G8: an illegitimate institution making disastrous decisions on climate and trade

Today, the World Development Movement condemns the G8 as an illegitimate institution that is making decisions on measures to tackle the climate and financial crises that will have disastrous effects on the world’s poor.

Deborah Doane, director of the World Development Movement said:

"The G8 has no legitimacy, but it is making decisions on climate change and trade that will have disastrous effects on the world’s poorest people. This injustice is palpable and the G8 should be left for dead.”

Commenting on the announcement that the WTO deal will be completed next year, Deborah Doane said:

"The global economic crisis will not be fixed by more free trade sealed in a rushed deal at the WTO. The G8’s aim to avoid protectionism through a new WTO round is little more than a smokescreen to protect big business in G8 countries, at the expense of poor people. If our analysis of the financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that over-reliance on free market ideals harms labour, development and environmental standards around the world. Unfair free trade deals aren’t the answer: they are part of the problem.

Commenting on the measures to tackle climate change, Deborah Doane said:

"G8 countries emit 40% of the world's carbon emissions; and are historically responsible for climate change. While it’s good news that G8 countries have finally recognised the need to stop a two degree rise in global temperature, they continue to shirk their responsibilities. They must set targets to reduce their carbon emissions in the short term, not just in the future. Developing countries need financial help from rich nations to become low carbon economies. Gordon Brown has already suggested a sum of £60 billion, but it's not enough. And we need guarantees that if money is pledged, it’s new money, not from existing aid budgets, and that it won’t come from carbon markets, which will not reduce overall emissions.”

ENDS

For more information, please call Kate Blagojevic on 020 7820 4900 / 07711 875 345

Notes to editors

The World Development Movement (WDM) tackles the underlying causes of poverty. We lobby decision makers to change the policies that keep people poor. We research and promote positive alternatives. We work alongside people in the developing world who are standing up to injustice. www.wdm.org.uk