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29 Oct 2001
Tony Blair must use his influence with President Bush to persuade the United States to back the Kyoto climate protocol, Friends of the Earth said today. The call comes as representatives of Governments from across the world meet in Marrakech, Morocco (Monday 29 October - Friday 9 November) to build on their agreement to ratify the climate treaty in Bonn in July.
The US administration's decision to rat on the Kyoto Protocol was met
with anger and dismay across the world. The move was a serious blow
to international efforts to combat climate change,but it failed to prevent
the rest of the world from agreeing to back the protocol.
Since the terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September, the international
situation has dramatically changed, with the world showing its solidarity
with the people of America.
Tony Juniper, Director Designate of Friends of the Earth, said:
“The world has rightly shown its solidarity with the people
of the United States after the appalling crimes of September 11. Tony
Blair must now use his influence with President Bush to persuade him
to show his solidarity with the rest of the world by tackling climate
change, one of the biggest threats the planet faces.”
Jon Sohn, Climate Campaigner for FOE-US added:
"International co-operation to protect global security and
the environment is now more important than ever. Our allies should urge
President Bush to reverse his decision to unilaterally abandon the Kyoto
Protocol."
Marrakech is hosting the 7th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change (COP7) where the legal text on the outstanding
technical aspects of the political agreement reached in Bonn will be
finalised.
FOE campaigners are available for comment at the Climate meeting in Marrakech and in London. A media briefing on the talks is available on request or at http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/climate/news/
Contact details:
Friends of the Earth
26-28 Underwood St.
LONDON
N1 7JQ
Tel: 020 7490 1555
Fax: 020 7490 0881
Web: www.foe.co.uk/feedback.html
Media team
