Climate change must not become part of security agenda: WWF

Öykü Altuntaş - ANTALYA / Doğan News Agency

WWF-International Global Climate and Energy Initiative lead Samantha Smith. DHA Photo

The World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) International called on governments to come up with urgent and universally binding agreements and to commit to a sustainable fight against climate change ahead of the upcoming COP21 climate summit to take place in Paris, during the G-20 Summit.

WWF-International Global Climate and Energy Initiative lead Samantha Smith told Doğan News Agency, “We want a world where we do not burn coal for power and gather transport which does not depend on oil,” as it is necessary for people’s health, nature and the climate, at the G-20 Summit in Turkey’s Antalya, to end tomorrow.

The “For the Climate” Campaign has released a press statement calling the G-20 to act for climate, on Nov. 15.

Accordingly, Smith called for an increase in carbon pollution emissions goals and boost of financial and technological solutions.

“Positive things have been happening for the emission problem; on the other hand, the world of energy finds solutions like solar power and wind power, which have become much cheaper, around 80 percent over the last 4-5 years” she added.

G-20 has opportunity to phase out fossil fuel subsidies

Limiting global warming to two degrees has been a target for climate change activists.

According to Smith, the summit will be a turning point in this sense. “If we do not have rapid, urgent actions within the next five years, we cannot reach this target,” she added.

The G-20 has an opportunity to phase out fossil fuel subsidies polluting the planet, she said.

Smith suggested using the money from fossil fuel subsidies to help the poor, calling concrete action that G-20 countries could do to support the COP21 Conference.

“World should not consider climate agenda as security agenda”

Samantha Smith also said, “There is a lot of discussion of security and terrorism at the G-20. We hope that COP 21 will show a different path - how people and nations can collaborate across borders to solve a global problem. Climate change should not be part of the agenda of security and militarization.”

Drought, rural-urban immigration and starvation caused by climate change will affect more people and lead to war, added the project coordinator for a Turkish environmental foundation.

Turkish Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion, Reforestation and the Protection of Natural Habitats (TEMA) project coordinator Cem Aydın said climate change would lead to wars due to displacement and food crises, as people would become more fragile in droughts.

“Climate change will lead to war”

“Climate change might seem like a distant issue for us, but we are already living with it. Due to increasing drought, people will become more fragile, displaced and food crises will erupt. And we think that those factors will bring war. Therefore, a climate conference is a peace conference” said Aydın, speaking to Doğan News Agency.

Aydın said wars could be prevented if countries come to an agreement before those problems emerge.

Meanwhile, Aydın also warned there has been too much fossil fuel subsidies in Turkey, urging countries to stop those encouragements.

“Therefore, renewable energy could reach competitive levels” Aydın said, adding Turkey should make developments in renewable energy resources.