Developing countries leave Bush high and dry on climate change
Gleneagles, Scotland, July 7, 2005 — Friends of the Earth International today congratulated the leaders of five big developing countries for urging the G8 nations to follow the Kyoto Protocol as the way forward for taking action on climate change. The statement came as the final G8 agreement was delayed.
Media Advisory
Friends of the Earth International
Thursday 7 July 2005
In their statement, the leaders of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa, known as G5, state that climate change “has, and for the foreseeable future will continue to have a profound impact on the development prospects of our societies”.
They add 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.”
Friends of the Earth International welcomed the G5 commitment to develop low carbon economies and the call on the Gleneagles Summit to recognise that the UN’s Climate Change Convention “establishes economic and social development and poverty eradication as the first and overriding priorities of developing countries”.
Friends of the Earth International Vice Chair Tony Juniper said:
“The big developing countries have shown that there is only one world leader in Gleneagles this week who thinks that the Kyoto Protocol is the wrong way forward, and that is President Bush.”
The “Joint Declaration of the Heads of State of State and Government” of the G5 was released on July 7, 2005.
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)
