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G8 Climate Counter Summit
Moving Beyond the Greenwash

Monday 14th March, London

AN OPEN INVITATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIVISTS, PEOPLE FROM ENVIRONMENTAL NGOS, LOCAL GROUPS AND ANYONE INTERESTED TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CLIMATE ACTION IN THE RUN UP TO THE G8.

As the International Energy and Environment Ministers' Roundtable meets in London (March 15th-16th), the establishment's climate change agenda is dominated by hot air - and completely undermined by an absence of action. Currently Blair's government, and by extension the G8, are capturing both the media attention and the moral high ground on this issue - further marginalising those calling for just and real solutions to climate change.

Blair's talk of making "action on climate change" a top priority for his leadership of the G8 this year may seem difficult to criticise. But his domestic record on cutting carbon dioxide emissions is appalling, characterised by missed targets and hand-outs to the biggest polluters. Ignoring the worldwide suffering caused by our addiction to fossil fuels, the UK government ploughs ahead with its plans for new roads and airport expansion, and continues to subsidise those that profit from the oil industry. International processes such as the Kyoto protocol are founded on principles of market environmentalism that consistently put the importance of economic growth above all else. Kyoto utterly fails to address the mass over-consumption of rich, industrialised nations and encourages the unsustainable growth around the world of carbon sequestration projects - so called "Clean Development Mechanisms." Additionally Blair has hinted that to secure a climate agreement with the support of the US the inclusion and development of new nuclear power stations is essential for providing new clean energy sources' and meeting industrialised nations' energy needs.

The counter summit will provide a chance to:

Agenda

PRACTICALITIES:

WHEN? 6.00pm to 9.30pm MONDAY 14th March.

WHERE? Ashbee Hall, part of Toynbee Hall, 28 Commercial Street, London E1 6LS.

Nearest tube Aldgate East (Hammersmith and City/District lines). Follow signs from platform or 10 minutes' walk from Liverpool Street station.

CAPACITY. 100 people, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL to g8climateatrisingtide.org.uk to tell us if you can attend, and if you have any special needs/mobility issues, or call number below.

ACCOMMODATION: we may be able to arrange accommodation if you let us know before hand.

Participants include the G8 Climate Action Group, Rising Tide, Carbon Trade Watch, Platform, TRAPESE, and members of local Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace groups.

FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE www.risingtide.org.uk or call 07708 794665

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