STICK UP FOR TARGETS ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND SPEAK UP FOR THE POOR, BLAIR URGED

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from the International Institute for Environment & Development (IIED)

Wednesday 23 November 2005

STICK UP FOR TARGETS ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND SPEAK UP FOR THE POOR, BLAIR URGED

Ahead of the United Nations meeting next week (28 November, Montreal), leading scientists, politicians, environmentalists, policy experts and other key figures have come together to urge Tony Blair to be steadfast in supporting legally-binding targets to combat climate change and to champion the interests of poor people and nations who suffer most from this environmental threat.

Organised by the London-based think tank the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the open letter to the UK Prime Minister says "we are deeply concerned that UK policy seems to be drifting away from supporting legally-binding United Nations agreements to cut greenhouse gas emissions." It argues that technological development, recently touted as an alternative route, "is not a substitute for clear targets that force the pace of change".

The open letter also urges rich country governments to "wake up to the threat that climate change poses to international development". Without a "huge financial commitment... climate change will increase world poverty and put the UN Millennium Development Goals beyond our reach."

IIED Director Camilla Toulmin said: "The UK, holding the Presidency of both the European Union and the G8, can make or break the upcoming UN meeting in Montreal. We are rooting for strong global leadership from Tony Blair, at least on the scale shown in the run up to the Gleneagles summit earlier this year, to make the existing Kyoto agreement work and prepare the world for an even stronger global pact against climate change in the future. Backtracking on targets risks unravelling the whole project, as does ignoring the needs of poor people and nations who suffer most from climate change."

This initiative follows recent reports that the UK government wants to ditch mandatory targets for some nations and may not meet its own target to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Ends

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Notes to editors

The 11th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 1st Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (otherwise known as CoP11/MoP1) will take place in Montreal from 28 November to 9 December.

Open letter and signatories below:

OPEN LETTER TO RT HON TONY BLAIR

Dear Prime Minister

We agree with you that climate change is "a major threat ". However, we are deeply concerned that UK policy seems to be drifting away from supporting legally-binding United Nations agreements to cut greenhouse gas emissions. We urge you to do everything in your power to make a success of the Kyoto protocol to the UN Convention on Climate Change and to start preparing the world for an even stronger agreement after 2012. Technological development is not a substitute for clear targets that force the pace of change.

Global leadership by the UK, currently holding the Presidency of the European Union and the G8, is key. But, to be effective, it must be credible and resolute. To lead the global debate, our own house must be in order and we must demonstrate that we are serious about meeting or exceeding targets already set. We should defend, not undermine, established UN agreements and step up the pressure on the United States and others to join mainstream international thinking and action on climate change.

Rich country governments must also wake up to the threat that climate change poses to international development. Poor people and nations suffer most from climate change but have contributed least to the problem. We must accept our responsibility to support their struggle to adapt to climate change, which will require a huge financial commitment. Without such action, climate change will increase world poverty and put the UN Millennium Development Goals beyond our reach.

Yours

Camilla Toulmin

and

Sarah Boyack MSP

Dr Andrew Bradstock

Malcolm Bruce MP

Colin Challen MP

Professor Paul Ekins

Tony Grayling

Sir John Houghton FRS CBE

Professor Mike Hulme

Professor Tim Jackson

Rt Rev James Jones Bishop of Liverpool

Lord Judd

Tony Juniper

Sunder Katwala

Glenys Kinnock MEP

Neal Lawson

Hywel Lloyd

Dr Caroline Lucas MEP

Rt Hon Michael Meacher MP

George Monbiot

Paul Noon

Rt Hon Clare Short MP

Andrew Simms

Barbara Stocking

Sir John Sulston FRS

Simon Trace

Dr Philip Webber

Baroness Whitaker

Notes on signatories

Camilla Toulmin is Director of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).

Sarah Boyack is the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Edinburgh Central.

Dr Andrew Bradstock is Director of the Christian Socialist Movement.

Malcolm Bruce MP is chair of the House of Commons International Development Select Committee.

Colin Challen MP is chair of the All-party Parliamentary Group on Climate Change.

Professor Paul Ekins is Head of the Environment Group at the Policy Studies Institute.

Tony Grayling is an Associate Director of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).

Sir John Houghton CBE is the former chair of scientific assessment for the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Professor Mike Hulme is Director of Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.

Tim Jackson is Professor of Sustainable Development at the University of Surrey.

Rt Rev James Jones is the Bishop of Liverpool.

Lord Judd is a former Foreign Office minister and director of Oxfam; currently President of the Friends of the Lake District.

Tony Juniper is Executive Director of Friends of the Earth.

Sunder Katwala is General Secretary of the Fabian Society (personal capacity).

Glenys Kinnock is the Member of the European Parliament for Wales.

Neal Lawson is chair of Compass, the democratic left pressure group.

Hywel Lloyd is chair of the Socialist Environment and Resources Association (SERA).

Dr Caroline Lucas is the Member of the European Parliament for South-East England and author of "Global Warming, Local Warning".

Rt Hon Michael Meacher MP is the former Secretary of State for the Environment.

George Monbiot is an author and columnist.

Paul Noon is General Secretary of Prospect, the union for professionals.

Sir John Sulston shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2002.

Barbara Stocking is Director of Oxfam GB.

Rt Hon Clare Short MP is the former Secretary of State for International Development.

Andrew Simms is Policy Director of nef (the new economics foundation).

Simon Trace is Chief Executive of Practical Action.

Dr Philip Webber is chair of Scientists for Global Responsibility.

Baroness Whitaker is vice-chair of the All-party Parliamentary Group on the United Nations.