not at all, disadvantaging fishermen and governments who played by the rules. Illegal fishing continues to be a huge threat to healthy fish stocks and profitable fisheries," said Aaron Mc Loughlin, Head of the European Marine Programme at WWF's European Policy Office.

When some fishing nations raised last minute objections to the Article 95 sanctions on public funding for rule breaking nations and fishers, WWF wrote to the EU noting that "the fishery sector is the only sector covered by Community law in which funds are still distributed to Member States with perfect impunity, without being conditioned upon compliance with control rules."

It was "common sense" that there be provisions "setting down countermeasures in suspending and reducing financial aid in cases in which Member States continue to show no intention of stopping persistent and serious infringements," the letter said.

The nations, led by France, had sought to have serious infringements dealt with by application to the European Court of Justice. However, WWF noted that "It took over 24 years for the Court of Justice to order France to pay penalties because of failing to carry out controls of fishing activities in accordance with the requirements laid down by the Community provisions".

WWF strongly believes that measures to tackle illegal fishing inside and outside EU waters are to be implemented as soon as possible starting from the 1st of January 2010.

TV/E y WWF se asocian con productores audiovisuales jóvenes para destacar el cambio climático un millón de veces #BAD09

2009-10-15

TV/E –Televisión por el Medio Ambiente– del Reino Unido lanzó el 13 de octubre ‘Un millón de puntos de vista sobre Copenhague’, una serie de videos cortos, peculiares e irreverentes de YouTube sobre cambio climático.

TV/E, en asociación con WWF, ha encargado a exitosos productores audiovisuales –incluyendo Eddsworld, Ted Crusty y Custard Productions– exponer sus puntos de vista sobre el cambio climático en la recta final hacia la Cumbre de las Naciones Unidas sobre Cambio Climático en Copenhague en diciembre.

Para ver el ‘tráiler’ visite: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eClwLcqt1So

Durante el evento de lanzamiento en Londres estuvieron presentes Edd Gould y Tom Ridgewell de Eddsworld, el segundo canal de comedia más visto en el Reino Unido en YouTube, y Michael Tapshott de Ted Crusty, cuyo cortometraje sobre el desastre del cambio climático obtuvo miles de visitas en sólo días. Los videos fueron transmitidos en vivo y directo en el canal YouTube de TV/E el 13 de octubre (http://www.youtube.com/user/tveInspiringChange), y TV/E pretende atraer a más de un millón de espectadores antes de la decisiva conferencia en diciembre.

También se invitará a los adheridos a la campaña Vota por el Planeta de WWF a enviar un mensaje a los líderes del mundo entrando a www.earthhour.org, uniéndose al llamado por un acuerdo global sobre cambio climático en Copenhague.

La serie de videos y animaciones ha sido creada por productores de YouTube que cuentan con gran cantidad de adeptos en línea. A ellos se unen una estudiante de 16 años de Nepal y un animador galardonado de Namibia. Un oso polar cayendo del cielo, árboles de plástico y un activista de ‘Lego’ luchando contra un impuesto al carbono, son algunas de las formas en que estos representantes de la generación de YouTube comparten sus puntos de vista sobre el cambio climático.

El animador británico Edd Gould dijo que “la mayoría de las personas prefieren ver material de entretenimiento superficial en vez de documentales con contenido más desarrollado que los haga sentir mal sobre sí mismos y su futuro. Esperamos que nuestra contribución sea entretenida e informativa a la vez, además de generar interés por parte de un grupo de gente que, de otro modo, daría una vistazo rápido al tema.”

Keshen Matus, animador australiano de 20 años, cuyas producciones audiovisuales del género dramático montadas en base a piezas y muñecos de ‘Lego’ han atraído a millones de espectadores, añade que “los jóvenes no sólo deberían interesarse, sino ser críticos. Recomiendo nunca estar de acuerdo con algo que a primera vista se vea bien, sino más bien investigar más y llegar a sus propias conclusiones.”

Cheryl Campbell, Directora Ejecutiva de TV/E, describió que la experiencia “ha sido fantástica y muy divertida, trabajando con algunos de los productores audiovisuales más jóvenes, apasionados e innovadores. Pero existe un propósito serio y esencial detrás de toda esta diversión: queremos asegurarnos de que el gran número de jóvenes que sigue los canales de YouTube tenga la oportunidad de participar en Copenhague. Esperamos que al asociarnos con estas mega-estrellas de YouTube podamos lograrlo. TV/E está enormemente agradecida con la Fundación Artemis Charitable por hacer todo esto posible."

