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New climate change deal must be strong and fair to succeed

Major cuts in greenhouse gas emissions in the rich countries and a fair deal for the poor should be at the heart of the new deal on climate change being discussed by world leaders in Montreal this week, according to think-tank the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). The United Nations meeting, billed as the largest ever on climate change, will look at the next phase of the Kyoto Protocol (the current first commitment phase comes to an end in 2012).

IIED wants governments to make more connections between environmental threats such as climate change and the international development agenda to reduce poverty. The think-tank argues that rich industrialised countries, which have reaped the short-term benefits of carbon-based economies and are still the biggest greenhouse gas emitters, created the global problem. Poor people have contributed least to climate change, but they and their livelihoods are the hardest hit. Rich countries must lead by radically reducing greenhouse gas emissions and rapidly building low-carbon economies. Poor people and nations should be supported, with significant investment, to adapt to the changing climate and, where possible, leapfrog "dirty" development with sustainable energy.

IIED Director Camilla Toulmin said: "The post 2012 deal should build on Kyoto not break with it. But the new agreement must be stronger and fairer to succeed. This means deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions with legally-binding targets for rich countries and a fair deal for poor people and nations at the frontline of climate change and development. "World leaders cannot go on looking at climate change and development in different boxes, they are inextricably connected. It is vital that 21st century economic development is sustainable and low-carbon. But it is both unfair and unworkable for the poor to foot the bill. We cannot allow climate change to make the poor poorer and our world more unequal."



For further information

Tony Samphier on +44 208 671 2911

Liz Carlile on +44 207 388 2117

Notes to editors

IIED spokespeople are available in London and Montreal.

IIED has organised an open letter to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair supported by a broad group of scientists, politicians and polcy experts http://www.iied.org/mediaroom/releases/231105.html

IIED and other organisations have published two reports on the impact of climate change on international development:

Up in smoke?

http://www.iied.org/pubs/display.php?o=9512IIED&n=2&l=2&w=CC&t=up%20in%20smoke

Africa: up in smoke?

http://www.iied.org/pubs/display.php?o=9560IIED

The United Nations Climate Change Conference 2005 will take place from 28 November to 9 December in Montreal. It has two main parts: the 11th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 1st Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (otherwise known as CoP11/MoP1). The Conference will be the largest intergovernmental meeting since Kyoto in 1997 and will discuss the next phase of the Kyoto Protocol post 2012.

The International Institute for Environment & Development (IIED) is a London-based think-tank working for policy solutions that both sustain the environment and reduce world poverty. www.iied.org

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