Cross-party cycle ride calls for action on climate change at G8 summit

3.56.31pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 8th Jun 2005

Colin Challen MP (Labour MP for Morley and Rothwell) with Andrew Dakers (Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Brentford & Isleworth) outside French embassy

Andrew Dakers (Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Brentford & Isleworth) yesterday joined Colin Challen (Labour MP for Morley and Rothwell) and a small cross-party team of cyclists that took a letter to each of the G8 embassies challenging the countries to do more to tackle climate change.

The letter delivered at each embassy was co-signed by Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker and Conservative MP Peter Ainsworth, as well as Colin.

The cross-party team urge the G8 summit to adopt 'Contraction and Convergence' - which proposes that by 2050 carbon emissions should contract to a sustainable level, and that this level should be distributed between all peoples - as the model on which a future international agreement should be based.

In the last Parliament, nearly 200 MPs signed an Early Day Motion calling for the same thing, although not local MPs Ann and Alan Keen.

Colin Challen said:

"It is becoming clear that the G8 do not have a plan to deal with climate change. Kyoto has been only a first, small step and does not have the support of the United States.

"But even if the Protocol did have the support of the US, it would still be nowhere near enough to deal with the problem in the timescale available. We need to say to our leaders that time is running out to take effective action."

Andrew Dakers commented after yesterday's cycle ride:

"This cross-party group of supporters believe 'Contraction and Convergence', proposed by the Global Commons Institute, is the fairest approach to adopt internationally.

"It is based on sound science and is inclusive of both developed and developing countries. The US Senate, which has blocked US ratification of the Kyoto protocol, has indicated they are looking for just this, an approach that can include all countries."

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

The cycle ride started at 11am on Tuesday 7th June outside the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square and took in embassies in the following order: Canada, Italy, Japan, France, Germany and Russia.

For a full list of signatories to March 2005 Early Day Motion on Contraction and Convergence visit http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=27350

Global Commons Institute - http://www.gci.org.uk/

Andrew Dakers' website - http://www.andrewdakers.com

Colin Challen MP's website - http://www.colinchallen.org.uk