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US Government Says Wealth More Important than Climate Change
13 May 2005
Friends of the Earth today (Friday 13th) attacked the United States Government's reprehensible approach to the G8 discussions on climate change, as revealed in a radio interview earlier today.
Harlon Watson, the US's Chief Climate Negotiator, told the BBC's Today Programme that the US administration was still not convinced of the need to move forward so quickly, that they believed there was still uncertainty over the science, and that they believed it would risk not only their economy but the world economy as well [1].
Friends of the Earth International's Climate Campaigner Catherine Pearce said:
"We have unanimous, international agreement from the world's leading scientists that climate change is happening, that we are responsible, and that urgent action is required. Thousands are already suffering the devastating effects, and thousands more threatened. The rest of the international community is committed to action, yet the world's largest polluter still denies climate change.
"The G8 meeting provides an unprecedented opportunity for the richest nations to address the biggest threat facing our planet, but this opportunity will be missed due to the disgraceful, outdated and downright dangerous behaviour of the US."
Note
[1] www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/index.shtml
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jun 2008