Martin Atkin, Director de Relaciones Externas y Medios de WWF Internacional dijo que “la generación de YouTube es la que tendrá que enfrentar los peores impactos del cambio climático. ‘Un millón de puntos de vista’ es su oportunidad de enviar un mensaje convincente a los tomadores de decisión en Copenhague, y al mismo tiempo hacernos reír”.

Antecedentes

“Un millón de puntos de vista” hacia Copenhague es una iniciativa llevada adelante en colaboración con WWF y es posible gracias al apoyo de la Fundación Artemis Charitable.
Por 25 años TV/E ha creado programas de peso en temas ambientales y de desarrollo para audiencias mundiales. En 2008, gracias a su red global de socios, los videos de TV/E fueron vistos en 172 países en más de 300 millones de hogares vía difusión global, y por más de 500 millones de personas en canales locales, regionales y nacionales, además de internet. www.tve.org
Acerca de WWF
WWF Bolivia, la organización de conservación, tiene el objetivo de contribuir a la conservación de la Amazonia y el Pantanal, promover y generar oportunidades económicas sostenibles para sus habitantes y el país.

WWF trabaja por un planeta vivo, y su misión es detener la degradación ambiental de la Tierra y construir un futuro en el que el ser humano viva en armonía con la naturaleza:

conservando la diversidad biológica mundial,
asegurando que el uso de los recursos naturales renovables sea sostenible y
promoviendo la reducción de la contaminación y del consumo desmedido.

Para mayor información:
Nardin Pizarro, npizarro@wwfbolivia.org, 766-00885, 591-3-3430609 int 110
Isabel Morgan, isabel.morgan@tve.org.uk, +44 207 9018840

Time for stalling past as climate predictions dramatically worsen

2009-09-28

Oxford, UK: Climate negotiators received a hurry up call today as scientists released new predictions that climate change was happening significantly faster than previous estimates.

The UK's prestigious Met Office Hadley Centre warned that it was "not implausible" that without effective action to cut greenhouse gas emissions, average global temperatures could rise more than four degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels by 2060 - more than twice the two degree threshold for unacceptable risks of runaway catastrophic climate change.

WWF-UK Director of Campaigns David Norman told the UK Press Association that "Yet again, the over-riding message from the scientists is abundantly clear - climate change is real, it's happening faster than previously anticipated and the implications for both people and the environment are potentially severe.

"Politicians have already pledged to keep the world below a 2 degree temperature rise, but the window of opportunity to make this more than an empty promise is rapidly closing."

"The time for stalling has long since passed," Norman said.

Climate negotiators are currently gathering in Bangkok, Thailand, to continue work towards a new global climate agreement scheduled to be agreed in Copenhagen in December, to replace the expiring - and clearly inadequate - Kyoto protocol.

The new Hadley Centre study updates the 2007 climate projections of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), noting that IPCC worst case projections are now a real possibility within many peoples' lifetimes.

Worse case predictions are now a real possibility

Consequences of a four degree rise in average global temperatures could include regional variations of temperature of more than 10 degrees C in some areas, with rises of more than 15 degrees in the already seriously affected Arctic.

Drastic reductions in rainfall are expected for many areas under such a scenario while other areas will see increased rainfall and flooding events.

Feedbacks in the climate system - the study raised possibilities of warming oceans absorbing less carbon dioxide and soil carbon being released as decomposition rates rise - could drive ever accelerating climate change.

A spokesman for the Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc) told the Press Association that "A rise of this scale would have serious consequences for the global community with food security, water availability and health all being adversely affected.

"This report illustrates why it is imperative for the world to reach an ambitious climate deal at Copenhagen which keeps the global temperature increase to below 2 degrees."

Water Footprinting : Identifying & addressing water risks in the value chain

2009-08-17

Anyone enduring this year’s British summer might be forgiven for questioning the fact that freshwater is becoming one of the most precious commodities on the planet – but it’s true. It’s also a reason why WWF’s partnership with SABMiller, one of the world’s largest brewers, has a particular importance.

In the past century alone, the world’s consumption of water has grown at about twice the rate of population expansion. That’s largely due to growing agricultural and industrial demand. It also has much to do with people’s improved lifestyles and leisure activities – which often include relaxing with a beer or two.

The worldwide brewing industry, including SABMiller, consumes huge quantities of water to make the product that billions of people enjoy every day.

However, the company has declared water to be one of its 10 sustainable development priorities, and has been working with WWF in South Africa, Colombia and Honduras to encourage better water management in and around its operations. In 2008 it also joined WWF in becoming a founder member of the Water Footprint Network, an organisation that is leading the way in devising practical tools that can be used to promote the sustainable, fair and efficient use of freshwater resources throughout the world. “After all, water is scarce because humans make it scarce,” declares Stuart Orr, WWF International’s freshwater manager. “As we’ve already discovered through our own work on water footprint, it’s not only how much, but often when and where water is taken that matters.”

