( For article with hyperlinks, please go to  http://rtc.revolt.org/node/338 )

Please communicate urgently to g8(AT)risingtidenorthamerica.org (English) OR justiciaclimatica06(AT)gmail.com (Español) to help mobilize grassroots international action for climate justice countering the first G8 + 5 Summit on Climate Change: October 3-4 in Mexico! With the dates revealed by a European Union source (PDF), this critically "strategic" meeting will bring together the Energy and Environment Ministers from all the G8 Countries (United States, Canada, England, Japan, Germany, Russia, Italy and France) plus the Energy and Environment Ministers from five "emerging" countries: Mexico, Brazil, India, China and South Africa. The G8 + 5 leaders will meet October 3-4 in Mexico City to begin negotiating the next (i.e., post-Kyoto) international agreement addressing climate change. But their agenda focuses on corporate-friendly "carbon trading" to privatize and commodify the atmosphere! Radical action is necessary to prevent global climate catastrophe, not more subsidies to the fossil fuel industries responsible for the global warming crisis!

Following the successful July 15th International Day of Action for Climate Justice, and against Climate Change and the G8 mobilized by Rising Tide North America ( see reports and pictures from Day of Action here ) please help continue the momentum and stop the G8 plan to perpetuate climate chaos! (Spanish language CALL TO ACTION coming soon, see more info below.)
Contact:  g8@risingtidenorthamerica.org OR  justiciaclimatica06@gmail.com NOW!

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Website of the G8 + 5 Climate Change Dialogue

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Strategic International Meetings (PDF)
Date - October 3-4
Place - Mexico
Meeting - G8 + 5 Energy Ministers Meeting on the Gleneagles Dialogue
Agenda - Implementation of Gleneagles Plan of Action on Climate Change

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G8 Leaders Play Russian Roulette with Climate Chaos

On Sunday, July 16, 2006, G8 Leaders released a Communique and Plan of Action on Global Energy Security that will increase public support for the oil and fossil fuel industry and fuel global warming. The Plan, which emerges from the G8 Summit in Saint Petersburg, Russia, seeks to "create", "maintain", "encourage", "expand" and "develop" hydrocarbon production, processing and transportation capacity. The Plan fails to acknowledge the global warming implications of these measures and the consequences of G8 subsidies to oil and other fossil fuels.

The G8 Communique assumes a massive increase in demand for fossil fuels over the next 25 years and outlines on how governments and international institutions can work together to ensure that this expansion takes place. At the same time, the Communique reaffirms the G8's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But the G8 can't fight climate change and subsidize an expansion of fossil fuels at the same time!

The last paragraph of the G8 Communique revealed the false business-(as-usual)-friendly "solutions" to climate change that the G8 + 5 countries are scheduled to discuss at their Climate Summit coming up October 10-11 in Mexico City. The G8 Communique stated: "We look forward to the next Ministerial meeting in Mexico in October 2006, where we will continue to identify opportunities for greater collaboration to tackle climate change, while pursuing energy security and sustainable development through deployment of cleaner, more efficient and low-carbon energy technologies, finance and market mechanisms, including, as appropriate, Clean Development Mechanism, Joint Implementation, emissions trade, and adaptation."

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G8 Energy Security Plan Relies on Oil, Nuclear: All the G8 leaders reaffirmed the importance of the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and said they look forward to its 2007 report. The next step is a ministerial meeting in Mexico in October 2006, where the G8 countries "will continue to identify opportunities for greater collaboration to tackle climate change, while pursuing energy security and sustainable development through deployment of cleaner, more efficient and low-carbon energy technologies, finance and market mechanisms, including, as appropriate, Clean Development Mechanism, Joint Implementation, emissions trade, and adaptation," the leaders stated.

