G8 Summit delivers nothing on climate change

Press Release
Friends of the Earth International
Thursday 7 July 2005

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)