SABMiller aims to reduce water consumption in its operations to an average of 3.5 litres to make a litre of beer, saving some 20 billion litres of water a year by 2015.

“In an increasingly water-constrained world, it’s critical that we become as efficient as possible, whilst working with communities to protect water resources,” says SABMiller chief executive Graham Mackay. “This is an extremely challenging but achievable target, and sets a new industry benchmark.”

Dax Lovegrove, WWF-UK’s head of business and industry, agrees. “The company shows a clear understanding of water issues that only a handful of multinationals have demonstrated,” he declares. “This is an important step forward in terms of business responsibility towards the environment.”

Freshwater is essential for life on Earth. Although three-quarters of the planet may be covered in water, most of this is salt water and undrinkable. A minuscule 2.5% is freshwater, and much of that is ice. Yet whenever we in the developed world turn on a tap or a hosepipe, this colourless, odourless liquid gushes forth in litres – it’s seemingly limitless, it’s always there, and we take it for granted.

The average person in the UK uses approximately 150 litres of tap water a day (for baths, showers, dishwashers, gardening and so-on) – yet some 700 million people live in regions where water-stress is already a severe problem. With climate change increasing the uncertainty of water supplies, and with population growth and changing consumption patterns increasing pressure on water resources, the UN has forecast that more than 3 billion people could be living in water-stressed countries by 2025.

All the more reason why the Water Footprint Network needs to succeed. Thanks to the participation of global organisations such as WWF and SABMiller, it’s off to a strong start. Already, numerous companies are testing their own water consumption levels and analysing the results with an eye on sustainable water management. And that’s the crux: just as the widely accepted carbon footprint concept has helped towns, cities, businesses and consumers to understand the level of greenhouse gas emissions created by their activities, so water footprinting is creating awareness of how and where this life-giving liquid resource is used.

As a contribution towards this understanding, WWF and SABMiller are publishing a joint report* which speaks in straightforward terms: “If water footprinting is applied well it can be very useful from a business perspective, helping identify the scale of water use in water scarce areas and the potential business risks that arise. The key test of a water footprint is whether it helps a business to take better operational decisions concerning how it manages its plants, how it works with suppliers and how it engages with governments, to reduce business risk and improve environmental sustainability.”

So a water footprint must not only look at the total water use in litres of water per unit of product, but it must also consider where it’s used, what proportion of the area’s total water resource it represents, and whether over-use creates risks to the environment, communities and businesses now or in the future. “It’s the only way a water footprint can be meaningful,” the report declares.

As the world’s population increases, and the effects of climate change slowly but surely take hold, the free flow of abundant freshwater can never more be taken for granted. Improved water management techniques are now essential for the well-being of people, the environment, the business world and the global economy.

WWF and SABMiller are playing their full part in developing and improving those techniques, and we will keep you posted on developments in future.

Match or better Brown, WWF urges wealthy world

2009-06-26

Gland, Switzerland: WWF has welcomed fresh financial commitments on climate change from UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown as “having the potential to get some movement back into the negotiations”.

Recent climate talks in Bonn, Germany made little progress over deep divisions on who would be cutting emissions and by how much and where the funding for climate change mitigation and adaptation in developing countries would come from.

Announcements of inadequate carbon emissions cuts in Japan and proposals that would effectively see Russian emissions increase had also added to the gloom over the negotiations, which need to reach an adequate global agreement capable of avoiding unacceptable risks of catastrophic climate change at a UN conference in Copenhagen in December.

“WWF welcomes the UK’s manifesto for Copenhagen and in particular the significant boost to the level of actual finance being mentioned,” said Kim Carstensen, leader of the WWF global climate deal campaign. “We are getting towards the right magnitude of funds if not quite yet to the right amounts.

“It is especially good that a G8 nation is stepping up and trying to break the logjam on international finance. The challenge is now on other developed countries to step up at the forthcoming G8 meeting and show how they would match, or preferably better, Brown."

Carstensen said WWF was still waiting on the details but there was much to approve of in the Prime Minister’s speech, including the need for more developing country influence in governance structures and the inclusion of aviation and shipping.

“We do, however have some reservations on the extent of reliance on the carbon market as a source of funds, not least because this will only work with much, much tougher targets for emissions reductions for developed nations than are currently on the table,” Carstensen said.

Match or better Brown, WWF urges wealthy world

2009-06-26

Follow the bagpipes to a better Copenhagen climate deal

2009-06-24

Edinburgh, UK – Scotland’s decision to cut its emissions by 42 percent by 2020 and by 80 percent by 2050, on 1990 levels, sets an example for developed countries and sparks new hopes that world leaders would be able to agree on a successful climate change deal in Copenhagen, WWF said.

