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Solidarity with Victims of Climate Change
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The following text summarises the findings of a consultation convened by the Working Group on Climate Change of the World Council of Churches from November 20 to 23, 2001. In addition to members of the Working Group, it was attended by representatives of aid and development agencies. A report on the present state of the scientific research was provided by Sir John Houghton, co-chairman of the Science Assessment Working Group of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which is jointly sponsored by the UN Environmental Programme and the World Meteorological Organisation. A representative of Swiss-Reinsurance Company presented the assessment of climate change in the perspective of the insurance business. |
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The Third Assessment report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change confirmed that climate is changing because of human activities and that weather and climate extremes will increase in many places. Floods, intense rainfalls and periods of drought will become more frequent. The reduction targets of the Kyoto Protocol are an important beginning but fall far short of what is eventually required as called for by the scientific community. Inevitably, therefore, we shall have to face a higher number of natural catastrophies and will have to adapt to new climatic conditions on the planet.
The negotiations in the framework of the United Nations aim at mitigating the impact of climate change; even if the targets of reduction called for by the scientific community should be reached, weather patterns will change. Nations will therefore in any case need to adapt to changing situations.
Climate Change will cause enormous damage. Re-insurance companies speak of an annual amount of US$300 billion. The figure does not include adaptation costs. In addition, climate change has influence on health and psychological stability - generally on the quality of life. It is essential to underline that the impact will be most severe in the vulnerable countries in the South; it creates a new form of injustice.
Climate Change cannot be isolated from other factors of social and environmental degradation. They inter-act. The real danger is their accumulated impact.
Why is action so slow? Many psychological reasons can be given. But the main reason lies in the fact that measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions run against the dynamics of the present project of society based in ever-expanding production and consumption. A vision of society is at stake.
What are the tasks which arise for society and, in particular,
for the churches? Four areas can be mentioned:
a) A new round of negotiations on the reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions must be initiated at the earliest possible date;
b) Since natural catastrophes are bound to increase, society needs to be prepared to stand in solidarity with the victims of climate change, especially those in the most vulnerable countries;
c) Strong emphasis must be placed on adaptation measures protecting vulnerable people against the weather hazards of the future;
d) The challenge posed by the needs of adaptation may well exceed the capacity of human solidarity. The calculations of the insurance business give an impressive illustration of the growing risks. More and more areas are left to the spontaneous solidarity of people.
Relief and Development Agencies face new challenges. Policies may
need to be reviewed.
a) More emergencies will occur;
b) Relief must be so organised that it does not end in dependence;
c) Adaptation to changing climate conditions becomes a major emphasis;
d) The concept of development needs to be re-thought as to include disaster preparedness;
e) Risk assessment acquires increased importance; risk assessment findings need to be widely communicated;
f) Relief and development agencies are well placed to plead the case of a new round of climate change negotiations.
Spiritually, the struggle against environmental degradation, in
particular, the impact of climate change, must address the contradictions
in society, especially the present economic course e.g. non-sustainable
consumption in many countries, the increasing gap between rich and
poor, the net flow of money from poor to rich countries. Every effort
needs to be made to maintain the quality of solidarity in a world
whose quality of life is steadily deteriorating
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