Oct 12 2009
As the climate talks in Bangkok limped to a close, Greenpeace called on the leaders of the rich world to take the political decisions that will save the climate.
The talks made progress on the negotiating text, but without emission cuts or finance on the table for developing countries – promised by the industrialised world, this process cannot make the progress it needs to get to a strong deal for the climate in Copenhagen.
In particular, all eyes are on President Obama’s administration to make the shift to the deep emissions cuts that the world has been wanting for decades.
“The US is trying to impose its own domestic limitations on the international community - limitations driven largely by the fossil fuel lobby. It is climate science and the needs of the most vulnerable that should determine the Copenhagen outcome, not the US fossil fuel lobby and the most wealthy,” said Martin Kaiser, Greenpeace International climate policy advisor.
“It’s time for President Obama to be the climate leader that he says he is.”
Greenpeace said the EU must also take responsibility.
“The EU is all over the place. Its lack of a strong target, its lack of finance on the table, and its inconsistent internal policy on what a Copenhagen outcome might look like has only increased developing country mistrust in the process.”
“The EU has a big week of decision-making coming up and we expect the leaders Brown, Merkel, Sarkozy in particular - to resolve those issues, to step up and to follow Norway.”
“At the end of the day, we can’t change the science – so we have to change the politics – and that means strong leadership – now. Dangerous climate change waits for nobody.”