Agency calls for new Millennium Development Goal on Climate Change
Source: Christian Aid - UK
Christian Aid
Website: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/news
Climate change is one of the biggest dangers facing the world's poor today and must be given equal prominence alongside other anti poverty measures taken by governments and civil society groups, says Christian Aid.
On the eve of World Poverty Day (17th October), Christian Aid says it is now vital to introduce a new United Nations Millennium Development Goal (MDG) requiring governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as an indispensable part of the fight against poverty.
"We must recognize that changes in the climate are already undermining any hope of meeting the existing eight Millennium Development Goals on poverty. It is impossible to target poverty without targeting climate change and therefore illogical not to have a stand-alone goal calling on the major polluters to cut emissions. It is high time that a climate change Millennium Development Goal now takes its rightful place alongside the existing eight other anti-poverty pledges," said Andrew Pendleton, Christian Aid's senior climate change analyst.
"If the first aim of the Millennium Development Goals is to halve poverty by 2015, we cannot ignore climate change which is wrecking poor peoples' lives on a daily basis,' said Mr Pendleton.
In a recent report, Christian Aid revealed that by the end of the century climate change could be responsible for the death of more than 182 million poor people in sub Saharan Africa from increased disease alone.
"We must use this World Poverty Day to highlight all the injustices perpetrated on the world's poorest people. To enshrine a clear commitment by the rich countries to drastically cut their greenhouse gas emissions would make a significant start," Mr Pendleton added.
ENDS
Contact John McGhie on 0207 523 2418 or Andrew Pendleton on 0207 523 2056.
Notes to Editors:
World Poverty Day, otherwise known as the International Day to Eradicate Poverty, takes place annually on 17th October. It was launched by the United Nations in 1993. This is the first one after last year's Make Poverty History campaign.
The current eight Millennium Development Goals are:
1) Eradicate extreme hunger and poverty
2) Achieve universal primary education
3) Promote gender equality and empower women
4) Reduce child mortality
5) Improve maternal health
6) Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7) Ensure environmental sustainability
8) Develop a global partnership for development
Christian Aid is a member of Stop Climate Chaos, an unprecedented and growing coalition on climate change, bringing together environment and development organisations, unions, faith, community and women's groups. Other members include Friends of the Earth, RSPB, Greenpeace, WWF, Oxfam, Tearfund, the Women's Institute and UNISON.
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
