G20 leaders must agree on innovative solutions and finance for climate and development

WWF

However, the current crisis is not only a financial crisis, but also a social and environmental crisis, with millions of people losing their jobs, and countless more lacking access to food, water and energy, a situation being aggravated by climate change. The devastating famine in the Horn of Africa shows that the poorest people are also the most vulnerable to extreme weather events.
But innovative solutions do exist. It is the political leadership that is lacking.

WWF is asking the G20 leaders to seize this opportunity to make a real change by reaching an agreement on:

  • Innovative sources of finance for climate and development, including on a global financial transaction tax and on a levy in the international maritime and aviation sectors.
  • The effective implementation and reporting on previous commitments made at the Pittsburgh Summit for phasing-out of fossil fuel subsidies and investing in clean energy access for all.
  • Massive investment into green economies, and using metrics that go beyond GDP so that we can measure progress towards sustainable development (e.g. Sustainable Development Indicators, green GDP, or Genuine Savings indicators).

The G20 needs to send a strong political signal paving the way towards a successful outcome at the UNFCCC COP in Durban at the end of the year, and towards Rio+20 in 2012.

Please note that all media information related to WWF’s activities at the G20 can be found online at: www.panda.org/g20
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MEDIA BRIEFING
Invitation to WWF Media Briefing on G20 Summit

WHAT: WWF experts will brief you on:

  • Agenda items on G20 Summit; political context and state of play.
  • WWF recommendations on key environmental issues to be addressed at the summit, including on innovative sources of finance, financial transaction tax, aviation and maritime bunkers, climate change, indicators beyond GDP.
  • How the summit can help to lay the foundation for stronger environmental commitments at the UNFCCC COP 17 in Durban, Rio +20 and the G20 summit in Mexico next year.

WHEN: Monday 31 October
GMT 13.00; Paris 14.00 CET, London 13.00, New York & Toronto 9.00, Tokyo 21.00

HOW: Telephone Conference Call
To access the call, you need to:
Dial the local number in your country as listed in the Arkadin document attached. From Paris, call: + 33 1 72 25 34 14 or 0805 102 289.
Enter Participant PIN: 11 90 86 45 #

WHO: WWF Spokespersons

  • Elise Buckle, WWF International – G20 policy campaign leader. Elise led the WWF-France climate campaign in the lead-up to Copenhagen and is now leading and coordinating the WWF International campaign for the G20. (French and English)
  • Tasneem Essop, WWF-South Africa – Global Climate and Energy Initiative policy leader global processes. Tasneem is a former South African provincial Minister of Environment, and is leading WWF’s work on international climate negotiations in the lead-up to the climate summit in Durban. (English)
  • Vanessa Perez Cirera, WWF-Mexico – Director of Climate. Vanessa previously coordinated WWF’s preparations for the climate summit in Cancun, and is now preparing for WWF’s work at the G20 summit in Mexico in 2012. (English, Spanish)

Contacts and WWF experts
WWF expertise available for interviews

Attending G20 Summit:

  • Elise Buckle, WWF International, G20 policy campaign leader, [email protected], +41 79 278 48 90 (English/French)
  • Tasneem Essop, WWF-South Africa, Global Climate and Energy Initiative policy leader global processes, [email protected] (English)
  • Vanessa Perez-Cirera, WWF-Mexico, Director of Climate,+52 1 55 18 39 30 22 [email protected] (English/Spanish)

Not attending G20 Summit:

  • Samantha Smith, WWF International, Leader, WWF Global Climate and Energy Initiative, +47 45 02 21 49, [email protected] (English/Norwegian)

Media contact:
Richard McLellan, WWF International Communications Director, [email protected] +41 79 786 9609

About WWF
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

For further information
If you are interested in attending any of the planned events; meeting with WWF experts; or to receiving further information regarding the G20 Summit, please contact Richard McLellan – [email protected]

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