Stern Review "a wake-up call for us all" - PM
30 October 2006
Delaying action on climate change - even by a decade or two - will take the planet into dangerous territory, a new report warns.
Tony Blair said the conclusions of the Stern Review should be seen as "the final word" on why the world must act now to limit the damage we are doing to our planet.
In an article for The Sun, Mr Blair said the report - which he called the most important document on the future he's read since becoming PM - should act as a wake-up call to everyone.
The Review, commissioned by the Government last year during its G8 Presidency, was carried out by Sir Nicholas Stern, a former World Bank Chief Economist.
Sir Nicholas says it's a "false economy" to put off climate change action since costs will only rise, with the impact of global warming costing as much as 20 per cent of the world's GDP.
Climate change risks raising average temperatures by over 5°C from pre-industrial levels.
Such changes would transform the physical geography of our planet.
All countries will be affected by climate change, the Review finds, and the response must be an international one - but it is the poorest countries who will suffer earliest and most.
Sir Nicholas concludes on an optimistic note:
"There is still time to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, if we act now and act internationally. Governments, businesses and individuals all need to work together to respond to the challenge. Strong, deliberate policy choices by governments are essential to motivate change."
His key recommendations include:
- Expanding and linking emissions trading schemes around the world
- Doubling support for energy research and setting international product standards for energy-efficiency
- Fully-integrating climate change adaptation into development policy, so that rich countries honour their pledges to increase support.
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