Choose Positive Energy postcard 2002
Did you know that ONE IN THREE (that's two billion) people have no access to modern energy - for basic cooking, lighting and heating? That they still rely on dangerous fuels like biomass (wood, animal dung), kerosene, and diesel?
Did you know that global warming - caused by burning dirty fossil fuels - poses the biggest environmental threat our planet has ever faced? That polar ice caps are melting and catastrophic weather is affecting the lives of thousands of people?
Our challenge to world leaders!
Renewable energy resources are clean, safe and plentiful. They could be used to tackle both poverty and climate change.
Greenpeace joined forces with The Body Shop - to challenge world leaders to deliver safe, clean, renewable energy to the two billion. We demanded they commit to this at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio+10), held in South Africa from 26th August to 4th September, 2002.
We need you!
The Summit is continually thwarted by the "filthy three" countries - America, Australia and Canada - as they block commitments on emissions reduction, and clean, sustainable energy options.
We need the UK Government to push the agenda for positive energy. Margaret Beckett, the Minister for Environment, has already voiced her support for our campaign. But we need you to remind them all of its importance. So please sign our online petition!
Who will benefit?
The lives of two billion of the world's poorest people will change. Of them, women and girls will gain most, as they do the backbreaking work (gathering and drying fuel to fulfil their daily needs) and they suffer the worst health problems (from exposure to pollutants released by burning fuels).
And you will benefit. Because securing this commitment is the first step in a global energy revolution. Because stopping burning fossil fuels (such as coal, oil and gas), switching to renewables, and increasing energy efficiency is simply the only way we can tackle climate change....
"In order to give poor people a chance to escape from poverty, we must provide clean energy for the two billion people who now lack it."
Kofi Annan, UN General Secretary
Take action! The coal industry has big plans to expand into South East Asia Join Greenpeace as we call for coal to be phased out.
