Scientists disagree with Barrosos climate change agenda

 HYPERLINK "http://google.the-news.net/display.aspx?id=884-10" \o "Open URL: http://google.the-news.net/display.aspx?id=884-10" \t "linkWin" http://google.the-news.net/display.aspx?id=884-10

25/11/2006

Thousands of scientists from around the world last week challenged 
European Commission President Duro Barroso to justify his claims that 
climate change was in fact a reality threatening Europes environmental 
and economic future.

The challenge came in the wake of the former prime minister of 
Portugals announcement that the European Unions work programme for 2007 
would place climate change and energy at the top of its agenda.

]
At a Brussels press conference Mr. Barroso said: The forces unleashed 
by globalisation are presenting more shared challenges than ever 
before. Challenges come in the form of climate change, energy security 
or international terrorism, but Europe has responded effectively.

We can be proud of our response so far to this rapidly changing 
landscape. First, we renewed the Lisbon Agenda and placed the emphasis 
squarely on growth and jobs. As a result, it was possible to restore 
confidence in the Stability and Growth Pact, putting it on a more 
realistic and workable footing.

Returning to the priorities of 2007, Mr. Barroso pointed out that 
unless Europe is able to take the necessary measures to stave off the 
adverse effects of climate change the continents economy could be 
facing a more than bleak future.

He promised that the Commission would put forward options for a EU 
climate change policy, which would include various alternatives to 
drive forward cooperation programmes on carbon dioxide emissions with 
the United States, Asia, Africa and South America.

Numerous projects on the effects of climate change on Europes 
environment and industries are set to receive funding under the new EU 
Seventh Framework Programme, which is due to be launched on January 
1st, 2007.

However, in the face of Mr. Barrosos warnings on the dangers of climate 
change more than 18,000 scientists from around the world who have 
signed the Oregon Petition, which declares global warming to be a lie 
with no scientific basis whatsoever, have asked him to justify his 
claims over global warming.

They point out that of the 186 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide gases 
that rise into the atmosphere every year, only six billion are directly 
attributed to mankind. According to the scientists, the rest are from 
natural causes biological activity in the oceans, volcanic activity and 
decaying vegetation.

The Oregon Petition says that the 110 billion euros cost of 
implementing the Kyoto agreement on climate change, of which the EU is 
a signatory, will solve nothing, other than making politicians appear 
to be doing something whilst actually depriving the Third World of 
precious funds for clean water, sanitation, healthcare and education.