Through its ambitious announcement, Scotland becomes the first developed country to meet the demands of science and developing nations, which want the richer countries to take responsibility for bringing the world to dangerously high emission levels.

"At least one nation is prepared to aim for climate legislation that follows the science,” Kim Carstensen, the leader of WWF’s Global Climate Initiative.

"Scotland made the first step to show others that it can be done. We now need others to follow.”

Scientists say industrialized countries as a whole need to reduce the emission by 25 to 40 percent compared to 1990 level by 2020, in order to prevent the world from overheating, resulting in catastrophic impacts.

In Scotland politicians from all parties have taken these recommendations seriously and agreed on the legislation.

"Scotland may be a small nation, but it has proved today that it is prepared to stand up and be counted. This new law sets a benchmark that every industrialised country will need to live up to. If Scotland can show this level of ambition then so can plenty of others,” said WWF Scotland's Director, Dr Richard Dixon,

More than 190 countries will meet in Copenhagen in December this year to negotiate a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which currently regulates the emissions of greenhouse gases.

A dram a day to keep climate change at bay

2009-06-18

Earlier this month, companies that make up the Scotch Whisky Association unveiled plans to cut their use of fossil fuels by 80 per cent by 2050 - the equivalent of taking 235,000 cars off Scotland’s roads.

“The challenge is there from climate change and we need to respond to that,” said David Rae, managing director of the North British Distillery Company in Edinburgh, who also serves as chairman of the Association’s operations committee. “Our industry has been there for 500 years, and we want it to be around for another 500 years.”

For example, the North British Distillery Company already has established an agreement with a local city council building a new high school to provide heat for the school.

The company has a 10-year agreement to provide hot water from its post-distillation process to the school, supplying 1.5 megawatts of thermal energy, and keeping students and staff warm during the school year. The agreement will help the school displace about 1,400 tons of CO2 emission per year.

In addition, the North British Distillery also is evaluating the potential introduction of an anaerobic digestive process, which will convert its post distillation liquid stream into a renewable energy source. This will in turn be used to generate the distillery’s electricity energy requirements. It is estimated that this process will displace 50,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, Rae said.

However, whisky connoisseurs can rest easy – the taste and even labelling of their favourite scotch whiskies will not change.

Rae said that whisky producers have agreed that at a brand level, the ‘greening’ of whisky making in Scotland will not become a competitive issue.

In the long-run, the decision to adopt better environmental standards stems from the Scotch whisky’s dependence on Scotland’s clean environment, including access to clean water and good cereals.

“We are an industry that benefits directly from the environment in which we operate,” Rae said.

WWF Scotland's Director, Dr Richard Dixon, said he hoped the whisky industry eventually would raise the environmental targets in key areas, although he praised the move.

"Scotch whisky is world renowned and we welcome plans to reduce the environmental footprint of each and every dram,” Dixon said. “We particularly welcome the fact that they have set themselves targets to reduce their impact. Since the whisky industry relies on Scotland's clean environment for its main ingredients it is important the industry takes steps to reduce its potential impacts.”

The Association’s plan translates to a fossil fuel saving annually by 2050 of more than 750,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Other industry-wide reduction targets include: a significant reduction in the average weight of packaging used; the elimination of sending waste from packaging operations to landfill sites; a commitment to source future whisky casks only from sustainable oak forests; and to maintain the highest standards of water use and discharge management.

Scotland told to hold off on new coal power until ready for carbon capture and storage

2009-05-04

Edinburgh, Scotland – Scotland, which has just issued a report extolling its potential for carbon capture and storage, should hold off on constructing any new coal-fired power stations until carbon storage becomes a reality, WWF-Scotland said last week.

The government study, Opportunities for C02 Storage Around Scotland, notes that “evidence for climate change and its potentially catastrophic effects on the world is becoming clearer year on year.”

The study’s authors conclude that “Scotland has the geology and the motivated and innovative skills base required to deliver a major CO 2 storage industry that will benefit both the Scottish economy and the world's environment.”

Authors of the study, however, note that further research is needed to determine the feasibility of implementing carbon capture and storage (CCS).

"Whilst carbon capture is no silver bullet, it has the potential to play an important role in the global effort to cut carbon emissions,” said Dr Dan Barlow, Head of Policy at WWF Scotland.

"The report identifies many issues that are yet to be resolved. Whilst we need to move forward quickly to progress this technology, the Scottish Government should rule out building any new coal fired power stations until carbon capture is proven and can be applied to a power station from the outset.

