Archived press release

Climate negotiations. FOE calls on prescott to maintain tough stance

21 November 2000

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott gave a speech today at the international climate negotiations in the Hague. Mr Prescott used a sandbag placed on the speaker's rostrum at the talks to highlight the devastation caused by recent floods in the UK. The sandbag was taken from a huge dyke that thousands of Friends of the Earth activists built round the conference centre where the discussions are being held on Saturday (18 November).

Responding from the Hague, Tony juniper, Policy and Campaigns Director at Friends of the Earth said:

"We are pleased that Mr Prescott found Friends of the Earth's sandbag to be such a powerful symbol of climate change and of the growing public demand for effective action. We only hope that his commitment to broker a meaningful deal here in the Hague proves successful in actually reducing the pollution behind the problem"

"Britain continues to lead the world on the most important issue facing humanity. Mr Prescott's mission here could not be more vital".
"The Deputy Prime Minister's tough position must remain firm. The United States needs a deal more than they are letting on. American public opinion is changing and whoever the President is, he will need an agreement to deliver action for the climate. With this in mind, Mr Prescott should stand his ground".
"We welcome Mr Prescott's public stance but hope that what he agrees in private reflects his commitment to fighting climate change by standing up to those countries who would like to weaken the climate change treaty to the point where it would be not worth the paper its written on".

For further information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

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Archived press release

Climate negotiations. FOE calls on prescott to maintain tough stance

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