McCartney invited to speak at EU parliament hearing

Parliament has invited Sir Paul McCartney to speak at a hearing ahead of December's UN summit on climate change.

The ex-Beatle has been asked to speak at a parliamentary hearing in Brussels a week before the start of the much-awaited global summit in Copenhagen on 7 December.

The decision to invite McCartney was taken by the assembly's bureau, consisting of parliament president Jerzy Buzek and the parliament's vice presidents.

UK deputy Edward McMillan-Scott, a vice president, said, "There was unanimity among everyone to invite McCartney.

"He has campaigned on climate change issues and it was thought he would be a suitable high-profile speaker at this particular event. It will be great if he comes."

McCartney, who is yet to respond to the invitation, has followed in the footsteps of climate scientists by calling on people to go meat-free one day a week and cut carbon emissions.

In June, he launched his Meat Free Monday campaign asking households to cut out meat on Mondays and slow global warming.

"I think many of us feel helpless in the face of environmental challenges, and it can be hard to know how to sort through the advice about what we can do to make a meaningful contribution to a cleaner, more sustainable, healthier world," said McCartney at the time.

"Having one designated meat free day a week is actually a meaningful change that everyone can make, that goes to the heart of several important political, environmental and ethical issues all at once."

The links between meat and climate change have been know for years and a UN study three years ago showed that the livestock industry was responsible for 18 per cent of man's global greenhouse gas emissions, partly because of deforestation in the Amazon.

Reducing meat consumption didn't just slow climate change, he said, but would help to fight global hunger and improve the welfare of animals.

From 7 December, environment ministers and officials will meet in Copenhagen for the UN climate conference to thrash out a successor to the Kyoto protocol.

The conference will run for two weeks and the talks are the latest in an annual series of UN meetings that trace their origins to the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, which aimed at coordinating international action against climate change.

Meanwhile, commuters, workers, tourists, youths, families, and shoppers from all over Europe will this week have the chance to sign a UN petition urging governments to "seal an ambitious, effective and fair deal" in December to combat climate change globally.

People in Geneva, Brussels, Moscow, Vienna and Rome can "make a difference" by visiting the UN climate stand being held in train stations or city centres on 22, 23 and 24 September.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is leading the call for communities, businesses and individuals around the world to add their voices to the “Seal the Deal!” campaign during Global Climate Week from 21-25 September by signing the climate petition at interactive plasma stations.

"Time is running out. Scientists warn that climate impacts are accelerating. Now more than ever, we need political leadership at the highest level to ensure we protect people and the planet, and to catalyze the green growth that can power the 21st century economy,” the UN Secretary-General stressed.

He added, "At a time of financial, social and environmental crisis, leaders need to put forward innovative solutions to re-boost our economies. As Sir [Nicholas] Stern pointed out if we don’t act on climate change now, it could risk global GDP being up to 20 per cent lower than it otherwise might be.

"On the contrary, if we do invest one per cent of the same global GDP, we will get important return on investments in terms of jobs creation and economic wealth - it is for instance a fact now that renewable energy creates more jobs than fossil fuels. The UN climate change summit in Copenhagen is an opportunity that governments can not miss, not only to protect our planet and our health but also to seize the benefits of sustainable societies."

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