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25 NOV 2013

Massive public pressure needed to rescue climate deal after Warsaw farce and fiasco, warns Oxfam

The Warsaw Climate Change Conference drew to a close on 23 November after a fortnight of farce and fiasco. Since there was very little progress on reducing emissions, Oxfam warned that only massive public pressure could rescue a climate deal. Earlier, Oxfam, together with a number of NGOs, walked out of the climate talks to protest the inaction.

Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of Oxfam International, said: “The Warsaw talks opened amidst the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan. It is a warning of what climate change could mean for us all, yet governments barely seemed to notice.

“Oxfam walked out of the Warsaw climate talks because enough is enough. Commitments were being flouted. Governments with the power to break the deadlock were acting recklessly, and the pervasive influence of dirty energy was wrecking the prospect of a food-secure future.”

At the talks, Japan joined Canada in back-peddling on promised emissions reductions. Australia, the United States and the European Union have refused to say how they will deliver on their commitment to scale up climate finance.  And the US, Australia, Japan, Canada, China, India, Brazil and others have pushed through a blue print for a new climate deal which will allow countries to choose their own weak emissions reduction targets. 

“Very few countries can leave Warsaw with their head held high. We have witnessed a race to the bottom in these negotiations, and it’s the world’s poorest people who stand to lose the most,” said Byanyima.   

“It’s time to press the reset button. We need to take these critical decisions for our planet’s future out from behind closed doors and give them back to the people. A global climate deal still offers the best hope of avoiding climate catastrophe, but it’s going to take every one of us to make it happen.”

About Oxfam
Oxfam is dedicated to fighting poverty and inequity worldwide. The international and independent development and humanitarian organisation tackles poverty in four main ways: sustainable development in poor communities, disaster relief, local, national and global advocacy, and education with Hong Kong youth. Established in Hong Kong in 1976, Oxfam Hong Kong is a founding member of Oxfam, an international confederation that has assisted poor people in 94 countries. Oxfam Hong Kong alone has supported poor people in over 70 countries/regions.

For media enquiries, please contact
Kit Chau
Assistant Communications Officer
Telephone: + 852 3120-5272
Email: kit.chau@oxfam.org.hk

Sarah Chu
Communications Officer
Telephone: + 852 3120-5280 / + 852 9276 0064
Email: sarah.chu@oxfam.org.hk

Big headed’ world leaders from Japan, France, Germany, US stand at a fork in the road. Oxfam says world leaders must decide which route they want to take after the fiasco of Warsaw climate talks.