Posted on September, 15 1999

Gland, Switzerland - WWF, the conservation organisation, warned today that super-hurricanes like Hurricane Floyd which is currently bearing down on the United States, could become more commonplace in the Atlantic unless governments do more to combat global warming.

The warning is accompanied by a new analysis of the latest science of warming oceans and Atlantic hurricanes by the WWF Climate Change Campaign (1). The analysis points to global warming acting as the priming mechanism for stronger hurricanes. It concludes that the Atlantic may find itself "ripped apart by a barrage of super-hurricanes during La Niqa years."

Adam Markham, Director of the WWF Climate Change Campaign said, "Stoking up sleeping giants like super-hurricanes endangers the safety and prosperity of coastal communities in entire regions. It could also mean enormous destruction of wildlife and nature on land and in the sea. The Clinton Administration can help minimise the risk by taking an international lead with prompt and cost-effective measures to reduce global warming emissions in the US."

The world has warmed on average by over half a degree Celsius (around 1 degree F) over the past century. Coral reefs around the world have suffered unprecedented levels of damage from extreme ocean temperatures in recent years. Species of north Pacific salmon have been threatened by ocean temperature increases of up to 6 degree C (10.8 degree F). Global warming now appears to be affecting ocean conditions on a wider scale. The international scientific consensus is that global temperatures could increase by a further 3 degrees C (5.4 degree F) over the coming century if there are no significant cuts in global warming emissions.

For more information:
In the United States:
Adam Markham, Director, WWF Climate Change Campaign, c/o WWF US, Washington DC.
tel: +1 202 861 8382 (work); +1 703 623 3093 (mobile); e-mail: adam.markham@wwfus.org

In Europe:
Andrew Kerr, Public Affairs Manager, WWF Climate Change Campaign: tel: +31 20 676 9058, email: rrek@compuserve.com
Kyla Evans, Press Officer, WWF International: tel: +41 22 364 95 50, email: kevans@wwfnet.org

Notes to editors:
(1) "Global Warming & Atlantic Hurricanes", WWF Climate Change Campaign, September 1999.