“Moving swiftly to demonstrate how well this technology works using Scotland's existing power stations would be an important first step.”

"With power stations responsible for a significant proportion of our climate emissions ending the use of unabated coal or gas power stations will be critical in helping Scotland meet its future climate targets alongside maximising Scotland's huge renewable energy potential and improving energy efficiency."

The study found Scotland has the ability to safely accommodate industrial emissions generated in Scotland and North East of England for the next 200 years and its offshore storage capacity for carbon emissions is greater than the Netherlands, Denmark and Germany combined.

Developing carbon capture and storage in Scotland would also open up real economic opportunities in developing storage hubs and pipeline networks for Europe.

But the study also said there was a need to fund CCS demonstration using EU and other funding

WWF-UK said in a report last year that there could be a role for CCS in the power sector if technology is demonstrated to be effective and transport and storage can be shown to be safe and environmentally benign.

But the report Evading capture: Is the UK power sector ready for carbon capture and storage? was highly critical of an emerging practice for power station proposals for advancing dubious claims that the stations would be “CCS ready”, finding that little of any substance lay behind such claims.

Scotland’s parliament is currently considering a draft climate change bill, which WWF would like to see strengthened with the addition of a legal framework to require the reduction of Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050, statutory annual targets for at least 3% cuts in emissions year on year to achieve such a reduction and the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions from international aviation and shipping.

WWF gives Europe a roadmap to Copenhagen

2009-02-27

Brussels, Belgium: With a series of critical European Union meetings on a new global climate deal about to begin, WWF has set out what Europe needs to do to grow in a green way while contributing to helping the world avoid passing the 2 degree threshold of warming that presents unacceptable risks of catastrophic climate change.

“There is a clear link to be made between ambitious climate policies and a new phase of economic growth,” said Stephan Singer, Director of Energy Programme at WWF International.

“The recent financial bailouts prove that when governments decide to fix a problem, money and regulatory instruments are there. There is no excuse to treat the climate crisis with less support and attention.”

The WWF roadmap to a successful new global agreement in Copenhagen in December would see Europe radically strengthen its announced commitments of cutting emissions by just 20 per cent by 2020 and 50 per cent by 2050.

European environment ministers will consider target developed and undeveloped country emissions to take to Copenhagen at Monday’s EU Environment Council meeting in Brussels.

Commit to zero net emissions

Based on various studies, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scenarios, WWF says that emissions will have to be reduced by at least 80 percent by 2050 globally to keep warming below 2°C. In compliance with its fair share of responsibility, the EU must commit to net zero emissions by 2050.

The IPCC also said that industrial countries will have to reduce their greenhouse gases by between 25 and 40% by 2020. The current EU target is only 20%, with a possibility to increase to 30% if other developed nations will join an international agreement.

These targets are clearly at the lower end of the IPCC scale, and even lower in reality considering that EU countries are allowed to fulfil up to two thirds of their commitment by way of certificates for projects in developing countries (the so-called CDM credits).

At the forthcoming Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Ecofin) meeting on Tuesday March 10, European finance ministers will consider both the plan to boost economic recovery in Europe and financing climate protection measures.

WWF said Ecofin must come to grips with the fact that so far EU countries have failed to seriously face the challenge and to see the opportunities created by a greener economy.

Today, the fossil fuel energy sector in the EU-15 countries still receives about €20 billion of subsidies, equal to 0.2% Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Europe imports about 4.8 billion barrels of oil per year, equal to 3% of GDP. Natural gas imports are another 3% of GDP.

According to the European Commission, between 600,000 and 900,000 jobs can be created by renewable energy by 2020, compared to today’s 150,000 jobs. As a comparison, the cement and the steel sectors – some of those crying wolf about strong climate measure – employ about 60,000 and 300,000 people respectively.

With finance to developing countries being touted as a make or break issue at Copenhagen, WWF is calling for European contributions for clean technology and reduced deforestation in developing countries to
amount to €35 billion per year, in addition to the long-time promised 0.7% GDP for development aid.

Funding of climate protection measures (avoidance, adaptation and forest protection) needs to be sustainable, predictable and controlled in a transparent manner by the international community.

The European Commission’s current proposal also fails to address the enormous potential of energy efficiency, with an almost complete lack of concrete proposals for technology co-operation.

WWF says that the EU financing of technology development and research should be increased by a factor of 10 compared to current levels by 2020, particularly for renewable energies, energy efficiency and carbon capture and storage (CCS).

The EU should also promote the setting up of a technology action programme under the UNFCCC to protect intellectual property rights and promote innovation.

