Australian climate claim �misleading�

Australia has been accused of being ‘willing to accept runaway climate change’ through the Asia-Pacific Partnership, following recent statements by Prime Minister John Howard. According to Mr. Howard the AP plan will lead to 20% less greenhouse gas emissions than would otherwise be the case by 2050, although conservation group WWF claims this figure is misleading – with the true level of emissions increasing by 100% in the period under the partnership. "In my whole business career, I have never seen a more misleading public statement as that made by Prime Minister John Howard," said WWF Australia CEO Greg Bourne. "If the statements made today become a reality, this will lock us in to a 4°C rise in global average temperatures, when scientists confirm that the world needs to stay below 2°C warming to avoid dangerous climate change. There couldn't be anything more irresponsible than to knowingly embark on a path towards massive increases in emissions and runaway global warming," added Mr. Bourne. Text Only/Printable Version Show all headlines