Archived press release

Rich countries must cut their own emissions instead of paying to offset CO2

3 December 2009

Commenting on the Optimum Population Trust's plan to cut CO2 with a scheme that sees consumers in rich countries paying for family planning in developing countries, Friends of the Earth's Head of Climate Change Mike Childs said:

"The idea of paying for birth control in developing countries to offset carbon-intensive lifestyles in rich countries is repugnant. Rich countries caused climate change and their reluctance to cut their own emissions is pushing the planet to the brink of climate chaos.

"G8 countries make up 13 per cent of the world's population yet account for 45 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The problem lies with high consumer lifestyles in the rich world - not with growing populations in poorer countries.

"The critical challenge is reducing the massive over-consumption of resources by people in rich nations. Rich countries have a legal and moral responsibility to lead on tackling climate change by making huge and swift cuts in their own emissions.

"The cost of investing in renewable energy, green technology and reducing energy waste will be far outweighed by the cost of catastrophic climate change if we fail to take action now. But doing these things will create hundreds of thousands of new jobs as we make the shift to a low-carbon economy and create a safer, fairer future for us all."

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Archived press release

Rich countries must cut their own emissions instead of paying to offset CO2

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