"Progress at the MEF was always about building trust between the developed and developing world, that climate action was going to a shared responsibility and proportionate.
"When the leaders of the world's most powerful developed economies failed to adopt tough mid term emission reduction targets and to put money on the table for adaptation and mitigation in the developing world, they torpedoed any chance a good outcome at the MEF," said Phil Radford, Greenpeace USA Executive Director.
"When they try to blame China and India for the failure their excuse will be hollow. The failure is one of leadership from the G8."
"It is hard to believe that any of the G8 Heads of State had the audacity to look the leaders from the developing world at the MEF in the eyes and talk about joint action to protect the climate, most especially President Obama who chaired the meeting," said Radford.
The G5 -- China, Brazil, India, Mexico and South Africa -- yesterday called for developed countries to cut emissions by 40% by 2020. This highlights - as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed yesterday - that the major obstacle to progress is he fact that the G8 and the rest of the developed world need to adopt strong mid-term targets in order to repair the trust deficit built up by their inaction over the last decade.
Without a commitment from the G8 to invest US$106 billion (€74 billion) of the US$140 billion needed annually to enable developing countries to tackle climate change and fund forest protection, the chasm between the developed and developing world will grow.
It is up to the G8 leaders to take the first step. They are the most responsible for climate change. They are responsible for over 47% of C02 emissions; the developing countries within MEF about 25%. It is the G8 that has shown the least willingness to commit to action.
Update from the activities around Italy
At Vado Ligure (near Genoa) the 11 climbers who had been on the two chimney stacks since the early hours of Wednesday
morning have now come down off the stack. They were greeted by local people who hosted a party in a nearby park for them. There has been strong opposition to the coal plant in this area.
Marghera, Venice: the climbers are off the cranes, but remain on the conveyor belts of the plant, where they have painted
G8: LEAD OR LOSE. Activists on three inflatables then painted the words G8: DON'T DROWN VENICE on the side of the
coal ship they had been blockading - the Bulk Brasil, which has been trying to unload coal from South Africa.
Porto Tolle: Eight climbers remain on the chimney, where they have painted C02 KILLS
Brindisi: the occupation of the plant continues.
Other contacts: Greenpeace media contacts at L’Aquila are: • Beth Herzfeld, Greenpeace International Press Officer: +44 (0)7717 802 891 • Tobias Muenchmeyer, Greenpeace Political Unit: +49 (0)15114533073 • Phil Radford, Greenpeace USA Executive Director: +1 202 907 6500 • Guruswamy Ananthapadmanabhan +31 646 184 252 Greenpeace International Programme DirectorGreenpeace International contacts at coal plant occupations: Cindy Baxter, (in Rome – and to set up calls with Julien) +31 646 197 332Venice: Jo Kuper (and to set up calls with Ben): +31 646 162 039 Venice: Joris Thijssen, Greenpeace climate campaigner: +31 646 162 031Vado Ligure: Abigail Jabines Greenpeace International Climate campaigner (Philippino): +39 339 336 2674 and Sara Pizzinato (Spanish) +39 349 711 8252For detailed updates, blogs and twitters from the activists - and further information: http://www.greenpeace.org/g8
VVPR info: For video footage contact 
or +31 634 738 790.For photos contact John Novis at 
or +44 207 865 8230.
Exp. contact date: 2009-07-12 00:00:00