Oxfam reaction to G8 2007 |
When world leaders met at the G8 Summit in 2005, they made some big promises about ending poverty. Disappointingly, at this year’s G8 they failed to deliver.
"The hard and sad fact is that leaders are still set to break their Gleneagles promise to the tune of $27bn. G8 taxpayers are demanding more aid. Africa needs it. There are no excuses for what happened at this year’s summit." says Max Lawson, Senior Policy Advisor at Oxfam.
"Instead of delivering what they promised, the G8 have tried to get the biggest possible headline number out of the smallest possible aid increase. The $60bn for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria represents, at most, an extra $3bn of aid in 2010. This falls $27bn short of what the G8 pledged in 2005."
Climate change: some encouragement
We cautiously welcome G8 leaders' commitment to tackling climate change by working with all countries through the United Nations. This is important as it means all major polluters, including the US, can agree collective action.
However, we are concerned by their failure to set targets for reducing emissions. If G8 leaders allow global warming to go above 2°C there will be devastating climate change and the world's poorest people will be the most affected.
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What’s next?
As the debates move on, we need to keep demanding results. We must continue to show G8 leaders that the world won't let them forget what they promised in 2005.
If you haven’t already -
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Join the 50,000 people who have called for more teachers and health workers |
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