Action Briefing Jun 2005 - Jul 2005
	The Newsletter of Birmingham Friends of the Earth

A date with the G8

Friends of the Earth will be taking their message about climate change north of the border to the G8 Summit of world leaders at Gleneagles, Scotland, this July, and supporting Friends of the Earth Scotland's call for 'climate justice'.

The G8 countries represent just 13 per cent of the world's population but account for 45 per cent of current human greenhouse gas emissions, and are responsible for 64 per cent of all global emissions since 1800. The USA has only 4 per cent of the world's population, yet it produces around a quarter of the world's annual greenhouse gas emissions.

Friends of the Earth wants the G8 to agree on the compelling scientific evidence showing that climate change is happening and that urgent action is needed to substantially reduce emissions. Agreeing specific, substantial and timetabled cuts in G8 countries' domestic emissions of greenhouse gases, for instance by phasing-in public finance for sustainable clean energy, should be a priority. Crucially, there must be a stronger commitment to addressing the urgent needs of developing countries in the face of dangerous climate change.

The United States' government is alone in not having ratified the Kyoto Protocol, the first international climate change treaty. It will be up to the other seven nations, who have all ratified the Kyoto Protocol, to increase pressure on the US to ratify. The delegates will also need to think about international action to curb emissions after 2012, when the first commitment period under Kyoto ends.

You don't have to travel all the way to Scotland to take action during the Summit. FoE Scotland is organising a world-wide 'Climate Alarm' at 1.45pm on Thursday 7th July, when people outside the summit, across Scotland, the UK and the world will set off sirens, sound alarms and ring bells to wake world leaders up to the urgency of climate change. For more details see www.foe-scotland.org.uk/nation/g8.html

Debt March 2005
The Jubilee Debt Campaign is gearing up for a 'Debt March 2005' to the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland. The marchers will reach the Summit on Tuesday 5th July following a two-week trek from Birmingham, the site of the last UK G8 meeting in 1998.

The march aims to raise awareness about global poverty, which leads to 30,000 avoidable deaths every day. If you would like to join the march, contact Simon Topping on 01452 616118 (mob: 07745 472128) or email topstan@fish.co.uk. A send-off ceremony will take place in Victoria Square, Birmingham City Centre at 11am on Saturday 18th June. For more information on the issues surrounding the G8 Summit visit www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk.

James Botham