Tearfund Hopes for International Commitment to Climate Change in Nairobi

Christian development agency Tearfund has said that the major international climate change conference in Nairobi in two weeks will be the first real test of global will on climate change following Monday's release of the Stern Review.

Sir Nicholas Stern's report, 'The Economics of Climate Change', said that there was still time to "avoid the worst impacts of climate change if we act now and act internationally".

Tearfund's Advocacy Director, Andy Atkins, responded to the publication of the Stern Review with a challenge to world governments to take immediate steps in Nairobi in two weeks.

"The need for urgent global action on climate change politically, economically and morally has never been clearer. World governments face one of their biggest ever tests of collective will and they can make a start in COP12 conference in Nairobi next week," he said.

Tearfund said it was critical for world governments meeting at the conference to produce a timetable for agreeing the next phase of the Kyoto Protocol, and focus on setting tougher and more binding targets to cut global carbon emissions.

The development agency added that the conference must also provide urgent funding to help poor countries adapt to climate change, an issue highlighted in the Stern Review.

"If we want to keep millions of people alive in the developing world, we must act now to halt global warming and help poor communities to adapt. The Nairobi conference is an opportunity to move global action forward. If we act too slowly climate change will throw development into reverse and there will be millions more thirsty, hungry and ill poor people living in high risk areas of the world."

Tearfund commended Sir Nicholas' review for its urgency and breadth as well as its acknowledgement of the impact of climate change on the developing world.

Urgent action from governments on climate change was more important than ever, added Mr Atkins, in order for governments to live up to commitments made at the Gleneagles G8 Summit last year to fund global development.

"Poor people around the world are already being affected by floods and droughts exacerbated by climate change. It is wealthy nations such as the UK which should be doing much more to foot the bill for climate change. Developed nations have contributed most to global warming and yet it is poor countries which are bearing the brunt," he said.

"To date, wealthy countries have been criminally slow in cutting their own greenhouse gas emissions and committing funds to help developing countries adapt to climate change."