Climate emergency must dominate World Economic Forum in Davos

2019-01-18

In response to the publication of the World Economic Forum’s 2019 Global Risks Report, Greenpeace International Executive Director, Jennifer Morgan said:

“From water crisis, to extreme weather events, to failures in climate change mitigation and adaptation, four of the top five most impactful threats identified in this year’s influential WEF Global Risks report are related to climate. At the same time the report warns that the results of climate inaction are becoming increasingly clear.

Make no mistake we are in a climate emergency and that emergency must dominate next weeks annual World Economic Forum gathering in Davos.

Instead, the agenda only addresses climate change as one issue of many. The Davos ‘elite’ are still pretending we have time to fix the climate crisis. We don’t. We have already entered into a new phase of climate change, one in which the impacts are coming faster, with greater intensity, and where we must act immediately.

Last year’s special report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) set out clearly that by 2030 we need to have averted the risk of crossing the 1.5 degrees global warming red line. Firing the starting gun on the race to the future, the IPCC outlined how we can win on climate, equity and economy, but only if we start now and together.

No global gathering should take place without those in attendance committing to do everything in their power to meet this opportunity to hold climate warming to below 1.5 degrees. Davos is only the first such gathering in 2019 but it is an opportunity too important to squander.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution could totally reimagine the way we approach solutions to the climate crisis. But only if this revolution is in service of solving climate change.

Change is complex, geopolitics are complex, the coming technological revolution will have a profound impact, but none of that should stop those who are culpable in failing to curb greenhouse gas emission from taking simple action now. As a demonstration of their intention they could commit to walk away from business associations if they fail to advocate for policies compatible with a 1.5 degree economy, and ensure the transition to this economy is fair so that communities and workers outside the top 1% benefit.”

Source: Greenpeace International