Search

date: 1 April 2009

embargo: 00.01hrs Thursday 2 April 2009

G20 must seize chance to 'Put People First'

Gordon Brown and his fellow G20 leaders must agree an overhaul of the global economy to promote jobs, justice and climate when they meet today (Thursday) in London, according to Put People First, an unprecedented alliance of more than 160 unions, development, environment and faith groups.

Blind faith in markets must be replaced with an economic system that works in the interests of people and planet and provides sturdy foundations for future prosperity.

That means a strong package of reform including:

• making financial institutions and multinationals transparent and publicly accountable;
• action on tax havens to stop business and rich people avoiding their social responsibilities at the expense of the poor;
• an end to efforts to push developing countries to liberalise and deregulate their economies;
• massive investment in a 'green new deal' based on decent work and fair pay;
• increasing overseas aid and strengthening health, education and other public services at home and abroad;
• real progress towards a climate deal that will limit temperature increases to well below 2^oC; and,
• fundamentally reforming global institutions such as the World Bank and IMF to give poor countries a say in the decisions that affect their lives

More than 35,000 people protested in London on Saturday in support of 'jobs, justice and climate' - a visible demonstration that people from across the political spectrum support real change.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'There will be radical voices at the summit, with at least some leaders signed up for a big fiscal stimulus, a green new deal, tough global regulation and action on inequality. The question is whether those voices will carry the day. If they don't, our campaign goes on to the G8, the UN and other G20 meetings.

'This is a decisive year for the whole planet. A heavy responsibility lies on every nation to ensure that we don't just counter the recession but set in place the structures and policies that will ensure the world is never again threatened by financial meltdown and emerges as a greener and fairer place.'

Barbara Stocking, Oxfam Chief Executive, said: 'The time for talking by G20 leaders is over. Warm words must now be replaced by action to tackle poverty.

'The world cannot afford attempts to return to 'business as usual'. Nor should differences between rich countries be used as an excuse for inaction. Millions of already poor men, women and children are becoming much more vulnerable, with many pushed to the edges of destitution.'

Ashok Sinha, Director of Stop Climate Chaos, said: 'The heat is on to get a fair international climate change deal at Copenhagen in December that keeps global warming under 2^oC. The G20 is a major stepping-stone towards that goal.

'Instead of boosting more unsustainable consumption the hundreds of billions of dollars on the G20 table for a fiscal stimulus must be used to invest away from using fossil fuels in favour of low carbon economies, as well as supporting low carbon development in poor countries.

'With bold action G20 leaders can seize the opportunity to tackle both climate change and the economic downturn together at the same time.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

-The following organisations are supporting Put People First: ActionAid, Action for Global Climate Community, ACTSA, Advocacy International, Akina Mama Wa Africa, AMREF UK, ATL, Avaaz, BECTU, BOND, Bretton Woods Project, CAFOD, Centre for Democracy and Development, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, Change is Coming, Christian Aid, Compass, Concern Worldwide (UK), Co-operative News, Connect, Dalit Solidarity Network UK, Defend Council Housing, Engineers Against Poverty, Equity, Everychild, Fairtrade Foundation, Fatima Women's Network, Find Your Feet, Fire Brigades Union, Friends of the Earth, GardenAfrica, Global Call to Action Against Poverty, GMB, Green New Deal Group, Greenpeace, HelpAge International, Jubilee Debt Campaign, Lattitude, Merlin, Micah Challenge UK, MRDF, Musicians Union, Muslim Council of Britain, NASUWT, National Union of Journalists, National Union of Teachers, NEF, New Internationalist, Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, One World Action, Oxfam, Pants to Poverty, PCS, People and Planet, Progressio, Prospect, Red Pepper, RMT, Salvation Army, Save the Children, Shelter, Stamp Out Poverty, STOP AIDS Campaign, Stop Climate Chaos, Synergy Centre, Tax Justice Network, Teach a Man to Fish, Tearfund, Thirty-eight degrees, Tourism Concern, Trade Justice Movement, Trades Union Congress, Trading Visions, Traidcraft, Transnational Institute, Transport Salaried Staffs' Association, UCU, UK Aid Network, UNISON, UNITE, Usdaw, VSO, War on Want, Womankind Worldwide, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, World Development Movement, World Vision, WWF.

- The policy statement is available at http://www.putpeoplefirst.org.uk/about-us/policy-platform

and sets out 12 key policies for the G20 summit to address:

Put People First: Ensure democratic governance of the economy

We believe that the first step is that there is a need for a transparent and accountable process for reforming the international financial system. This will require the consultation of all governments, parliaments, trade unions and civil society, with the United Nations (UN) playing a key role.

1. Compel tax havens to abide by strict international rules.

2. Insist on fundamental governance reform of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

3. Make all financial institutions, financial products and multinationals transparent and publicly accountable.

Jobs: Decent jobs and public services for all

4. Ensure a massive investment in a green new deal to build a green economy based on decent work and fair pay.

5. Invest in and strengthen public provision of essential services.

6. Work to ensure sufficient emergency funding to all countries that need it, without damaging conditionalities attached.

Justice: End global poverty and inequality

7. Deliver 0.7% of national income as aid by 2013, deliver aid more effectively and push for the cancellation of all illegitimate and unpayable developing country debts.

8. Ensure that poorer states are allowed to take responsibility for managing their economies, including controlling cross-border capital flows.

9. Stop pushing developing countries to liberalise and deregulate their economies, and do not attempt to rush through a completion of the Doha trade round, a deal that developing countries have rejected several times.

Climate: Build a Green Economy

10. In addition to the green new deal (recommendation 4), introduce the robust regulatory requirements and financial incentives needed to deliver a green economy.

11. Push for a deal at Copenhagen to agree substantial, verifiable cuts in greenhouse gases, which will limit temperature increases to well below 2°C.

12. Commit to substantial new resource transfer from North to South, additional to Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), to support adaptation and sustainable development in poor countries.

Contacts: Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Elly Brenchley T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07900 910624 E: ebrenchley@tuc.org.uk

Media contacts for People First: ActionAid Asha Tharoor 07912 387396; Oxfam Jon Slater 07876 476403; CAFOD Pascale Palmer 07785 950585; Jubilee Debt Campaign Jonathan Stevenson 07932 335464; Progressio Jo Barrett 07940 703911; World Vision Sophia Mwangi 07725 372864; Tearfund Jonathan Spencer 07767 473516; War on Want Paul Collins 07983 550728; World Development Movement Kate Blagojevic 07711 875345.

Press release (1,200 words) issued 2 Apr 2009