Greenpeace reaction to the Major Economies Meeting at Toyako, Japan

TOYAKO, Japan, 9 July 2008 -- Daniel Mittler, Greenpeace International’s climate
expert, comments:

“President Bush’s Major Economies Meeting (1) has been a useless diversion from
real action on climate change all along; the meaningless statement released
today proves that for all to see. As low-lying island states are drowning (2),
Bush’s MEM emits even more hot air. Because of the G8’s abject failure to
commit to anything meaningful, there could be no move forward. On the issues
that matter – such as 2020 emission reduction targets for industrialised
countries – the statement is silent.

Developing countries such as South Africa and China made it clear that they are
ready to move forward, but industrialised countries must do their fair share.
Climate change, after all, has mainly been caused by industrialised countries.
Bush, Harper and Fukuda destroyed any hope for a warming planet in urgent need
of help. The EU made matters worse by welcoming a clearly inadequate G8
statement, rightly rejected by developing countries. Doing so has undermined
the spirit of cooperation we need to achieve a global climate rescue plan in
Copenhagen in 2009.

The MEM shamefully excludes the countries that will be most affected by climate
change, especially low-lying island developing states and least developed
countries (3). This is immoral and unacceptable. Those already bearing the
brunt of climate change today must always have a seat at the table when climate
change is discussed. Excluding the most vulnerable is no way to contribute to a
meaningful and truly global agreement in Copenhagen in 2009.

Bush’s MEM is a waste of time and must, like Bush, be consigned to history. Real
progress is now even more urgent at the United Nations climate negotiations. We
call on the EU and developing countries in particular, not to allow Bush to
deadlock the world and build mistrust, but to move forward with meaningful
action at the next climate meetings in Accra, Ghana in August. ”

 Notes to editor

(1) The MEM statement is available at:
http://www.mofa.go.jp/u_news/2/20080709_121006.html

 Greenpeace’s background briefing is available at:
http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/content/international/press/reports/G8-MEM.pdf

(2) Even under the most conservative scenario, sea-level will be about 40
centimeters higher than today by the end of 21st century and this is projected
to increase the annual number of people flooded in coastal populations from 13
million to 94 million. Almost 60 percent of this increase will occur in South
Asia, while about 20 percent will occur in South-East Asia, specifically from
Thailand to Vietnam including Indonesia and the Philippines. (Wassmann et al.,
2004). IPCC 2007, 4th Assessment Report WG2 Chapter 10 P. 484

(3) The Republic of Maldives issued an urgent call to the MEM yesterday, at:
http://weblog.greenpeace.org/makingwaves/archives/2008/07/maldives_call_on_g8_dont_let_u.html

Contacts at G8 Media Centre:

Daniel Mittler, Greenpeace International G8/climate expert, +81 80 2910 2355
Manami Suzuki, Greenpeace Japan climate campaigner, +81 80 5416 6506
Beth Herzfeld, Greenpeace International press officer, +81 80 2910 2057