Speakers at a climate change symposium said Oct. 24 the Kyoto global warming conference in December will be a crucial test of whether the world will be able to protect the Earth in the next century.During the symposium, held at United Nations University in Tokyo to commemorate the 52nd anniversary of the international organization's birth, speakers addressed concerns about the adverse effects climate change could have on the global environment."Climate change is a challenge without any precedent," said Noel Brown, former North American Regional Director of the U.N. Environment Program. "Life as we know it will end unless necessary measures are taken." Brown pointed out that several symptoms resulting from the phenomena have already been noticed -- changes in weather patterns, the rising sea level, and deforestation.Philippine Sen. Heherson Alvares expressed disappointment at greenhouse-gas reduction targets proposed by some industrialized countries. He said the "green-energy revolution," which makes it possible to generate energy without fossil fuels, should be started as soon as possible by the industrialized world, since global warming is a threat to the sustainable development of developing countries.
