US ‘deal’ at Copenhagen is a weak sham – Friends of the Earth Scotland reaction

“This is the weakest possible agreement that could have come out of Copenhagen,” said Duncan McLaren, Friends of the Earth Scotland Chief Executive, commenting on the Copenhagen ‘outcome’ issued at the UN climate change talks. 

Duncan McLaren continued: “The US is claiming Copenhagen is a success. But this agreement is exactly the opposite. It would condemn millions of the world’s poorest people to hunger, suffering and loss of life as climate change accelerates. Even if the plenary meeting scheduled for later this evening turns it into a COP decision, such an arrangement is no substitute for a binding deal.

“We need a profound change of approach from rich countries. Rather than killing off the principles of Kyoto, they must make a firm commitment to extend the Kyoto regime, and set an early deadline to conclude a strong and fair agreement. No more excuses. No more empty promises.

“Science and justice demand at least 40 per cent cuts in rich country emissions by 2020, and without all the loopholes riddling the current system. The gap between that reality and this political declaration yawns like a chasm.

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact:
Per Fischer, Press Office, Friends of the Earth Scotland
T: 07711855821

Notes to Editors

Friends of the Earth Scotland believes that a strong and fair agreement on
climate change would include measures which would see:
– Rich countries to fulfil their legal and moral responsibility cut
emissions first and fast – and pledge to cut emissions by at least 40 per
cent by 2020 at home without offsetting; and provide adequate finance for
low carbon development in poor countries.
– The leaders of rich countries to abandon their promotion of carbon trading, an irresponsible and dangerous gamble which will do nothing to protect us from catastrophic climate change;
– Proposals to be scrapped which would allow rich countries to buy chunks of
forest whilst continuing to pump out emissions: an approach which won’t
solve climate change or halt deforestation.

Friends of the Earth Scotland Chief Executive has been blogging from the climate summit in Copenhagen. duncancop15.wordpress.com

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