Activities of Avril DOYLE related to 2008/2001(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Scientific facts of climate change: findings and recommendations for decision-making (debate)
Amendments (15)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that warming of the climate system is more rapid than earlier changes that have taken place in the most recent several thousand years; notes that average global temperatures have increased by approximately 0.6° with a 0.2° increase per decade forecast for sea surface temperatmore than 70% of the world's surface is covered by salt-water oceans; more than 97% of all the planet's water is contained in the oceans; the oceans provide 99% of the Earth's living space; that fish supply the highest percentage of the world's protein consumed by humans, which 3,5 billion people depend on for their primary source and that sea levels have risen 0.17m over the past centuryof food; and that three-quarters of the world's mega-cities are by the sea;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Stresses that as man-made greenhouse gases rise there will be dramatic impacts on and severe threats to marine ecosystems, resources and the fishing community;
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Considers that the impact of climate change may be even more severe in semi- enclosed seas than in open seas, with scientific studies predicting an increase in salinity and in sea surface water temperature in the Mediterranean, Baltic and North seas; temperatures are expected to rise from 1.,6°C to 3.,0°C in the northern North Sea with an increase of 2° to 4° expected in the Baltic Sea; according to climate scenarios there are variable prognoses for salinity change, with for instance decreases expected in the Baltic Sea and increases predicted for the Mediterranean Sea;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Emphasises the need to research the physiology and ecology of marine fish, particularly in the tropics where comparatively little research has been conducted; as our information base accumulates, scientists will be able to make more accurate predictions and forge relevant solutions; the landing of all by- catch for scientific analysis could make a major contribution to our information base;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Regrets that there are however, still large gaps in knowledge regarding the possible impact of climate change on fisheries, especially in relation to more complex and potentially significant impacts such as regime shifts, biodiversity issues and relevant management responses;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Believes that trends in temperature, oxygen, salinity, pH, chlorophyll and wind oscillation patterns, become evident only after many years; we need data sets and comprehensive ocean and sea floor observingation to help explain local changes that impact on fisheries as our ability to unravel the causes and consequences of ecosystem change is directly dependent on the availability of continuous time series data sets and comprehensive ocean observation;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas research based on observations and modelling shows the risk of serious impact on our planet if measures are not taken swiftly to slow or even halt further increases in CO2 and other GHG emissions such as methane or nitrous dioxide,
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I a (new)
Recital I a (new)
Ia. whereas 20%-30% of all species are projected to be at increased risk of extinction if there is a 1.5°C-2.5°C rise in warming; whereas the percentage based on a 3.5°C rise in warming is 40%-70%, thus making climate change mitigation critical for the preservation of global biodiversity and the maintenance of eco- system services,
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas the scientific consensus as expressed in IPCC AR4 leads to the conclusion that the level of global GHG emissions must be at least halved by 2050 to avoid serious risks; whereas this target has been endorsed by the EU Heads of State and Heads of Government at the meeting of the G8 at Heiligendamm; whereas it will be increasingly difficult to achieve this target if global GHG emissions continue to rise until 2020 and beyond; whereas nearly all Member States are making good or even excellent progress in their efforts to comply with their individual EU burden-sharing targets, thus raising the likelihood that the EU will reach its Kyoto target by 2012; whereas, nevertheless, after 2012 Member States will have to reduce GHG emissions in a more ambitious way if they are to meet the targets adopted at the above- mentioned European Council on 8-9 March 2007 and to halve their GHG emissions by 2050; whereas emissions from industrialised countries, accounting for only about half of global GHG emissions, will have to be reduced by 75%-90% by 2050 in order to reach the global target,
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas there is political consensus in the EU on the vital importance of achieving the strategic objective of limiting the global average temperature increase to not more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels; whereas the global temperature has already risen by 0,76°C during the last century, and will inevitably continue to increase by a further 0.5-0.7°C due to historic emissions,
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas, according to IPCC AR4, global GHG emissions have grown since pre- industrial times and are currently growing faster than ever before, with an increase of 70% between 1970 and 2004 and a significant increase of 24% since 1990; whereas many natural systems on all continents and in most oceans are already affected by regional climate change through rising temperatures and other meteorological phenomena such as, changing rain and wind patterns and increased water scarcity,
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital N
Recital N
N. whereas existing, according to IPCC AR4, current climate change mitigation policies and related sustainable development practices are insufficient to reduce global GHG emissions over the next decadesfail to reduce global emissions and are likely to result in a 25%-90% increase in GHG emissions between 2000 and 2030; whereas, according to scientific recommendations, the window of opportunity for the successful stabilisation of global GHG concentrations in order to ensure at least a probability of 50% and thus to reach the EU 2°C target will remain open until 2015, that being the peak year of global emissions,
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Regards the science of climate change as settled and reiterates its commitment to the EU's strategic objective of limiting the global average temperature increase to not more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels, stated by science to be equivalent to an atmospheric GHG concentration of 400- 450 ppm CO2 equivalent; believes, notwithstanding this, that all efforts to curb emissions should in fact aim at staying well below the 2°C target, as such a level of warming would already heavily impact on our society and individual lifestyles, and would also entail significant changes in ecosystems and water resources;
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Stresses the need for further analysis and research with regard to mainstreaming adaptation and risk reduction into development planning and poverty reduction strategies;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Stresses the need for further analysis and research into the measures that have to be considered in order to avoid high- carbon technology lock-in over the long term, such as the rapid development of carbon dioxide capture and storage, a ban on new coal-fired power plants which are not capture-ready and enhanced efficiency for all uses of electricity;