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Press Release
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Press Release
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Earth's Land Surface Is Drying UpBrussels, 12 January 2005: Europe and many other parts of the world are increasingly being stricken by serious drought, according to new research. The overall percentage of land area affected has doubled in the last thirty years, with climate change singled out as the key factor. [1] The new scientific evidence underlines the threat global warming poses to our planet, Friends of the Earth Europe said today in Brussels. The environmental group has urged Europe's leaders to face up to the challenge and agree drastic cuts in the emissions that are leading to global warming. The analysis, from the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), reveals that, as a result of climate change, over the past 30 years the proportion of Earth's land area stricken by serious drought more than doubled from the 1970s to the early 2000s. The fraction of global land experiencing very dry conditions rose from about 10-15% in the early 1970s to about 30% by 2002. The findings will be presented today (12 Jan) at the American Meteorological Society's annual meeting in San Diego, California. [2] Jan Kowalzig, climate campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe said: "This new report shows what we can expect for Europe summers: hotter and drier weather, with huge social and economic costs. Droughts and heat waves such as hit Europe in 2003 were a taste of what is to come. Yet politicians still refuse to face up to climate change. Current policies are nowhere near enough." [3] Friends of the Earth Europe calls on EU governments to recognise that climate change is becoming the largest threat to our planet and not shy away from committing to real action with clear long-term targets. A long-term commitment is also needed for investors that can bring about the much-needed technological revolution in how Europe produces and consumes energy. Jan Kowalzig continued: "We know the cure: cut emissions. The science tells us a 60-80% reduction is needed. We can achieve this through increases in renewable energies and energy efficiency, which will also trigger innovation and new economic activity."
ContactJan Kowalzig, Friends of the Earth Europe Climate Campaigner, +32-2-542 61 02
Notes[1] The new NCAR report examines linear trends in the Palmer Drought Severity Index from 1948 to 2002. This index is a measure of near-surface moisture conditions and is correlated with soil moisture content. It shows drying across much of Canada, Europe, Asia, and Africa and moistening across parts of the United States, Argentina, Scandinavia, and western Australia. More information is available at http://www.ncar.ucar.edu/ [2] The NCAR report also reflects similar conclusions drawn by the European Environment Agency (EEA Report No 2/2004), saying that over the last 100 years Europe's temperature has risen by 0.95ºC, faster than the global average 0,7ºC. More information at http://reports.eea.eu.int/climate_report_2_2004/en [3] The heat wave killed more than 30,000 people and, according to
the insurance company Munich Re, caused €13bn in economic damages.
The summer 2003 was the hottest summer over the past 500 years. Friends of the Earth Europe campaigns
for sustainable and fair societies and for the protection of the environment, |