Outcomes from the Ecofin and Environment Council meetings are scheduled to be considered by EU Heads of State at a European Council meeting on Thursday 19th and Friday 20th March. Some issues however may carry over to when Sweden assumes the presidency of the EU

Low carbon clothing makes a London fashion statement

2009-02-20

A new WWF standard for low carbon clothing manufacturing features prominently at the London Fashion Show today, as the UK government releases its Sustainable Clothing Action Plan.

The standard, developed by WWF Hong Kong for a major clothing producing area in South China and endorsed by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), helps producers and retailers of fashion reduce their carbon footprints and is a major step towards low carbon clothing.

“Ninety per cent of UK clothing is imported, and so as part of the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan Defra is encouraging participants to explore links with WWF Hong Kong’s Low Carbon Manufacturing Programme”, said Lord Hunt, UK Minister of State for Sustainable Development and Energy Innovation.

“This uses a labelling system to help buyers identify clothes that create fewer emissions in the Pearl River Delta region. I am pleased that this international effort is taking place to make clothing less environmentally damaging."

The LCMP provides manufacturers in the heavily industrialized region with a carbon accounting and labelling system which includes a standard approach to measure and analyse the carbon performance of their factories.

Using WWF’s exclusive software and checklists, factories learn to manage their carbon emissions and apply innovative technologies to reduce them.

The LCMP rewards successful implementation and continuous improvement with a certified label issued by WWF. The labelling system makes the leading manufacturers visible and gives them a competitive edge, while helping buyers to differentiate between clean and dirty practices in the market when choosing their suppliers in the Pearl River Delta region.

“Green is the color of this fashion season”, said Karen Ho, Business Engagement Leader at WWF Hong Kong.

“Low carbon clothing meets a demand among progressive retailers and conscious consumers in the UK, while bringing economic benefits for factories in China due to gains in energy efficiency and huge cost savings. This is exactly what you need to go green and fight a recession.”

Green light for solar panels in Scotland

2009-02-12

The majority of householders in Scotland will be able to install solar panels and other energy generating equipment without planning permission from now on, although government ministers have yet to decide whether to exempt wind turbines and air-source heat pumps.

Ground-source and water-source heat pumps will get the green light, as will flues for biomass systems which use organic materials. The move was announced by finance secretary John Swinney, who said the concession would cut red tape, help householders cut heating bills and reduce emissions.

“By encouraging greater use of micro-generation technologies we are letting householders play their part in reducing emissions while creating new jobs in an emerging industry,” said Swinney.

Solar panels will be allowed if they are on a pitched roof or on a wall and do not protrude more than 200mm. But permission will still be needed for panels on the walls of buildings containing flats, and extra safeguards would apply in conservation areas or work heritage sites.

Elizabeth Leighton, Senior Policy Officer with WWF Scotland, said: “This move will help fuel the micro-generation revolution we need to fight climate change and fuel poverty. Now homeowners can begin to realise the full energy producing potential of their homes without the hassle and unnecessary restrictions.

“However, while the rules have been relaxed for some householders, those in flats who want to install micro-renewables on outside walls have been left out in the cold. We see no reason why flat dwellers should not have Permitted Development Rights, the same as residents of other buildings.

“We urge the Scottish Government to engage with the industry as soon as possible to resolve permitted development rights on wind turbines and air source heat pumps without delay so the full package is available to all homeowners.”

Earth Hour 2009 setting new records in climate concern

2009-02-05

Already twice the participating countries of Earth Hour 2008
Archbishop Desmond Tutu leads call for action on climate change
Obama artist Shepard Fairey likens flicking switch to climate vote

With eight weeks still to go, citizens, businesses and public authorities in 375 cities across 74 countries have already committed to turning off their lights for one hour at 8.30pm on 28 March in a graphic show of support for decisive action on climate change.

The list of cities confirming their participation in Earth Hour 2009 includes 37 national capitals and some of the great cities of the world, including London, Beijing, Rome, Moscow, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong, Dubai, Singapore, Athens, Buenos Aires, Toronto, Sydney, Mexico City, Istanbul, Copenhagen, Manila, Las Vegas, Brussels, Cape Town and Helsinki.

The WWF-sponsored event continues to show amazing momentum, from being a Sydney, Australia awareness-raising event in 2007, to the astounding 371 cities across 35 countries total last year. As participation for Earth Hour 2009 storms past this level of municipal involvement in more than twice the number of countries, discussions are under way or nearing completion in hundreds of other cities.

WWF Director General, Mr James Leape, said he is optimistic about the campaign’s potential to drive key decision making on the issue of climate change.

“With hundreds more cities expected to sign up to switch off in the coming months, Earth Hour 2009 is setting the platform for an unprecedented global mandate for action on climate change,” he said.

