RICH COUNTRIES SCHEME TO DITCH KYOTO TARGETS
Friends of the Earth International
MEDIA ADVISORY
6 November 2009
BARCELONA, SPAIN, 6 November 2009 -- Rich countries are deliberately
attempting to sidetrack UN climate negotiations towards a weak,
ineffective politically binding agreement in Copenhagen – rather than
fulfilling their legal obligations to agree ambitious new targets to
slash their emissions – at the conclusion of the latest round of UN
climate negotiations in Barcelona, warns Friends of the Earth International.
“We have seen rich countries continually seeking to ditch emissions
targets under the Kyoto Protocol. They are tearing down an existing,
legally binding international framework, which has taken years of
negotiation to establish, in an attempt to wriggle out of their
responsibility to cut their emissions first and fastest," said Friends
of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland Executive Director Andy
Atkins.
“Rich countries must agree to ambitious new targets – of at least 40 per
cent by 2020 without carbon offsetting – under the second commitment
period of the Kyoto Protocol if we're to have any reasonable chance of
avoiding climate catastrophe and breaking the deadlock in negotiations,”
he added.
Kate Horner, Friends of the Earth US Policy Analyst, said:
“The US must also take its place alongside other rich nations in
pledging strong emissions cuts. The Obama administration's proposals for
an alternative pledge and review system – where countries would propose
targets for emissions targets – would leave us in the obscene situation
of seeing a race to the bottom to see who can propose the lowest cuts.
“The African delegation was courageous in highlighting that rich
countries have blocked steps at every turn to agree strong, fair and
binding targets to slash their emissions.”
Friends of the Earth International is running an international petition
demanding industrialised countries to turn climate justice into reality,
asking new targets of at least 40 per cent emissions reductions, without
offsetting compared to 1990 levels as well as sufficient public finance
for adaptation and climate protection in the global south. The world’s
people are demanding real action.
For more information visit: www.demandclimatejustice.org
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT IN BARCELONA:
Henry Rummins, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland
media officer: +44-776 16 01 666
Joseph Zacune, Friends of the Earth International, +34 6 89 55 093
(spanish mobile number valid until Nov.6)
Kate Horner, Friends of the Earth US Policy Analyst, +1 360 319 9444 (US
mobile number)
Asad Rehman, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland
Senior International Climate Campaigner, +44 77201 47280. (UK mobile
number)
Linda Ijmker, Friends of the Earth Netherlands, +31 (0) 629593881
Antje von Brook, Friends of the Earth Germany, +49 (0) 173-6071601
Vanessa María Gálvez Hernández, Ceiba/ Friends of the Earth Guatemala
+34 6 90 30 00 92 (spanish mobile number valid until Nov.6)
