Costs of Inaction on Global Warming "Extremely High"

Costs of Inaction on Global Warming "Extremely High"
Political Leaders, Experts Call for Immediate Action

Statement by Kevin Knobloch, president of the Union of Concerned Scientists

“The Bush administration should endorse the ten recommendations made by the International Climate Change Taskforce, co-chaired by Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME), for immediate action to prevent human emissions of heat-trapping gases from exceeding dangerous levels. These actions will help ensure our children inherit a world that is able to sustain a healthy abundance of life and that continues to offer opportunities for prosperity.

“This high-level taskforce, comprising political leaders and top experts from around the world, notes that we have a limited window of opportunity to make aggressive, but still affordable, changes that can stabilize the climate at acceptable levels. Stabilizing global average temperatures at no higher than 2°C (3.6°F) above the pre-industrial levels will help ensure we avoid severe economic, health and environmental disruptions resulting from rising sea levels, increases in frequency and intensity of droughts and floods, and rising temperatures. In the words of the taskforce report ‘the costs of failing to mobilize in the face of this threat is likely to be extremely high.’