Responding to the G8 communiqué on climate change Greenpeace executive director Stephen Tindale said:
"The scientific community has given an unequivocal signal that urgent and radical action is needed to cut emissions and stabilise the climate. The G8 communique has failed to acknowledge this warning. This has left the G8 leaders treading water on this crucial issue.
"The people who will most immediately pay the price for this failure will be the poor people in Africa whose lives are already being damaged by climate change and the increased droughts, floods and hunger it brings.
"Blair must now focus on the EU presidency and make real progress at the EU-China and EU-India summits and in the next stage of the Kyoto negotiations in Canada in November."
On the creation of a new forum, Mr Tindale added:
"We've already had sixteen years of meetings on climate change, and have in the UN a recognised international process for countries to agree action. In the comminique all the G8 countries recognised the UN to be the right forum.
"The developing countries are already involved in dialogue through Kyoto, and Kyoto is already addressing the issue of moving on action after 2012. Nobody is against dialogue, but there's no way it's a replacement for action."
For more contact Greenpeace on 0207 865 8255