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Blair to push for progress on trade and climate change ? (Editor's note - As if that's not a contradiction?) : Published: July 14 2006 Tony Blair is determined to use this weekend's Group of Eight summit to boost progress on two fronts – climate change and world trade. On climate change, the British prime minister is looking to hasten progress on a post-Kyoto agreement that must take effect from 2012. ...This weekend's summit should aim to boost the chance of real progress being made at October's Mexico meeting of the Gleneagles "G8 plus five" dialogue on climate change, officials said.

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Stavros Dimas, Commissioner responsible for the Environment, Opening Speech on Climate Change, G8 + 5 Legislator's Forum, EP, Brussels, 7 July 2006:

I am very grateful that this G8 + 5 Climate Change Dialogue in partnership with the World Bank is trying to fill a long-recognised gap in international negotiations. I encourage you to forward your concrete proposals to next week's St. Petersburg Summit. However, your ideas should not only strengthen the message of our G8 Leaders, but we should also discuss them in Mexico City in early October when the G8 + 5 Environment and Energy Ministers gather for the 2nd Gleneagles Dialogue. (more excerpts below)

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In Their Own Words: What Is the G8 + 5 Climate Change Dialogue?

Dialogue Aim

The Dialogue will draw senior legislators together from the G8, India, China, Brazil, Mexico and South Africa with international business leaders, civil society representatives and opinion leaders to discuss a post 2012 climate change agreement.

Specifically, the Dialogue aims to present a consensus statement from the Dialogue participants to the G8 Heads of State at the 2008 G8 Summit in Japan.

Dialogue Objectives

1. To provide a Forum outside of formal international negotiating structures for legislators, senior business leaders and other key decision makers to discuss a 2012 climate change agreement – importantly allowing participants to contribute in confidence and thus address particular areas of contention without the restraint of a formal government negotiating position.
2. To create a greater understanding between participating legislators, business leaders and key civil society organisations about different country priorities and how any future political accommodation can be reached.
3. To share knowledge and expertise to identify specific measures to address climate change that legislators can support in their respective parliaments.
4. To provide an informal mechanism to engage with a broader constituency of key legislators – with a particular focus on fostering a greater contact and understanding between legislators from the G8 in general and more specifically Europe, USA, Japan, China and India.
5. To provide a mix of discussions open to the media and more confidential meetings.

Why was the Dialogue launched?

"Legislators have a key role to play in the development of a post 2012 climate change settlement."

"Without the constraint of formal government negotiating positions and with the direct contribution of ideas from business and civil society - the Dialogue will provide the G8 with independent and considered thinking on one of the biggest challenges the international community faces."

"In 2005 and in advance of the UK G8 Gleneagles Summit, GLOBE UK an All Party Parliamentary Group in the UK Houses of Parliament organised a one day Forum for parliamentarians from G8 and +5 countries. Senator John McCain addressed the Forum along with the now UK Foreign Secretary, Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP."

"The Forum also involved business representatives such as the then Chairman of Shell, Lord Oxburgh and international climate change experts such as the then President of the Royal Society, Lord May."

"Following the success of the Forum, the Canadian Government invited GLOBE UK to convene a second Legislators Forum in Montreal together with COM+ during the United Nations negotiations."

"Based on the success of these two individual events it was agreed that Legislators, business leaders and civil society representatives should meet in a more structured way. GLOBE UK was tasked with the facilitation of a 3 year Dialogue running until the Japanese G8 Heads of State Summit. It was also agreed that GLOBE UK would assume the Presidency of GLOBE International."

Working Groups

The G8 + 5 Climate Change Dialogue has established four Working Groups to develop specific policy proposals to be submitted to the main Legislators Forum.

Each Working Group has a nominated legislator from each G8 and +5 country as well as business and civil society representatives. The Working Groups are tasked with producing initial policy papers by the time of the Legislators Forum in Washington in February 2007.

The Working Groups directly parallel equivalent Working Groups of the G8+ Group of Energy and Environment Ministers. It was agreed by the G8 Heads of State at the Gleneagles Summit in 2005 that this group of ministers would meet as part of the 'Gleneagles Dialogue' in the run up to the Japanese G8 Presidency in 2008. The aim of this group of ministers is to develop specific policy proposals to be submitted to the G8 in 2008.

