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05 Jun 2002
On World Environment Day, Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) calls on governments
around the world to urgently respond to global concerns on corporate globalisation.
As a first step, they should rescue the Earth Summit negotiations taking place in Bali, Indonesia today. Non-governmental groups have agreed that the talks are in crisis.
Governments have been watering down the few meaningful targets and timetables still on
the table at the Fourth Preparatory Meeting for the Earth Summit and are
not making enough financial resources available for achieving sustainability.
Friends of the Earth International warns governments, that if they continue to use
the Earth Summit to make sustainable development subservient to the trade agenda promoted
by the WTO, they will face a global backlash.
FoEI is alarmed by the lack of meaningful commitments appearing in the present
negotiating text and is appalled that countries like the USA are objecting even
to these. The US administration continues to negotiate on behalf of the American
fossil fuel lobby and refuses to accept that a phase-out of fossil fuels
and a global shift to renewable energies are urgently required.
FoEI calls on the EU and G77 countries to not allow the USA
to hold the world to ransom. Instead they should use the Johannesburg Summit
to give global answers to the problems caused by economic globalisation. FoEI is
also concerned that the negotiations in Bali are increasingly being conducted like the
ones at the WTO, with "key countries" stitching up deals behind closed doors.
Ricardo Navarro, Chair of Friends of the Earth International comments:
"We are truly worried for the world. Governments are not taking their earlier
made commitments seriously. If things continue as they are, the Earth Summit will
be a step back from Rio. It is ironic that on World Environment
Day, more and more decisions are taking place behind closed doors - reminiscent
of procedures in the WTO. This is our world - and on World
Environment Day, Ministers must act swiftly and decisively to save it."
A two-page FoEI statement "Keep the WTO out of the Earth Summit" is
available in Bali and via
ronnieh@foe.co.uk .
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
