Friends of the Earth Birmingham Action Briefing Aug-Sept 97

Climate Change

The issue of climate change moved centre-stage in June at the Earth Summit in New York and G7/G8 in Denver. First stop was the G7/G8 where the fossil fuel lobby was out in force with a media assault on the local population as well as the politicians. Now that it is difficult for them to argue convincingly on the science of global warming, they have switched their attention to jobs and the economy. They argue that the cost of meeting the targets on greenhouse gases, which groups like Friends of the Earth are calling for, would be too damaging to the US economy. This argument doesn't take into consideration the costs of coping with more and more extreme weather in the years ahead.

Lethargy now will cost many people their livelihoods and their lives in the future. Measures like creating more energy-efficient methods of production and rapidly developing greener energy sources will save money and save the environment. Unfortunately the 'win-win' arguments put forward by Friends of the Earth didn't persuade the US government to make any significant move at the Earth Summit a few days later. President Clinton will have to overcome a Senate influenced by the fossil fuel industry if he is going to set significant targets. Friends of the Earth managed to get the message out to the public on climate change as well as trying to influence governments. The major US networks covered a stunt outside the UN building where an ice sculpture called 'MELT' was left to live up to its name.

... meanwhile ...

Back in Birmingham we were doing our best to help the campaign. On Saturday 21st June a dozen of us descended on the Texaco service station on Pershore Road to protest at the company's membership of the Global Climate Coalition (the worst of the fossil fuel lobby groups ). We held fake road signs warning passing motorists of the dangers of climate change and it would seem that our presence there persuaded most of them to give up buying petrol (however briefly!). Thanks to those who dressed up for extremes of weather and those who helped make the signs. This was part of a climate change week which included another stall to promote the Climate Challenge. Special thanks to Bev for doing some media interviews which included a lengthy report on local cable TV.

If you are concerned about climate change, contact me at Birmingham Friends of the Earth and I'll tell you more about the campaign.

David Dugmore