The Mexican government holds the current chair of the Gleneagles Dialogue.

The Chairs of the parallel Working Groups of the G8+5 Climate Change Dialogue have been invited by the Mexican government to participate in the main G8 Ministerial Working Groups.

Schedule of Working Group Meetings

11th May 2006 * Working Group Launch * Cologne Carbon Expo, Germany
* Joint Meeting of experts of the Development & Transfer of Technology Working Group and the Market Mechanisms and Economics Working Group

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7th-9th June * G8 Gleneagles Dialogue Working Groups Meeting * Mexico City, Mexico * Participation of Working Group Chairs at the G8+ Group of Energy & Environment Ministers Working Groups as part of the Gleneagles Dialogue

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22nd June 2006 * Adaptation Working Group Meeting * Department for International Development , UK * Meeting of experts of the Adaptation Working Group

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8th July 2006 * First Full Meeting of All Working Groups * European Parliament, Belgium * Meeting of all Dialogue Working Groups & Nomination of legislators from each G8 and +5 country

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November 2006 * Working Group Policy Development * India * Meeting of Experts of all Dialogue Working Groups

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February 2007 * 1st Presentation of Working Group Policy Papers * Washington, USA * Presentation of position papers for all Working Groups

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Working Groups: Terms of Reference & Background Papers

Please note that it has been agreed that Working Groups 1 & 2 will meet jointly and comprise the same Members.

The terms of Reference were proposed to each Working Group Chair by the International Advisory Board

Working Group 1: Development & Transfer of Technology

Chair: Mr. Anders Wijkman MEP (European Parliament Rapporteur on a Post 2012 Climate Change Settlement & Former UN Deputy Secretary General))

Terms of reference:
* Assess the planned capacity (emissions) schedule for key countries
* Identify the price gap for different technologies
* Assess the barrier to investment in lower carbon technologies
* Examine the role of Aid Agencies and Export Credit Agencies
* Examine the role of the IEA and The World Bank
* Assess Intellectual Property Rights
* Examine the role of the EU technology cooperation agreements – in particular the content & cost

Background Papers: The following background paper (PDF) has been produced with the kind support of the Royal Institute for International Affairs (Chatham House)

Working Group 2: Market Mechanisms & Economics

Chair: Rt. Hon. Stephen Byers MP (Former UK Cabinet Minister for Trade & Industry)

Terms of Reference:
* What market mechanisms have been most successful in achieving significant emission reductions and encouraging investment in low carbon technology and how might the scope of these market mechanisms be extended?
* What are the key drivers (i.e. security of supply, affordability, fuel poverty) of government decision making?
* What are the needs of investors?
* What can governments do to reduce uncertainties associated with investment in low carbon technologies?
* How do you integrate policies across jurisdictions (e.g. Europe/Asia) and sectors (e.g. energy/climate, transport/climate) to deliver the “optimal” answer?

Background Papers: The following background paper (PDF) has been produced with the kind support of the Royal Institute for International Affairs (Chatham House)

Working Group 3: Adaptation

Chair: Hon. Suresh Prabhu MP (Former Indian Cabinet Minister for the Environment)

Terms of Reference:
* Assess how vulnerability to disasters may increase in low-income countries because of climate change; identify disaster hot spots in different regions
* Discuss how awareness with regard to adaptation as well as disaster risks can be raised
* Assess gaps with regard to risk reduction and adaptation in conventional development planning and poverty reduction strategies
* Discuss the potential role of international agencies in adaptation (climate convention, humanitarian organisations, aid agencies, development banks etc)
* Identify research and technological gaps
* Assess the crucial role played by ecosystems in disaster prevention
* Define capacity building needs
* Discuss how resource mobilisation for adaptation can be improve

Background Papers: The following background paper (PDF) has been produced with the kind support of the RIIA (Chatham House)

