Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate

May 25: The press release published after the protest

Attn: International Reporters, Wire Services, Climate Reporters, Japanese Reporters

NEWS RELEASE
May 25, 2009

 

Global Youth to Japan’s Aso: Set Strong 2020 Climate Targets

At Major Economies Forum, Climate Campaigners Respond to Polluters’ Lobbying Efforts, Calling On Japanese PM Aso to be a Climate Hero

(Paris)— Youth leaders and members of global advocacy group Avaaz.org today launched an international effort aimed at persuading Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso to lead by example with a tough target to combat climate change.

The campaign is designed to ratchet up pressure on Japan ahead of a 2020 emissions reduction target announcement expected from Mr Aso within weeks, in the face of a massive lobbying effort by polluting Japanese corporations, and was launched to coincide with this week’s meeting of the Major Economies Forum (MEF) in Paris, France. Youth leaders from seven countries gathered with Avaaz members outside the forum with a giant image of Japanese PM Taro Aso behind bars, calling on him to be a climate hero, not a “climate criminal.”

Paris, May 25: More pictures from Avaaz on Flickr

Here

http://www.flickr.com/photos/europeactionfactory

Paris, May 25: Taro Aso Climate Criminal?

Paris, May 25: Taro Aso Climate Hero

Paris, May 25: Taro Aso with a green hat

Paris, May 25: Green Hat with 25/40% target

Paris, May 25: Waiting to meet the Japanese delegates

May 25: Climate demonstration in Paris, Global youth to demand 25-40% emissions cuts from Japanese PM Aso

Global youth to demand 25-40% emissions cuts from Japanese PM Aso 
 

Event summary: Youth leaders and members of global advocacy group Avaaz.org will be demonstrating outside the Major Economies Forum Monday in Paris, France to demand stronger 2020 climate targets from Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso. The demonstration is a response to polluters' stage-management of the Japanese government's unfair "public consultation" process around the 2020 target announcements.

The campaigners, who will be wearing green hardhats to symbolize the new low-carbon clean energy economy, will create a hard-hitting photo opportunity with a giant image of Taro Aso behind bars, asking whether his legacy will be as a climate hero – or a climate criminal?

Background: Monday, the ‘Major Economies Forum’, or the MEF, meets in Paris to discuss negotiate climate and energy policy, with representatives from 17 nations – including Japan, whose 2020 carbon reduction targets will be decided in the next ten days.

Japan’s government has put forward six possible mitigation targets, ranging from 25% reductions below 1990 levels to a 4% increase. Science is clear that targets of 25-40% by developed countries are the minimum standard required to avoid catastrophic climate change. Youth groups and climate campaigners worldwide are outraged by Japan’s shamefully weak proposals and by the sham public consultation process, stage-managed by polluting Japanese industry federation Nippon Keidandren.

Avaaz.org Executive Director Ricken Patel said,
 
"As one of the world's wealthiest nations, with a history of technological leadership, Japan should set the most ambitious reduction targets possible, jump into a new low-carbon clean economy, and set an example for the rest of the world in the lead up to Copenhagen negotiations – instead of giving into the demands of polluters. Anything less than a 25% emissions target would be criminal."

When: Monday 25^th May, 1300h to 1330h

Where: Quai d’Orsay 37, outside the Foreign Ministry State Rooms

Who: Youth climate advocates from many countries and members of global advocacy groups Avaaz.org and 350.org, wearing green hardhats to symbolize the clean energy economy

What: Rally asking whether Japanese PM Aso will choose to be a climate hero or a climate criminal – with hard-hitting photo opportunity of Aso behind bars

Spokespeople: Anna Keenan (English) Avaaz Action Factory Coordinator

+61 419 792 263, +49 157 825 69467, anna@actionfactories.org

Benoit Kubiak (French), +33 619 189 097, benka@actionfactories.org,

Luis Morago, Avaaz Campaign Director (Spanish, English) +34 691 164063

Press officer: Philippe Boucher (English, French), for Global Climate Change Action,

The 17 major economies participating in the Forum

The 17 major economies participating in the Major Economies Forum are: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Denmark, in its capacity as the President of the December 2009 Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the United Nations have also been invited to participate in this dialogue.

President Barack Obama announced the launch of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate on March 28, 2009. The Forum is intended to facilitate a candid dialogue among major developed and developing economies, help generate the political leadership necessary to achieve a successful outcome at the December UN climate change conference in Copenhagen, and advance the exploration of concrete initiatives and joint ventures that increase the supply of clean energy while cutting greenhouse gas emissions.