Politicians from around the world are gathering in Argentina to discuss climate change. We have unveiled our own 'Climate Ark' in the centre of Buenos Aires to illustrate the urgent need for action.
Greenpeace ark in Buenos Aires illustrates danger of inaction on climate change.
The wooden Greenpeace 'Climate Ark' held symbolic climate
refugees. Their message is simple: without action against global
warming, the future looks bleak for most of the planet's
population. Global warming will bring more storms, floods and heat
waves that will hit the poorest and most vulnerable first.
Among the crowds at the Ark were 4000 online activists from
Argentina who turned up in person to demand action - not words -
from the politicians gathering in their city.
It took the world 10 years to finally agree the only global
response to climate change - the Kyoto Protocol - which limits
greenhouse gases. The world cannot afford another 10 years before
taking significant action to tackle the problem. Without action,
the melting of glaciers, break-up of ice sheets, and sea-level rise
will only accelerate.
While the world's poor feel
the impact first, responsibility for tackling the problem lies with
the world's biggest polluters - the rich countries. The US
administration is currently 'climate enemy number one' as the
biggest polluter and most vocal opponent of action on global
Not only is the US not putting its own house in order, it will
be actively lobbying other countries at the talks not to
take any action. But US inaction should not be an excuse for
stalemate at the talks, or for other countries to put off
The question is, are we prepared to act to prevent even worse
impacts of climate change and at the same time provide help for the
most vulnerable to adapt or will we consign millions to their fates
in an uncertain and unstable world?
Keeping the global average temperature increase below 2°C should
be the goal of climate policy. That will still be dangerous to
millions of people but it is now probably the best we can do.
By staying below 2°C we can limit damage to coral reefs; limit
the risk of the Greenland ice sheet collapsing; and limit the rate
and extent of sea level rise. Hunger, water scarcity and disease
risk seem to accelerate with higher temperature. It isn't too late
to pull the world back from the brink but it soon may be.
There is no choice. Governments must act now to save the planet
from a dangerous and uncertain future or all the arks in the world
won't be enough to save the climate refugees.