Working Group 4: Efficiency

Chair: Representative Takashi Kosugi (former Japanese Cabinet Minister for Education & Science)

Terms of Reference:
* Identify the main potential for energy efficiency in different sectors
* Identify barriers to change
* Discuss how to promote the sharing of best practices on energy efficiency among legislators
* Discuss how incentives for energy efficiency can be promoted while not hurting the poor
* Assess why immediate efficiency gains are so difficult to harness
* Discuss different measures to provide incentives for investments in energy efficiency ( that appropriate mix between charges/rebates and regulation)

Background Papers: The following background paper (PDF)has been produced by GLOBE Japan.

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G8 + 5 Climate Change Dialogue Statement to the G8, the President of the World Bank and the Executive Director of the IEA (DOC)

Research by the World Bank and the International Energy Agency suggests that USD 300 billion per year for the next 25 years will need to be invested to meet the energy needs of developing countries and economies in transition. If we are smart, the investment will be channelled to increase climate and energy security as well as meeting economic and development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, in a low carbon way.

The World Bank estimates that adapting to the unavoidable impacts of climate change will require an additional USD 10-40 billion per year. If we do not take serious mitigation action now, this figure will increase dramatically and there will be severe impacts on public health and the availability of critical resources including water.

Against this background, our messages to the G8 leaders meeting in St Petersburg are:

• Action on climate change is urgent
• Climate security and energy security are inextricably linked. We welcome the discussion at St Petersburg and encourage the integration of the energy security and climate change elements. Energy efficiency and diversification of energy sources are key responses to both. For developing countries access to energy is vital for sustainable economic development and poverty alleviation.
• We strongly recommend that energy security and climate security remain at the top of the international agenda for the forthcoming German and Japanese presidencies of the G8
• We urge G8 leaders to show leadership by developing a clear framework that accelerates a shift to low carbon economies, including investment in low carbon R&D and business development, in line with the objective of establishing a long term stabilisation goal to avoid dangerous climate change
• We urge the G8 to make adaptation a priority - it is the poor who are the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
• We welcome the Mexican chairmanship of the Gleneagles Dialogue in 2006 and urge Heads of Government from the 20 participating countries to ensure that environment ministers, and particularly energy ministers, attend the ministerial in Mexico in October
• We urge G8 finance ministers to meet in early 2007 to secure the necessary finance to drive forward the World Bank’s Energy Investment Framework

This statement was formulated by legislators and participants from the G8+5 countries, Members of the European Parliament, business leaders and civil society representatives who met in Brussels 7th – 9th July as part of the ongoing G8+5 Legislators Dialogue on climate change.

Forum Co-Chairs’ Summary

The Forum was Co-Chaired by Mr. Anders Wijkman MEP, European Parliament Rapporteur on a post 2012 settlement, Ms Joan Ruddock, UK Member of Parliament & Dialogue Co-Chair & the Rt Hon Elliot Morley MP, UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative to the Gleneagles Dialogue.

Climate change and sustainable development are two of the greatest challenges we face. To stabilise the climate before dangerous impacts become unavoidable requires an urgent acceleration of public and private investment towards a low-carbon global economy. We believe that the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is a solid foundation for our efforts and the Kyoto Protocol is a significant first step. But existing policies and processes will not by themselves deliver the answers at current levels of urgency. We must expand the limits of the possible. That means framing the debate in ways that open up new political space for action, and building the broader coalitions between governments, the private sector, legislators and civil society.

We therefore applaud the G8 leaders for initiating, at the Gleneagles Summit last year, a new dialogue between 20 countries with the greatest energy needs to address climate change, clean energy and sustainable development. The Gleneagles Dialogue has created a political space, away from the formal UN negotiations, to discuss new ideas, identify common ground and practical actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We also applaud the invitation to multilateral agencies such as the World Bank and the International Energy Agency (IEA), whose involvement is vital to generating consensus between countries.

