Friends of the Earth suspended from UN climate talks

Friends of the Earth Scotland arrived at the Bella Center this morning to take part as official observers in the UN climate change negotiations were told that they have been excluded from the talks.

Duncan McLaren, Friends of the Earth Scotland Chief Executive, is one of the delegates denied access despite his official UN and secondary admission passes.

He is blogging live from the entrance lobby at the conference, where more than 50 Friends of the Earth International delegates are being held back.

Duncan McLaren said: “We are here trying to do our bit, and now we are not even allowed to do that. No one from Friends of the Earth International is being allowed in today, as a result of unspecified “security issues”.

“I fear that our outspoken support for the African delegation has sparked that we will take direct action inside the talks. Sadly it’s rather typical of the somewhat paranoid approach to security we have seen this week which has already led to ever tighter restrictions on the number of NGO observers allowed in.”

Friends of the Earth Scotland is part of Friends of the Earth groups from around the world, ranging from Nigeria to Japan to Denmark.

Friends of the Earth International Chair Nnimmo Bassey had the following statement: “We are surprised and shocked that Friends of the Earth member groups from around the world and other non-governmental organizations have been denied access to the negotiations this morning. Our organizations represent millions of people around the world and provide a critical
voice on behalf of climate justice inside the UN. In effect we are being expelled from the talks. Its a sad day for climate justice.”

For media enquiries, please contact:
Per Fischer, Press Office, Friends of the Earth Scotland

T: 0131 243 2719

Notes to editors

Duncan McLaren live blog from Copenhagen:
duncancop15.wordpress.com

From 7 – 18 December the UN climate conference (COP15) will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark. Governments from around the world will meet to discuss efforts to tackle global warming. We’re inviting people to come to Copenhagen to help build pressure on governments to find fair solutions to the climate crisis

Friends of the Earth Scotland is the country’s leading independent environmental campaigning organisation, and is the only organisation in Scotland that is working for environmental justice, campaigning for the planet and its people. www.foe-scotland.org.uk