FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

G8 SUMMIT REVEALS ROCKY ROAD TO COPENHAGEN

G8 leaders today announced an ‘historic achievement’ in agreeing to keep global temperature rises below 2 degrees, and reduce emissions 80% by 2050 in developed countries. However the Global Call to Action Against Poverty warns G8 leaders history will judge them harshly if they do not set a clear path to achieving these goals with ambitious short-term targets.

09/07/2009

GCAP fears that without the G8 contributing substantial financial support to developing countries, a planet-saving deal at Copenhagen will not be possible.

GCAP recognizes that failure to tackle climate change will thwart any efforts to eradicate poverty, with millions of poor people already suffering the effects of climate change; rising food prices and resource based conflict.

"The G8’s disjointed approach to tackling climate change has lead to a disappointing outcome at a critical meeting and reveals how rocky the short road to Copenhagen is going to be. A sustainable, durable and effective agreement on climate change rests on G8 members of MEF putting substantial resources aside for developing countries, above and beyond ODA, and setting clear short-term milestones for reducing emissions. The question is what is the G8 practically going to deliver on climate change by 2020?"
Kumi Naidoo (Co-Chair, GCAP)

The G8 and the largest industrialized countries must ensure that developing countries are given the necessary resources to leapfrog their growth to new technologies. Resources for mitigation and adaptation, above and beyond Overseas Development Aid, must now be distributed to ensure the poorest, including millions of men, women and children, do not pay the price for climate destruction wreaked by the richest countries.

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