Along with the great metropolises of the world, Earth Hour 2009 will also see the lights go out on some of the most recognised landmarks on the planet, including Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Table Mountain in Cape Town, Merlion in Singapore, Sydney Opera House, CN Tower in Toronto, Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and the world’s tallest constructed building Taipei 101.

A host of high profile ambassadors across the world have also lent their support to the campaign, most notably Nobel Peace Prize recipient Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett.

Shepard Fairey, the artist noted for his graphic portrayals of Barack Obama during the recent US Presidential Election, has likened flicking the switch to casting a vote on climate change in artwork for the Earth Hour campaign.

Earth Hour Executive Director, Mr Andy Ridley, said the 2009 campaign as an opportunity for the people of the world to cast their vote on this important global issue.

"Earth Hour by its very nature is the essence of grassroots action. This is the opportunity for individuals, from all corners of the globe to unite in a single voice and demand action on climate change”, said Mr Ridley.

2009 is a critical year for action on climate change, with the world’s leaders due to meet at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December to sign a new deal to supersede the Kyoto Protocol.

Scotland to host one of world’s biggest wave stations

2009-01-22

Edinburgh,Scotland - One of the world’s largest wave stations is to be constructed in the Western Isles of Scotland. Scottish ministers have granted consent for npower renewables application to operate a wave farm with a 4MW capacity at Siadar on the Isle of Lewis.

It is one of the first marine renewable energy projects to be approved in the UK and follows the recent launch of the £10 million Saltire Prize.

“These kind of near-shore wave machines will be important for many of Scotland’s coastal communities in the future and we welcome the go-ahead for this pioneering scheme,” said Dr Richard Dixon, Director of WWF Scotland.

“Scotland is a world leader on exploiting wave power and continued support for these green energy schemes will deliver huge export benefits in technology and expertise.

“We want the Scottish Climate Change Bill to set tough targets to drive Scotland towards a low-carbon economy and clean, green energy will be an important part of that transition.”

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond said: “Today’s announcement is a significant step in Scotland’s journey to become a world leader in renewables. The Siadar wave farm will be one of the largest consented wave electricity generating stations in the world. It is the first commercial wave farm in Scotland and is starting with a capacity to power around 1,800 homes.”

The Scottish Government granted consent in September 2007 for a 3 MW array comprising 4 Pelamis machines at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney. The Pelamis machines float on the surface of the waves, as distinct to the 40 turbines (4MW) at the proposed Siadar wave energy station, which will be encased within a concrete breakwater structure.

The government's Energy Consents Unit is currently processing 30 renewable project applications - 23 wind farms and seven hydro projects, with more applications expected. Their target is to meet 50 per cent of electricity demand from renewables by 2020, and an interim target of 31 per cent by 2011.

WWF applauds British call for ship emission trading

2008-12-16

London, England - WWF-UK has welcomed a call from the British shipping industry for a global emissions trading scheme which would help to combat greenhouse gases.

The British Chamber of Shipping yesterday became the first major global shipping body to call for such a solution. It claims a scheme of this nature would combat carbon emissions more effectively than regional schemes operated by the European Union.

The trade body said it recognised that there was no effective way to include shipping in a national carbon emissions scheme because of the very nature of seaborne trade, and that trading emissions were the only practical solution. A UN International Maritime Organisation report shows that shipping accounts for close to 3 per cent of global CO2 emissions.

“I am very pleased that the UK shipping industry is advocating an emissions trading system for ships and I look forward to working with them to refine and build support for the proposal,” said Peter Lockley, Head of Transport Policy WWF-UK.

“If designed well, the scheme would put a price on maritime carbon emissions, speeding up the drive for cleaner ships and helping to pay for low-carbon development in poorer countries. It would position shipping as a progressive and responsible industry, and I very much hope that it will be part of a global climate change deal next year in Copenhagen.”

Martin Watson, president of the UK Chamber of Shipping which represents some 860 merchant ships that trade internationally, said that UK shipping “must make a significant contribution” in battling carbon emissions. He described his organisation’s latest move as “a bold and far-reaching decision that gives a lead to the rest of the shipping world”.

“This is the first association to come out and support emissions trading in an effort to try and rally sister associations around the world ahead of the 2009 Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen,” said John Stevenson, another spokesman for the Chamber of Shipping.

Red-letter day for North Sea cod

2008-12-11

Brussels, Belgium – The European Union and Norway have taken the first step towards saving millions of tonnes of cod and other North Sea fish every year.

The EU-Norway fisheries agreement, reached after weeks of negotiation, sees the total allowable quota for cod in the North Sea increase by 30 per cent, on the condition that fishermen reduce the amount of “discard”, or unwanted fish thrown back in the sea either dead or dying.

