PRESS COMMUNIQUE

WORLD EXPERT TELLS NATO PARLIAMENTARIANS
GLOBAL WARMING CAN BE STOPPED

A world expert in climate change told NATO parliamentarians today that there were increasing signs that governments were taking global warming seriously and believed it could be halted altogether if more measures were adopted.

Tony Haymet, Director of SCRIPPS  Institution of Oceanography, said he was optimistic following impressive cuts in CO2 emissions by several European countries, led by Germany and the United Kingdom, following the Kyoto accords.

“There is still time to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, if we take strong action now,” he told a meeting of the NATO-PA’s Science and Technology Committee in Québec City.

Mr Haymet praised the United Kingdom and Germany for having cut greenhouse gasses by 14.3 percent and 17percent respectively between 1990 and 2004. “It is not all gloom and despondency. Overall, I am optimistic,” he declared.

“Action on climate change is required across all countries… a range of options exists to cut emissions; strong deliberate policy action is required to motivate their take up,” he added.

Mr Haymet said he detected a change in attitude among countries, such as Australia, which hitherto had dragged their feet over the issue.

The NATO PA, the parliamentary arm of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), consists of some 248delegates from 26 member states. Delegates from 13 associate countries and four Mediterranean countries also attend the session.

The 5-day session is focusing on a wide range of issues currently affecting the Transatlantic Alliance, including the future role and relevance of NATO.

For further information, please contact
Jonathan Clayton: tel.  418 561 1281
e-mail:
Press@nato-pa.int

NATO Parliamentary Assembly
International Secretariat
Place du Petit Sablon 3, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Tél: (32) 2 513 28 65 | Fax: (32) 2 514 18 47 | website: http://
www.nato-pa.int |

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