Archived press release

PM Must Put Global Warming at Top of Davos Agenda

25 January 2005

The Prime Minister must put climate change at the top of the political agenda when he lays out his priorities as President of G8 at the opening session of the World Economic Forum in Davos tomorrow, Friends of the Earth urged today.

Friends of the Earth's Director Tony Juniper said:

"Climate change is the biggest threat the world faces, and Tony Blair must make that very clear when he addresses company bosses in Davos. We are rapidly approaching the point of no return, the point when dangerous climate change is inevitable. Tony Blair must convince business leaders of the need for new targets, laws and policies to deal with it, and to tell company bosses that their campaigns to block climate change action must cease".

Tony Blair has promised to put climate change on the international agenda this year. The UK hosts the G8 summit and chairs the EU. But despite UK Government promises to cut carbon dioxide levels, emissions are higher than when Labour came to power in 1997.

That is why Friends of the Earth says Tony Blair must strengthen the credibility of his leadership on climate change through an urgent review of UK Government policies - particularly on transport and energy - to see where urgent steps can be taken cut UK emissions. Subsidies that encourage fossil fuel extraction and use must also be ended.

The International Climate Change Task Force is calling on Tony Blair, as chair of the G8, to "to create a G8-Plus Climate Group to engage the US and major developing countries in action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions".

Yesterday the chair of the task force, Stephen Byers, warned that climate change could be irreversible unless urgent action is taken to tackle to cut emissions. He warned that that a critical danger point of global warming - beyond which the world would be irretrievably committed to disastrous changes - may be reached within 10 years.

Notes

Friends of the Earth International will present the first Public Eye on Davos Awards for irresponsible corporate behaviour tomorrow (Wednesday 26^th January) at a ceremony in the Swiss ski resort.

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