Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) from the United States on Wednesday said they hoped the Bush administration would get the message conveyed by the booing of US Secretary of State during his address at the World Summit.
”The Bush administration should realise it is not representative of Americans,” said World Wildlife Fund climate director Jennifer Morgan.
Hopefully the administration will now realise how the non-governmental organisations felt, said Tony Juniper, vice-chairman of Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) at a news conference in Johannesburg.
Delegates jeered, booed, slow-clapped and shouted Powell down during his address at a summit plenary.
Juniper, one of those who walked out while Powell spoke, said there were some planned actions, while other audience members merely vented their anger.
He mentioned Powell’s reference to his government’s commitment regarding climate change.
Powell said the US was committed to a billion-dollar programme to develop and deploy advanced technologies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
Throughout the summit, the US, which is responsible for nearly a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, has been criticised for its refusal to ratify the Kyoto protocol, which is aimed at curbing such emissions.
Juniper said the US — ”the world’s single super-polluter” — was indeed committed to changing the climate, by making it worse.
Four non-governmental organisations — the Centre for Environmental Health (CEH), Global Exchange, the International Forum on Globalisation and the Sierra Club — said in a statement that at least five American environmental and anti-poverty leaders were forced out of the plenary for protesting. Their access badges were confiscated as well.
”Hundreds of other civil society representatives from around the world chanted ‘Shame on Bush’ and at least 30 others staged a walk-out, with many having their badges confiscated.”
During Powell’s speech three banners were unfurled that read ”Bush: People and Planet, not Big Business”.
NGO delegates — including anti-poverty, environmental, health conservation, youth and labour advocates — chanted the words ”Shame on Bush,” the statement said.
”The activists said they acted in disgust over the Bush administration’s actions favouring large corporate interests over the environment and people,” the statement said.
CEH executive director Michael Green said the US, as the world’s wealthiest country, had the responsibility to take the lead in protecting the earth and creating a just and sustainable future.
”Now, by obstructing accords on renewable energy, climate change, and other progress that could have been made at this summit, the Bush administration has not only refused to lead, but it has dragged other countries down too.” – Sapa