Discard includes cod if the fisherman’s quota has been reached or if the fish is under-size, and other fish (bycatch) that may have been caught by accident.

Now though fishermen face mandatory use of eliminator trawls – a special type of net which allows cod to escape – and other selective gear when the quota is almost reached.

In addition, discard of fish above minimum landing size will be banned and closed areas during the spawning season introduced.

The European Union has finally committed to work on a complete ban on discard, already in force in the Norwegian Sea, within the upcoming reform of the Common Fisheries Policy in 2012.

“We welcome new rules to encourage more selective gear and closed areas during the spawning season,” said Aaron McLoughlin, Head of European Marine Programme at WWF. “The key point, though, is that these measures are enforced.

“A quota increase for cod based on less cod being removed from the sea and discarded needs fishermen and governments to work together to make sure rules are applied. Discard remains a problem and that needs to be a priority of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.”

WWF is urging the EU to make the use of selective gear like eliminator trawls mandatory all year round.

As far as other stocks in the agreement are concerned, WWF supports the reduction of quota by 13 per cent for plaice as it is in line with the scientific advice, but regrets that the advice to cut whiting quotas by 67 per cent was ignored in favour of a cut by only 15 per cent. According to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES – a scientific body advising the EU) such a limited reduction won’t be enough to restore a fishery which suffers from excessive fishing mortality.

The agreed quotas for North Sea cod and related measures to reduce discards will be ratified by the EU Fisheries Ministers at the Council meeting on 18-19 December in Brussels.

Scottish climate bill could set global example

2008-12-09

Edinburgh, Scotland: The newly published Scottish Climate Change Bill has the potential to become a world leading piece of legislation if it receives cross-party backing from Scottish MPs, according to WWF-Scotland.

The targets in the bill include a 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and a cut of 80 per cent by 2050. It also sets out measures to tackle shipping and aviation emissions, as well as emissions from all six greenhouse gases, not just carbon dioxide.

WWF-Scotland campaigners have so far conveyed over 25,000 messages of support for the bill from around the world and Dr Richard Dixon, Director of WWF Scotland, said: “It’s vital that MSPs back strong measures already in the bill and work constructively to improve it further.”

Scottish Climate Change Minister Stewart Stevenson said: “As a government we are determined to have carbon assessment at the heart of our decision-making. We are breaking new ground with our carbon assessment project which will ensure climate change impacts are considered in future budgets and spending decisions.”

Opposition parties also largely welcomed the bill, although Scottish Labour's climate change spokesman Des McNulty said: “We will insist that the Scottish Government reports to parliament every year about what has been achieved and that there are penalties available if agreements are broken.”

Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie said: “I believe it can be the foundation for the most effective legislation yet delivered on climate change anywhere in the world, but it still needs a lot of work.”

Battered sharks get critical listing

2008-12-05

Rome, Italy: Four commercially valuable shark species have just been recognized as being “of conservation concern” under the international Convention on Migratory Species.

The listing applies to northern hemisphere populations of spiny dogfish, a common ingredient of food staple fish and chips, and global populations of Porbeagle shark and both species of mako shark.

Intense debate saw southern hemisphere populations of spiny dogfish excluded from the listing on the agreement that a comprehensive population review will be conducted for the next meeting of the convention.

"WWF welcomes this listing by the CMS--the first listing by an international conservation convention of commercially utilized shark species,” said Dr Susan Lieberman, director of WWF International’s Species Programme.

“This shows that the world community now recognizes that sharks are over-fished, declining, and worthy of the kind of conservation concern afforded to other species."

The sharks have been listed under Appendix ll of the convention, which supports co-operation between range states on conservation plans for listed species. For migratory species it focuses attention on the status of the species and can help trigger other regional and international initiatives in fisheries management and trade.

The sharks, which are among the most valued of shark species for both meat and fins, suffer from excessive levels of targeted fishing as well as being bycatch casualties of other fisheries such as purse seining and long-lining for tuna.

The slow growth, late maturity, small litters and long lives of sharks make them vulnerable to over-exploitation. Porbeagle sharks gather together, making them especially easy targets for fishing – a critical factor in the collapse of their populations in the 1970s and continuing failure to demonstrate any lasting recovery.

Listing of all four species across their entire ranges was proposed but the porbeagle shark and the compromise on spiny dogfish were only agreed after intense negotiation.

WWF has also raised concerns over declining populations of Mediterranean bluefin tuna – subject of a recent International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) decision to continue fishing at well over scientifically recommended levels – as a species of concern before the migratory species convention.