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G8 Summit: Anger At New Leaked Document

Jun 16 2005

PLANS TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE "GOING BACKWARDS"

Friends of the Earth today reacted with anger at the content of a fresh leak of the draft communique on climate change for next month's G8 Summit which has deleted proposals to fund research and worryingly even calls into question scientists' warnings that global climate change is already under way.

The document entitled 'Gleneagles Plan of Action', dated 14 June, has been watered down from a previous draft which itself had no specific targets or timetables for action. The latest draft also backs the use of so-called "zero-carbon" nuclear power.

Friends of the Earth International's climate campaigner Catherine Pearce said:

"This draft shows no progress is being made on taking action to tackle climate change - despite the high profile efforts of the UK Prime Minister. Indeed negotiations seem to be going backwards. If the leaders of the world's richest nations cannot agree to tackle the greatest threat facing the planet, what kind of leadership are they showing to the rest of the world?

"Every reference to the urgency of action or the need for real cuts in emissions has been deleted or challenged. Nothing in this text recognises the scale or urgency of the crisis of climate change. If they can't do better than this, the outcome of G8 summit will be worse that hot air: it will be a backward step in international climate change policy, simply adding to climate injustice."

Friends of the Earth Scotland's Chief Executive Duncan McLaren, said:

"Any suggestion that G8's visit to Scotland would produce anything meaningful on tackling climate change is rapidly evaporating. The first draft of this document was bad, this update is even worse. G8 countries represent just 13 per cent of the world's population, but account for 45 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions. A climate plan of action, by the world's richest nations that does not include targets, timetables and extra funding is of no use to future climate victims."

Notes

1. Leaked draft G8 communique (3 May):
www.foe.co.uk/resource/evidence/draft_g8_climate_change.pdf (PDF)
leaked draft G8 communique (14 June):
www.foe.co.uk/resource/evidence/draft_gleneagles_communiqu.pdf (PDF)

2. Friends of the Earth's demands for the G8 include:

• Agreement on the compelling scientific evidence showing that climate change is already happening and that urgent action is now required to substantially reduce emissions.
• An agreement by G8 nations for specific, substantial and timetabled cuts in their domestic emissions of greenhouse gases.
• Nations must take radical action at home in order to reduce the impacts of climate change, including a change in consumption patterns and a meaningful switch to the use of renewable sustainable energy sources.
• G8 nations must stop promoting fossil fuel extraction in developing nations through international financial institutions such as the World Bank and export credit agencies.
• G8 governments should immediately phase-in public finance for sustainable clean energy.

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