We endorse the principle of common but differentiated responsibility, enshrined in the UNFCCC, and strongly urge that this is embedded into any future framework, together with a commitment to build on existing green house gas market based mechanisms such as the Clean Development Mechanism and JI, and government-private partnerships in the context of international coordination.

We strongly agree with the calls from business for climate policy to be “long, loud and legal”: long, as in long term, to chime with capital investment cycles; loud enough to ensure clarity and consistency of messaging; and legal in terms of being underpinned by a binding international framework. Ultimately it is the innovation and investment of business, from multinationals to small and medium sized enterprises, that will deliver the low carbon solutions we need to successfully tackle climate change.

Russian G8 presidency

We welcome the decision of the Russian government to build on the Gleneagles G8 Summit by focusing on the issue of energy security. It is our belief that energy security and climate security should be dealt with together. If we do not successfully address both, we risk undermining our development, economic and security goals. We believe that energy efficiency and the diversification of energy sources are key responses. By using energy more efficiently and diversifying our energy sources we can reduce the energy intensity of our economies, reduce the stress on our energy infrastructure, strengthen development and, at the same time, reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. We also recognise the importance of reducing energy poverty and the need for access to energy to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

We strongly endorse the statement issued by the Joint Science Academies on Energy Sustainability and Security in June 2006.

We look forward to strong outcomes from the St Petersburg Summit on energy efficiency, diversification of energy sources and reducing energy poverty, including a commitment to:

• Adopt stringent energy efficiency standards and better labelling for energy intensive products, taking into account the different circumstances of developed and developing countries
• Introduce financial and tax incentives to promote the development and use of energy efficient technologies
• Use the power of public procurement to demonstrate leadership through incorporating energy efficient technologies and practices in government buildings and purchasing decisions
• Expand and strengthen the Global Environment Facility’s involvement in energy efficiency projects
• Increase public awareness about the benefits of energy efficiency
• Promote a diverse energy mix including the further development of low carbon energy sources and wider use of renewable energy

IEA Energy Technology Perspectives

We welcome the publication of the IEA’s Energy Technology Perspectives: Scenarios and Strategies to 2050 (ETP) as part of the IEA’s response to the call from G8 leaders for the Agency to advise on alternative scenarios and strategies aimed at a “clean, clever and competitive energy future”.

We believe the key points for G8 Heads attention are:

• A shift to cleaner technologies can be achieved at costs that are manageable. The introduction of clean technologies can be accelerated with a net cost of below USD25 per tonne of CO2. This figure is lower than the average price of CO2 permits under the European Emissions Trading Scheme in the last 12 months.

• Energy efficiency is essential. The IEA estimates that energy efficiency improvements alone can reduce the world’s energy demand in 2050 by an amount equivalent to almost half of today’s global energy consumption if governments are willing to implement measures that encourage the investment in energy efficient technologies.

• Decarbonising power generation is possible. Given projected use of fossil fuels, the capture and storage of CO2 emitted from power generation or industrial processes will be a key technology.

• Transport is key to reduce growth in oil demand. The IEA state that biofuels and more efficient vehicles can reduce the expected growth in oil demand for surface transport by almost 50 per cent by 2050.

• Substantial and urgent action is needed. Existing and emerging energy technologies can guide the world towards a more secure and sustainable energy future, but this will require dynamic financial and policy efforts by both the public and the private sector and unprecedented cooperation between developed and developing nations.

We strongly urge G8 leaders to act on the IEA’s work to develop the necessary framework to ensure that the expected USD 16 trillion of investment in energy over the next 30 years is directed into low carbon infrastructure to deliver a secure energy future.

The World Bank’s Energy Investment Framework

We look forward to the World Bank’s Energy Investment Framework (EIF) which the Bank has been developing in consultation with the regional development banks and the private sector.

We believe the framework has the potential to significantly increase the public and private investment in these areas (in the order of several billion dollars per year). It will require a significant and long-term commitment of finance, capacity and coordination by the World Bank and the regional development banks.

