“This conference is a global wake-up call. The ice is melting faster than the worst-case
projections of only a few years ago in the Arctic and in Greenland. The ice is also
melting in West Antarctica and in mountainous regions across the globe. Moreover, the
Permafrost is thawing and beginning to release methane. The scientific evidence for
action in Copenhagen in December is continuing to build up week by week,” said Mr
Gore.
“The leadership shown by the Obama administration gives me hope that we now have
reached a tipping point in favour of reaching a global agreement on the need for action
on climate change,” said Mr Gore.
“Temperatures are rising faster in the Arctic than in any other region, causing the ice to
melt. However, the effects of melting ice and snow are being felt in regions all over the
world. I am therefore pleased that this conference has brought together ministers from
both north and south,” said Mr Støre.
Representatives of the world’s foremost scientific expertise attending the conference
showed how ice melting is affecting the Arctic, the Antarctic and also high altitude
areas such as the Himalayas and the Andes.
“As chairman of the Arctic Council, which will meet tomorrow, I am confident that the
issues raised today will inform our discussions,” said Mr Støre.
At the conference researchers presented new data from the Arctic Monitoring and
Assessment Programme (AMAP) which show global sea levels may rise as much as 1
meter this century. This is far earlier than projected by the Intergovernmental Panel of
Climate Change, IPPC. The main reason is accelerated melt-down of the Greenland Ice
sheet.
More information: http://www.regeringen.no/meltingice
Contact: Bjørn Jahnsen, Head of Communication, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway,
+47 971 64 843.