million fewer tonnes of carbon. According
to Kleinfeld, that amounts to around 5% of
»Even though cases of bird fl u continue
Germany’s annual carbon emissions. to appear throughout Europe, the ECDC
In France, President Nicolas Sarkozy has
recently found that EU member states are still
introduced a series of proposals to reduce
the nation’s environmental footprint. “The
unprepared for a Europe-wide outbreak.
environmental question is absolutely
essential,” he said during his six-month Due to a lack of infrastructure, it is
rotating EU presidency at the October 2008
poorer nations that will suffer the
European summit. “We will demonstrate
most from climate change.
that sustainable growth is a means to
rekindle economic growth.” The measures
to slow down climate change in France
include sustainable farming regulations,
investment in energy effi cient buildings
and vehicles, and increased resources for
renewable energy production.
Then there are the campaigners
who believe the government should be
confronting business over climate change
rather than working in partnership, even
claiming that governments should bring
in legislation to force businesses to cut
their carbon emissions. More regulations!
Campaigners also claim that businesses are
not doing enough – while agreeing that high
carbon emission industries such as the oil,
car and aviation industries are beginning to
make plenty of noise about climate change,
at the same time they are pretty much
continuing with business as usual. Maintaining society’s cohesion amid Europe should follow the example of the US
increased security concerns is critically government, which has launched Project
Global disasters important for the future stability of both BioShield, an attempt to develop and make
The report warns us to be prepared and society and the economy, and it is a task available drugs and vaccines to protect
conscious of ‘low probability, high severity that governments and businesses are against attack by chemical, biological,
events’ such as the terrorist attacks of seeking to address together. radiological or nuclear weapons. The
September 11, the Asia tsunami of 2004 legislation provides for government funding
and the current global credit crisis. The risk A lesson learnt to pharmaceutical companies to pay for
of terrorist attack has become much more One area where efforts could be made is
real to most Europeans in the last eight bioterrorism. An international exercise to
years. Although its impact on Europe’s determine how governments would deal
»Not all infectious
economy may be limited so far, its impact with a bioterrorist attack ‘Atlantic Storm’ diseases are caused
on society more widely is more pervasive. was recently staged in Washington. The
by terrorist attack –
The fear of attacks, particularly since the exercise posited a fi ctitious smallpox
Madrid bombings of 2004 and the London outbreak in European and US cities caused
outbreaks of SARS and
bombings of 2005, has led to increasing by a terrorist attack. bird fl u have caused
concerns about extremist views. As a result The assembled world leaders debated
panic in recent years.
there is a risk of a more divided society, the availability of vaccines in their countries
where groups turn inwards and positions and were surprised to learn that while some
become increasingly polarised. countries – including the US, the UK, France, research into drugs that would be effective
The current fi nancial crisis underlines how Germany and the Netherlands – had enough against such attacks, and many feel that
important it is to see risks in the context to vaccinate their entire populations, many Europe needs similar legislation.
of a wider system and to understand countries did not. Italy and Sweden, for Not all infectious diseases are caused
where vulnerabilities lie. Without belief example, had enough vaccine for only 10% by terrorist attack – outbreaks of SARS
and confi dence, there is undoubtedly a risk of their populations. and bird fl u have caused panic in recent
that economic growth will be hampered. This has led many to ask whether years. And yet, even though cases of bird
96 PLANET EARTH www.yearofplanetearth.org
PE21.risks.kj.mw.indd 96 16/2/09 11:43:24 am
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