We need to ensure that progress with the Framework is maintained, to keep these issues high on the political agenda, and to keep up the pressure for international action.

As legislators we undertake to lobby our governments to ensure the EIF receives the required support.

We support the World Bank’s work to develop the Framework and look forward to it submitting a further report to the Annual Meetings in Singapore, in September, including a detailed work programme for the period 2006-2008.

We welcome the expansion of sustainable development at the World Bank through the integration of key sectors such as environment infrastructure, social development and agriculture under a common platform. We hope that this will result in the adoption of a comprehensive approach that will favour climate friendly policies and increased investment in clean energy in developing countries.

Next steps

We strongly endorse the work of the World Bank, and that of the IEA. We particularly urge countries to ensure that there is a strong statement of support from all the World Bank’s stakeholders at Singapore in September to ensure the Bank’s proposals can be turned quickly into reality.

For 2007 we:

• Urge the German government to use its presidencies of the G8 and the EU to build on the work of the Gleneagles Dialogue and the Russian G8 presidency, focusing on issues such as energy efficiency, clean energy and adaptation.

Key points for the G8+5 Legislators’ Dialogue working groups:

Working Group on Technology, Market Mechanisms & Economics
• Legislators are change agents
• The term “Incentives” is a proxy for “Who pays?”
• Access to energy is vital – we must remember that 230,000 villages in India do not have electricity

Working Group on Adaptation
• We are locked into inevitable climate change impacts through historical emissions. Developing countries will be hit hardest.
• Need to mainstream adaptation into all, not just environmental, policies
• Recommend a new organisation is considered that is focused on climate change adaptation and consolidates existing international organisations / bodies

vWorking Group on Efficiency
• A move to a low carbon economy must include energy efficiency
• Energy efficiency can create shareholder value, jobs and new markets as well as assisting sustainable development
• Action in the private sector is key but governments are critical for leadership and in forming public-private partnerships
• Need more information exchanges and better public education

Background

Legislators and representatives from the G8 countries, the European Parliament, together with those from Brazil, China, India and South Africa, convened in Brussels on 7th -8th July with business leaders and civil society representatives under the banner of the “G8+5 Climate Change Dialogue”. This dialogue, set up and facilitated by GLOBE in conjunction with the Com+ Alliance, is shadowing the official Gleneagles Dialogue process agreed at the UK’s G8 Summit in 2005.

Our discussions over the past two days have been informed by presentations and interventions from a wide range of legislators, international institutions and business including: Stavros Dimas, European Commissioner for Environment, Paul Wolfowitz, President of the World Bank; US Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman (in a joint letter); Elliot Morley, the UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative to the Gleneagles Dialogue; Zhang Wantai, Member of the Chinese National People’s Congress & Vice Chairman of the Environment Committee; Neil Hirst, Director Research & Development at the International Energy Agency, BP, Enel-Spa and Otaviano Canuto, Executive Director to the World Bank for Brazil.

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Stavros Dimas, Commissioner responsible for the Environment, Opening Speech on Climate Change, G8 + 5 Legislator's Forum, EP, Brussels, 7 July 2006:

Meeting the climate challenge requires efforts to reduce global emissions by the widest possible group of industrialised countries and major developing nations. We of course expect the United States - as the world's main emitter of greenhouse gases with levels well above 1990 - to take strong and resolute action on climate change, and I believe there are encouraging signs on the other side of the Atlantic. Let me welcome the participation of senators Craig, Biden, Boxer and Jeffords in this dialogue. I am also pleased that senators Mc Cain and Lieberman joined the G8 +5 Forum this morning.

For developing countries, many interesting ideas are being considered that I believe can be part of the solution. Many developing countries are increasingly pursuing sustainable development policies which also benefit climate change. Likewise, climate policies and efforts to curb the increase of carbon emissions can provide a basis for rapid economic growth through the transfer and deployment of clean technologies. The recent informal Ministerial meeting in South Africa on the future of climate action emphasised the potential of this approach.

