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Climate Change: What Role for Parliamentarians?

Climate Change: What Role for Parliamentarians?. Dr Jan Wright Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. Outline. The Problem Fairness: Who is responsible? Physical Impact of climate change in NZ, Australia, and the Pacific islands International Organisations

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Climate Change: What Role for Parliamentarians?

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  1. Climate Change: What Role for Parliamentarians? Dr Jan Wright Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment

  2. Outline • The Problem • Fairness: Who is responsible? • Physical Impact of climate change in NZ, Australia, and the Pacific islands • International Organisations • What Parliamentarians can do

  3. greenhouse gases trap heat

  4. Greenhouse Earth in Action CO2 concentration temperature

  5. Fairness: Who is responsible? Developed countries caused the problem World Resources Institute. 2000. 1950-1999: Historic cumulative carbon emissions, as a percentage of global output by nation …but small island countries are on the frontline of climate change impacts

  6. …..and sea level rise Physical Impacts: Australia and NZ More heat waves More bushfires Temperature change 1980-1999 versus 2080-2099

  7. More floods More droughts Water supply issues Physical Impacts: Australia and NZ Rainfall change 1980-1999 versus 2080-2099

  8. Land loss • Coastal erosion • Increased damage from storm surges • Salt water contamination of fresh water and soils Physical Impacts: Pacific Islands

  9. …and also • increased risk of tropical cyclones • ocean acidification, coral bleaching • changing fish migration • biodiversity loss Physical Impacts: Pacific Islands Water shortages and drought More floods Rainfall change 1980-1999 versus 2080-2099

  10. Pacific Islands are particularly vulnerable because: • surrounded by large expanses of ocean • limited natural resources • proneness to natural disasters • extremely open economies • rapidly increasing populations and urbanisation • poorly developed infrastructure • and limited funds, human resources and skills Entire cultures at risk

  11. IPCC, science assessment Reports 1990, 1995, 2001, 2007. • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (1994, 192 countries) • what can be done to reduce global warming • how to cope with temperature increases Kyoto Protocol (1997, 184 countries) – commitment to reduce emissions 2008-2012 Copenhagen (Dec 2009) The next agreement International Organisations

  12. Adaptation Programs for Pacific Island States • Pacific Island Framework for Action on Climate Change • Pacific Adaptation to Climate Change • National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPAs) for Least Developed Countries

  13. Australia What NZ and Australia are doing • Domestically • greenhouse gas emissions reduction target • energy efficiency improvements etc • In support of Pacific Island countries New Zealand • Much expertise • Supports various programmes • Aims to “secure a good outcome for Pacific Island Countries” at Copenhagen

  14. Practical Suggestions • Be informed about the reality and help people understand • Provide tools to cope • Support policies to make a difference • Work together, build cooperation and partnerships

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