G8 summit agrees to pursue a new climate deal through the UN

 

Activists Promise Firestorm of Opposition to Bush's Climate Wrecking Tactics

 

Campaigners Welcome G8 Support For Post-Kyoto UN Deal by 2009

 

HEILIGENDAMM, GERMANY -- 

 

Global online campaigners Avaaz.org, who delivered the biggest global climate petition ever to this week's G8 summit, welcomed leaders' agreement to pursue a new climate deal through the UN --but condemned the US administration "wrecking tactics" and failure to agree to specific, binding global goals.

 

"President Bush's wrecking tactics are endangering the planet and isolating the United States ," said Ricken Patel, Executive Director of Avaaz.org. "Bush is dragging the world backwards while pretending to lead it. The global public overwhelmingly demands strong government action on climate change. The longer governments drag their feet, the more deafening the global outcry will become--until it can't be ignored. "

 

More than 355,000 people from 193 countries have signed the Avaaz.org petition, which is growing by tens of thousands every day. Avaaz's pressure campaign has already targeted the main polluting countries with television ads on three continents. The petition was received by Germany 's top G8 negotiator, Dr Bernd Pfaffenbach, last Friday.

 

"On climate, Bush is alone not just in the world, but even in his own country--the American public and US Congress support bold action on climate change,” said Avaaz G8 campaign director Paul Hilder. "Other big polluters like Brazil and China are moving toward serious action on climate. By 2009, we need a deal with binding targets – voluntary agreements will never be enough to save the planet from global warming."

 

Avaaz.org is a global advocacy network that provides opportunities for citizens of every country to take concerted action on urgent problems - climate change, poverty, the crisis in the Middle East . Avaaz 's mission is to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decisions. It operates in 11 languages. Launched in January 2007, it has grown to more than 1 million members, including citizens from every nation of the world. ' Avaaz ' means 'voice' in several European, Middle Eastern and Asian languages.

 

In the G8 statement the Europeans, Japan and Canada converged on a 50% or greater cut in emissions by 2050. The US is the only dissenter in the group.

 

The text of Avaaz 's climate change petition (translations available via www.avaaz.org): “World Leaders - Climate change is the greatest threat facing our world today - and we are almost out of time to stop it. You must tackle this problem now, decisively and together. Start working toward a new global agreement this year. Set binding global targets for emissions to avert catastrophic climate change. Take bold action immediately - and we will join our efforts with yours.”