Expenses that cost the earth

south west | globalisation | opinion/analysis Thursday June 04, 2009 08:43 by Oxfam Southwest - Oxfam hdurrant at oxfam dot org dot uk 0117 916 6474

Time to balance the north-south account

Expenses have hit the headlines, but June promises to be a month that might come at a high cost to the earth and its people. This month we vote in EU and local elections and celebrate world environment day while 182 governments are meeting in Bonn to tackle global warming.

The EU and the representatives we elect, including those in local government, have a vital role to play in future climate negotiations. The EU, the United States, China, Russia, India and Japan produce over three–quarters of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, the principle cause of climate change. The 49 least developed countries account for just 1% of global emissions, but bear the brunt of their impacts. 300 million people are affected by climate change at a total economic cost of $125 billion per year.

The UK government and the EU need to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2020 and provide adaptation funding so that poor communities around the world can protect themselves against climate change. Oxfam estimates at least $50bn is needed globally annually, yet funding from rich countries is woeful. The £93m spent annually on UK MP expenses could have provided bed nets to protect 74.4million children from malaria, an illness that is likely to be made more prevalent by global warming. Rich countries should provide additional money to support low carbon growth in developing countries enabling them to grow and cope with the floods, droughts and famines caused by climate change. We are campaigning for a fair deal in the crucial Copenhagen climate change talks in December. This is a an expenses scandal that is costing lives here and now.

by Roger James, Oxfam South West