Climate change the biggest loser of G20 summit, warn environmental groups

Posted on April 19, 2009
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The $1.1 trillion stimulus package agreed by G20 leaders yesterday risks locking the world into a high-carbon economy in which greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, environmental groups have warned.

“Once again world leaders have short-changed people and the planet,” said Friends of the Earth’s executive director Andy Atkins. “The economic system and the global environment are on a devastating collision course – but despite pledging to build an inclusive, green and sustainable recovery little has been done to change direction.”

British government officials lost the battle to include a commitment to spend a substantial share of the economic stimulus on low-carbon recovery projects. The economist Lord Nicholas Stern has recommended that 20% of fiscal stimulus spending should be on projects to address climate change.

The communique’s comments on the low-carbon economy and climate change negotiations were limited to two paragraphs at the end, and made no specific commitments.

Britain’s environment secretary, Ed Miliband, said that “the very fact that this was part of the discussions – and the commitment to Copenhagen is part of that too – is a sign of that much-needed commodity, momentum”.

But the UN’s top climate official called for action, not words. “It’s always useful to reiterate the commitment; better to actually do it,” said Yvo de Boer.

Greenpeace’s executive director, John Sauven, said: “Tacking climate change on to the end of the communique as an after thought does not demonstrate anything like the seriousness we needed to see. Hundreds of billions were found for the IMF and World Bank, but for making the transition to a green economy there is no money on the table, just vague aspirations, talks about talks and agreements to agree.”

David Norman, the World Wildlife Fund’s campaigns director, said:

“Any argument that climate change should be moved down the political agenda until the current economic crisis is addressed is incredibly shortsighted. Finance and the climate are inextricably linked, and if we don’t address climate change now, we will certainly pay later.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/apr/03/g20-climate-change-stimulus-package

The year’s first round of UN climate talks has ended with delegates talking of a clear split between the visions of developed and developing nations.

Developing countries want big emission cuts from rich nations by 2020, as well as finance for climate protection and more transfer of “clean” technologies.

The top UN climate official said richer nations should show “more ambition”.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7991039.stm

Ecological debt: no way back from bankrupt

While most governments’ eyes are on the banking crisis, a much bigger issue - the environmental crisis - is passing them by, says Andrew Simms. In the Green Room this week, he argues that failure to organise a bailout for ecological debt will have dire consequences for humanity.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7988648.stm