'No backsliding' call to G8 by global youth
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GLOBAL YOUTH URGES G8 NOT TO BACKSLIDE ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT
Reacting to the leaked Draft Plan of Action on Energy Security for the G8 Summit on 15 June in St Petersburg, Russia, People & Planet has joined a coalition of youth from 21 countries in six continents to issue a statement urging the G8 to rethink their position, which recommends spending trillions on non-renewable energy. According to the statement, the leaked document defines energy security as being able to provide for growing energy demands through fossil fuels and nuclear energy and proposes investing $17 trillion in infrastructure for these unsustainable sources. The coalition argues that this proposed investment in fossil fuels will lock the world into a massive increase in greenhouse gas emissions that can only lead to dangerous and irreversible global climate change, ultimately jeopardizing their future and the future of the earth. The coalition is not alone in opposing the Plan of Action. Top world scientists from science academies in the G8 countries, along with China, Brazil, India and South Africa, have themselves urged the G8 to reconsider their position on energy security in a June 14 statement. In addition, the G8s own Communique on Climate Change, Clean Energy and Sustainable Development from last years meetings in the UK committed the eight economic powerhouses to pursue renewable energy sources and curb demand. The G8 summit, under Russias presidency this year, seems poised to ignore its own previous decisions and the council of reputable scientific voices. Decisions made by the G8 now will determine energy options for decades to come, and significantly affect our ability to respond to climate change. The G8 should be leading the way with massive investments in renewable energy, programmes to reduce energy consumption and an end to taxpayer support for the climate changing fossil fuel industry. The people who will be most affected by the G8's lack of leadership are youth. We are asking that the G8 listen to the youth and the worlds best scientific council, and not sell out our future. Bronwen Thomas, Climate Change Campaigner, People & Planet In September, People & Planet will be launching a campaign to ditch dirty development, calling on the UK Government to end support for oil development through the aid budget, and provide support for sustainable, low carbon development. The Statement Against the Draft Plan of Action on Global Energy Security has been endorsed by youth organizations in Australia, the USA, Canada, Bahrain, Turkey, Bulgaria, Thailand, Niger, Burkina Faso, Togo, Germany, Sweden, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Brazil, Argentina, China, Guyana, Japan, the UK, and Peru. NOTES: 1. People & Planet is the largest national student network campaigning to end world poverty, defend human rights and protect the environment. Our network covers 70% of Britains universities and 10% of Sixth Forms. For more info visit peopleandplanet.org 2. To find out more about People & Planet's climate change campaigning go to: http://peopleandplanet.org/campaigns/#ccc 3. This press release, the statement of the Global Youth Coalition, and the leaked G8 Draft Plan of Action on Energy Security can all be downloaded from the People & Planet website: http://peopleandplanet.org/navid2454 Global Youth Coalition Statement with full list of endorsements: http://peopleandplanet.org/ditchdirtydevelopment/G8_youth_statement/ Leaked G8 Draft Plan of Action on Energy Security: http://peopleandplanet.org/dl/climate/g8_energy_security.pdf 4. The Joint Science Academies' Statement on Energy Sustainability and Security can be found on the Royal Society website: http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/news.asp?id=4814 |
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