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Turning up the HEAT:
Can big business really save the planet?

8-13 May 2008

Turning up the HEAT is a series of Debates from the World Development Movement on climate change.

London - Can big business stop climate change?

Panel - Claire Fox, Institute of Ideas; Caroline Lucas, MEP; Walden Bello, Focus on the Global South; Peter Hardstaff, World Development Movement Chair – Stewart Wallis, New Economics Foundation

Video contributions include – John Redwood, MP; KT Tunstall, singer; Rob Newman, writer and activist; Leo Murray, Plane Stupid; and many more.

London 8 May 7.30 – 9.30pm Amnesty International Human Rights Action centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA

Anti-globalisation activists and proponents of economic growth will be battling it out over climate change at a free event organised by the World Development Movement. The debate, which will also be streamed live on the web, will examine whether economic growth and big business have a positive role to play in tackling climate change.    

Extolling the virtues of economic growth is the well-known commentator Claire Fox, director of the Institute of Ideas and John Redwood MP. On the opposing side are Caroline Lucas MEP, Peter Hardstaff from the World Development Movement and Walden Bello from Focus on the Global South. Both John Redwood MP and Patrick Bond, a South African activist and writer are giving their thoughts in pre-recorded interviews.

Read more about the London event.

Cardiff - Biofuels: saint or sinner?

Panel - Asad Rehman, Friends of the Earth; Deepak Rughani, Biofuelwatch; Camila Moreno, Landless Rural Workers’ Movement Chair – Murray Benham, World Development Movement

Pre-recorded video contributions include – John Redwood, MP; KT Tunstall, singer; Rob Newman, writer and activist; Muzammal Hussain, London Islamic Network for the Environment, Simon Retallack, Institute of Public Policy Research

Cardiff University Saturday 10 May 2.30 – 4.30 pm

The World Development Movement is holding a free debate, which will also be streamed live on the internet, examining whether the use of biofuels will deliver a much-needed low carbon economy? And if ’food’ for cars becomes the priority, what are the implications for food security, human rights violations and the environment in poor countries?

Read more about the Cardiff event

Manchester - Worried about climate change but still want to go on holiday?

Panel - Rt Hon Brian Wilson, Flying Matters; John Stewart, Airportwatch; Ricardo Navarro, Friends of the Earth El Salvador; Chair – Juliette Jowit, The Observer Pre-recorded

video contributions include – Nick Clegg, MP; KT Tunstall, singer; Rob Newman, writer and activist; Leo Murray, Plane Stupid; and many more.

Manchester Conference Centre Tuesday 13 May 7.30 – 9.30pm

Worried about climate change but still want to go on holiday? The World Development Movement has lined up pro-flying, former energy minister and current chair of the lobby group Flying Matters, Rt. Hon Brian Wilson to go head-to-head with John Stewart, chair of the anti-airport expansion campaign group to debate the rights and wrongs of flying in light of the impending climate crisis.

Read more about the Manchester event

The conferences will be streamed live onto the internet giving people at home the opportunity to watch and ask questions on line.

To find out more, please go to www.wdm.org.uk/heat

ENDS
For more information, interviews or comment, please contact:

Kate Blagojevic
Press officer, World Development Movement
0207 820 4900/4913, 07711 875 345, Email:

Notes to editors

Book a free place and to register to watch online, please go to www.wdm.org.uk/heat or email register@wdm.og.uk or call 020 7820 4900

The London debate takes place at Amnesty International Human Rights Action centre, 17-25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA on Thursday 8 May between 7.30 – 9.30pm.
The Cardiff debate takes place at Cardiff University, Main Building, Shandon Theatre, Park Place, CF10 3 AT on Saturday 10 May between 2.30-4.30pm The Manchester debate takes place at Manchester, Cockcroft Theatre, Sackville Street, M1 3BB on Tuesday 13 May between 7.30 – 9.30pm.