The European Union (EU) is about to decide its response to global warming – the decision will affect all of us.

Europe has long stated its aim to limit global warming to 2°C above the pre-industrial average. If we allow temperatures to exceed this threshold, we face the prospect run-away and catastrophic climate change.

It's time for Europe to show leadership in addressing climate change |

Scientists are already predicting an ice-free Arctic in summer months, possibly before the end of the current decade. In addition, warming would threaten around 1 billion people with problems of water scarcity, and would place as many as 30% of all plant and animal species at a high risk of extinction.


The decisions the EU is making will set the level of ambition for future international negotiations, where world leaders will come together to agree a long-term solution to climate change. No matter where we live, we all need Europe to show leadership in tackling climate change.

Let European leaders know that it’s time for them to lead


Developed countries like those in the EU have the greatest responsibility for emitting the climate-changing gasses which cause global warming as they began pumping carbon dioxide and other ‘greenhouse gasses’ much earlier than most other countries. In addition, as one of the world’s largest trading blocks, the EU remains responsible for high per capita emissions, and has huge influence on the emissions of other countries through international trade and investment.

Take action

The EU is currently debating laws which aim to cut emissions across Europe by 20% by 2020. The problem is that the proposed cuts are nowhere near sufficient to account for Europe’s responsibility in addressing climate change. If other developed countries followed this lead, we would not make the cuts we need globally.


Europe needs to commit to cut its emissions of greenhouse gasses at home by at least 30%, as well as providing help for poorer countries to cut their emissions by moving to low-carbon development.


Take action now and urge the EU to show leadership in addressing climate change and contributing its fair share of the solution

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US cracks down on illegal logging

22 Oct 2008


imageUS trade in products containing illegally logged wood, which costs developing countries an estimated $15 billion a year in lost revenue, may soon be a thing of the past.


Prohibition on trade in illegally logged wood products was passed in May this year, and now US government officials have presented proposals which outline how the new law is to be implemented.
They focused on a phased-in approach for the requirement to declare the origin and species of the plant material contained in a wide variety of products.


Representatives from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Interior and the Department of Justice were involved.


“By banning the import of illegally harvested wood products, this measure will help level the playing field for companies, such as those participants of WWF’s Global Forest & Trade Network, that are committed to ensuring that their purchases of forest products support legal and responsible logging practices,” said Bruce Cabarle, Director of WWF-US Forest Programme.


The Agencies announced that the enforcement of the declaration requirement will begin on April 1st, 2009 for plants, timber and solid wood products, to coincide with the availability of a web-based declaration system.


Other products of concern, such as furniture and paper, will be phased in subsequently over a two-year time frame.


At the meeting, the Department of Justice emphasized its intention to enforce these prohibitions, suggesting that it was no longer acceptable for wood purchasers to remain ignorant of the source of their material.


"We are very encouraged that importers, retailers and manufacturers have joined us in supporting practical steps to stop the importation of stolen wood," said Alexander von Bismarck, Executive Director of the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA).


“This commitment by the U.S. government represents a historic breakthrough for international efforts to control deforestation and protect the global environment.”


Illegally logged wood also contributes to the 20 per cent of annual total greenhouse gas emissions caused by deforestation and has been shown to support organized crime around the world.

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