Words of wisdom: the climate crisis in quotes
Fragile planet:
"The supreme reality of our time is… the vulnerability of our planet."
John F Kennedy, 35th President of the United States, 1963
"On the island where I live, it is possible to throw a stone from one side to the other. Our fears about sea level rise are very real. Our Cabinet has been exploring the possibility of buying land in a nearby country in case we become refugees of climate change."
Teleke Lauti, Minister for the Environment, Tuvalu
“Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats. We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can't afford the risk of inaction.”
Rupert Murdoch, global media executive
"A child born in a wealthy country is likely to consume, waste, and pollute more in his lifetime than 50 children born in developing nations. Our energy-burning lifestyles are pushing our planet to the point of no return. It is dawning on us at last that the life of our world is as vulnerable as the children we raise."
George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury, UK
"Globally, emissions may have to be reduced, the scientists are telling us, by as much as 60% or 70%, with developed countries likely to have to make even bigger cuts if we're going to allow the developing world to have their share of growing industrial prosperity… The Kyoto Protocol is only the first rather modest step. Much, much deeper emission reductions will be needed in future. The political implications are mind-blowing."
Michael Meacher, UK Environment Minister, November 2000
"Ignoring climate change will be the most costly of all possible choices, for us and our children."
Peter Ewins, UK Met Office
"Every generation faces a challenge. In the 1930s, it was the creation of Social Security. In the 1960s, it was putting a man on the moon. In the 1980s, it was ending the Cold War. Our generation's challenge will be addressing global climate change while sustaining a growing global economy."
Eileen Clausen, Pew Center on Global Climate Change
"If it were only a few degrees, that would be serious, but we could adapt to it. But the danger is the warming process might be unstable and run away. We could end up like Venus, covered in clouds and with the surface temperature of 400 degrees. It could be too late if we wait until the bad effects of warming become obvious. We need action now to reduce emission of carbon dioxide."
Stephen Hawking, Physicist, 1999
"When we look at patterns of change, we increasingly believe that a large part of the recent warming is due to fossil fuel burning."
David Parker, Hadley Centre for Climate Research, UK
"Every time someone in the West turns on a kettle, he or she is helping to flood Bangladesh."
George Monbiot, The Guardian Weekly, 2000