China, for instance, recently adopted its 11th Five-Year blueprint. In this programme it sets the target of reducing China's energy intensity by 20 percent by 2010. I take this opportunity to welcome the high-level delegation from the National People's Congress to this G8 + 5 event in Brussels.

Brazil has made large investments in its production of biofuels, initially to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuel, but is now reaping the broader sustainable development benefits of these investments. India has embarked on an ambitious programme of rural electrification. Research shows the tremendous economic and environmental benefits if India's rural electrification programme were implemented using renewable energy.

Still, by 2015, CO2 emissions from developing countries will exceed those from the OECD and are likely to continue to grow.

The market needs to provide robust incentives to develop and deploy climate-friendly technologies. Without a price on carbon, there is a risk that clean technologies remain on the shelf. In the EU's view, market-based mechanisms will need to play a key role in the future international climate system. They harness the creativity of the business sector, offer incentives to cut emissions and reduce compliance costs. The EU will explore how best to expand the emerging carbon market and make it truly global. EU emission trading could constitute the first basis of a global market, expanded to new countries, to other greenhouse gases and to new sectors. This is why a well functioning EU emission trading is vital to how the global carbon market evolves in the future.

Another approach which I think it is worth to have a closer look at is sector-based policies. Such policies could set the framework for a contribution of specific industry sectors across the globe, including in developing countries, to the climate change challenge. This could include providing market-based incentives for the sector concerned or, alternatively, setting global energy efficiency targets.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

There are many ways we can co-operate to combat climate change. The EU remains committed to multilateral negotiations in the context of the UNFCCC. But we are ready to be innovative as to how we engage other countries. Last year, the EU agreed a number of ground-breaking new partnerships, notably with China and India. Much work has already been done to implement these. This includes cooperation on practical solutions to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy. The Commission and the UK are also funding the first phase of work on a demonstration near-zero emission coal-fired power plant in China, using carbon capture and storage technology.

At this month's G8 Summit in St Petersburg, world leaders will discuss energy security and demand, in view of strengthening co-operation in this area. The energy debate is central to climate policy. The International Energy Agency pointed to the fact that over the coming 25 years investments into the energy sector alone will require at least US$ 17 trillion. This new investment is a huge opportunity for deploying clean and climate-friendly technologies.

The G8, but also EU energy policy, must balance concerns for energy supply and competitiveness with climate concerns. The Gleaneagles Action Plan must be brought forward. Energy efficiency is central to a responsible energy policy. It provides important economic and environmental benefits. To support this, the Commission will put forward an Action Plan on Energy Efficiency, with concrete measures allowing the EU to save 20% of its projected energy consumption by 2020.

Our drive for more renewable energy must continue. EU head of state and government recently proposed to raise the share of renewable energy in the EU to 15% and the proportion of biofuels to 8% by 2015. There will also be new measures on biomass and biofuels.

Winning the battle against climate change concerns us all. The necessary scale of global action to fight climate change can only be delivered if national legislators put in place the necessary policy framework and the right priorities are set for public spending. You as legislators play an eminent role in this.

I am very grateful that this G8 + 5 Climate Change Dialogue in partnership with the World Bank is trying to fill a long-recognised gap in international negotiations. I encourage you to forward your concrete proposals to next week's St. Petersburg Summit. However, your ideas should not only strengthen the message of our G8 Leaders, but we should also discuss them in Mexico City in early October when the G20 Environment and Energy Ministers gather for the 2nd Gleneagles Dialogue.

And just to underline, the time of theoretical debates about climate change is over, we need practical and effective actions. The more concrete your proposals will be, the greater the chance that they will fall on fertile ground. The Commission is ready to listen to the G8 + 5 dialogue.

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Mobilize for climate justice and against climate chaos! Counter the G8 + 5's Dialogue for Carbon Trading!

Contact g8(AT)risingtidenorthamerica.org (english) OR justiciaclimatica06(AT)gmail.com (español) NOW!