The Progressive

NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

IN BARCELONA

Joseph Zacune, Friends of the Earth International, +34 6 89 55 093
(spanish mobile number valid until Nov.6)

Antje von Broock, Head of International Environmental Policy +49 173 60
71 601 (german mobile number)

Kate Horner, Friends of the Earth US Policy Analyst, +1 360 319 9444 (US
mobile number)

Vanessa María Gálvez Hernández, Ceiba/ Friends of the Earth Guatemala
+34 6 90 30 00 92 (spanish mobile number valid until Nov.6)

Friends of Earth International Calls on President Obama to Earn His Nobel

BARCELONA, Spain

As the last week of U.N climate negotiations before key Copenhagen talks begin today, Friends of the Earth International called on President Obama to earn the Nobel Prize he was given for his efforts to strengthen international diplomacy.

Instead of cooperating effectively to solve the climate crisis, the US administration is undermining existing agreements and shirking wealthy nations' responsibility to lead the way in solving the climate crisis, according to Friends of the Earth International.

Failing to solve the climate crisis in a just and equitable way will undermine peace in our world and basic human rights.

While the President's openness to diplomacy and international negotiations are a welcomed change, they must be matched by tangible action.

"Change we can believe in isn't a continuation of Bush-era climate policy," said Kate Horner, policy analyst at Friends of the Earth U.S. "To earn his Nobel, President Obama must put an end to this isolationist nonsense and commit to acting cooperatively to solve the climate crisis," she added.

"The rest of the world seems to be suffering from a severe case of amnesia, forgetting that we have once already allowed the United States to severely weaken international climate agreements," said Antje von Broock, climate campaigner at Friends of the Earth Germany, referring to the policy positions taken by the United States during the negotiations to establish the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. "The European Union must not fall into the same trap again."

Vanessa Maria Galvez Hernandez, from Ceiba/ Friends of the Earth Guatemala, said: "The people of Central America are fighting to defend our territories in the struggle against climate change. Transnational corporations and elites are responsible for the crisis and are promoting false solutions such as extractive activities, monoculture plantations, agribusiness, carbon markets, and free trade agreements. Instead we are promoting "Good Living" which is based on the principles of solidarity, equity, harmony and respect for mother Earth."

Friends of the Earth International is running an international petition demanding industrialized countries turn climate justice into reality, asking new targets of at least 40% emissions reductions compared to 1990 levels as well as sufficient public finance for adaptation and climate protection in the global south. The world's people are demanding real action.

For more information visit: www.demandclimatejustice.org

Friends of the Earth International is the world's largest grassroots environmental network, uniting 74 national member groups and some 5,000 local activist groups on every continent. With over 2 million members and supporters around the world, FOEI campaigns on today's most urgent environmental and social issues.