Archived press release

G8 Ministers Told Water Not Oil Must Be Priority

17 March 2005

Environmental campaigners will send a message from central Derby to G8 environment and development ministers that Africa needs water, not oil, today (Thursday 17^th March), after police blocked plans for a peaceful walk to the exclusive hotel where the ministerial meeting is being held.

Friends of the Earth local group members from across the East Midlands had planned to join with student activists from People & Planet for a peaceful "Walk for Water" to deliver an oil barrel filled with water bottles to the G8 meeting. But a police crackdown, approved by the Home Secretary Charles Clarke, has excluded protesters from within two miles of Breadsall Priory hotel where G8 meeting takes place [1].

Friends of the Earth East Midlands Campaign Coordinator Callie Lister said:

"We are disappointed not to be able to take our protest to the G8 ministers meeting itself, but we hope that our message will still get through. People in Africa need clean water, not oil. Climate change poses a major threat to development in Africa and yet the G8 nations are pumping development money into oil."

The impacts of climate change will mean the proportion of the world's population living in countries of significant water stress will increase from approximately 34% to 63% - some six billion people, the same number of people that are currently living on Earth [2].

Anna Scott from Sheffield University People & Planet group said

"Water shortages are already affecting millions of people in developing countries and climate change is only going to makes things worse. Developing countries are least to blame for climate change but their lack of resources and infrastructure means they will bear the brunt of its consequences. World leaders must take massive action on climate change and they must take it now."

Notes

[] Home Secretary Charles Clarke approved four exclusion zones for protesters and a ban on marches through the city centre from noon today until noon on Saturday. A limited rally in Derby market place has been permitted by police.

[2] www.grida.no/climate/vitalafrica/english/15.htm

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust