press release
friends of the earth international
thursday 7 july 2005
g8 summit delivers nothing on climate
change
GLENEAGLES (SCOTLAND) / LONDON (UK) -
Leaders of the eight most powerful countries
(G8) meeting here today agreed their final
statement on climate change, but Friends of
the Earth International said the document
added nothing in the fight against climate
change.
The agreement lacks a clear
acknowledgement of the urgent need for action
and fails to state any significant steps G8
leaders will take to tackle climate
change.
The environmental campaign group is
disappointed that the G8 did not make more
progress on climate change and sees the Bush
administration as the main block to a
stronger outcome.
Friends of the Earth International vice
chair, Tony Juniper, said
"The Bush Administration has again done
its best to derail international action to
tackle climate change, but this is by no
means the end. There are many good
initiatives happening in the USA to tackle
climate change and it is only a matter of
time before the President will have to follow
suit".
"Tony Blair now needs to tackle the issue
with even more urgency during the UK
Presidency of the European Union. He should
also work to agree strong positions with
other countries in the run up to the vital
climate change talks in Canada this
December."
"Tony Blair was right to prioritise
climate change at the G8. Even if there was
no progress here, there has been a big impact
on public awareness and that will make it
easier to achieve more in future talks".
The G8 inaction on climate change flies in
the face of the leaders of Brazil, China,
India, Mexico and South Africa (known as G5)
who on July 7 stated that, as specified under
the Kyoto Protocol, "developed countries
should therefore take the lead in
international action to combat climate change
by fully implementing their obligations of
reducing emissions and of providing
additional financing and the transfer of
cleaner, low-emission and cost-effective
technologies to developing countries."
For more information contact in
Gleneagles:
Catherine Pearce, International Climate
campaigner, + 44 (0) 7811 283641 (m)
Tony Juniper, vice chair Friends of the
Earth International, + 44 (0) 7712 843 207
(m)
Helen Burley, Press Officer, + 44 (0) 7778
069 930 (m)
Niccolo Sarno, Press Officer, Friends of
the Earth International(5 -8 July)
+31-6-51005630 (m)
Lang Banks, Press Officer, 0131 554 9977/
+ 44 (0) 7813 766759 (m)
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