Archived press release

Gordon Brown to co-chair climate change funding panel

12 February 2010

Commenting on the formation of a United Nations High Level Advisory Group on
Climate Change Financing, which British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will co-
chair with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, Asad Rehman, Senior
International Climate Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

"$10 billion a year might sound like a wave of new money for poor countries to
tackle climate change, but in reality it's a drop in the ocean compared to what
is required.

"What's worse is that most of this money from rich countries will be plundered
from existing aid budgets - what is really needed is new public money to ensure
developing countries can grow cleanly and adapt to the impacts of climate change
which are already putting the livelihoods, homes and families of their people at
risk.

"Gordon Brown has a chance for genuine leadership this year in pushing the
international community to adopt a tax on financial transactions, which would
provide billions of dollars of new money to governments to tackle climate change
head on - now is the time for him to grasp it."

Friends of the Earth is calling for rich countries to increase their level of
ambition to cut their emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2020, without carbon
offsetting. This is the minimum the science says is required.

The green campaigning charity is also calling on rich countries to reaffirm
their commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, under which rich countries accept their
responsibility for causing climate change and agree to cut their emissions first
and fastest.

Friends of the Earth is also calling on the world's rich countries to recommit
to the UN negotiating process, enshrining the principles of democracy and
inclusion, rather than pursuing action through alternative forums such as the
G20 or the Major Economies Forum.

Notes to Editors:

1. Friends of the Earth is part of Stop Climate Chaos Coalition, the UK's
largest group of people dedicated to action on climate change and limiting its
impact on the world's poorest communities. The coalition's supporter base of
more than 11 million people spans over 100 organisations, from environment and
development charities to unions, faith, community and women's groups. Together
we demand practical action by the UK to keep temperatures well below an average
2 degree rise. For further information visit www.stopclimatechaos.org.

2. Friends of the Earth is supporting the campaign for a tax on financial
transactions - a Robin Hood Tax - to provide finance for developing countries to
develop cleanly and adapt to the effects of climate change.
http://robinhoodtax.org.uk

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust