Global Commons Institute

Climate, Debt, Equity and Survival

Open letter - for co-signatures, see below

(Shortened version published in 'The independent' (UK) 24th Dec. 1999).

Letters from Michael Meacher and Svend Auken

[Environment Ministers of UK and Denmark]

supporting "Contraction and Convergence" appear at the end of the signature list.

Please add your signature below

Dear Sir

 The debts that the wealthy countries have recently forgiven their poorer neighbours are as nothing in comparison with the amount that these countries already owe the rest of the world for the increased global warming they have caused and are still causing. Inevitably there are links between this and the rising frequency and severity of storms, floods, droughts and the damages these are causing in many places across the world.

While debts worth roughly $3 billion have just been conditionally written off by the UK, the cost of the infra-structural damage done by the recent floods in Venezuela alone has been put at $10 billion. In addition, tens of thousands of lives have been lost there. Is anybody brave enough to put a monetary value on these?

Moreover, the greenhouse gases the energy-intensive countries have discharged into the atmosphere in the past two centuries will stay potentially even beyond the new century, causing death and destruction year after year. The debt relief, on the other hand, is a one-off event. Fifty-six countries were affected by severe floods and at least 45 by drought during 1998, the most recent year for which figures are available. In China, the worst floods for 44 years displaced 56 million people in the Yangtze basin and destroyed almost five per cent of the country's output for the year, for which climate change was one of the causes. In Bangladesh, an unusually long and severe monsoon flooded two-thirds of the country for over a month and left 21 million people homeless.

Paul Epstein of Harvard Medical School has estimated that in the first eleven months of 1998, weather-related losses totaled $89billion and that 32,000 people died and 300 million were displaced from their homes. This was more than the total losses experienced throughout the 1980s, he said. The rate of destruction will accelerate because greenhouse gases are still being added to the atmosphere at perhaps five times the rate that natural systems can remove them. By 2050, annual losses could theoretically amount to anywhere between 12 per cent and 130 percent of the gross world product. In other words, more than the total amount the world produces that year could be destroyed and life as we know it could collapse. For the industrialized countries, the damage could be anywhere between 0.6 per cent and17 per cent of their annual output, and for the rest of the world, between 20 per cent and 200 per cent.

Michael Meacher, the UK Environment Minister, has recognised this. He recently told the Royal Geological Society that, "the future of our planet, our civilisation and our survival as a human species... may well depend on [our responding to the climate crisis by] fusing the disciplines of politics and science within a single coherent system."

"Contraction and Convergence" is such a system. As Sir John Houghton, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently told the British Association for the Advancement of Science, global greenhouse emissions need tobe reduced by at least 60% in less than a hundred years.

When governments agree to be bound by such a target, the diminishing amount of carbon dioxide and the other greenhouse gases that the world could release while staying within the target can be calculated for each year in the coming century.This is the contraction part of the process.

The convergence part is that each year's tranche of this global emissions budget gets shared out among the nations of the world in a way which ensures that every country converges on the same allocation per inhabitant by, say, 2030, the date Sir John suggested. Countries unable to manage within their allocations would, within limits, be able to buy the unused parts of the allocations of other, more frugal, countries.

Sales of unused allocations would give the countries of the South the income to purchase or develop zero-emission ways of meeting their needs. The countries of the North would benefit from the export markets this restructuring would create. And the whole world would benefit by the slowing the rate at which damage was being done.

Because "Contraction and Convergence" provides an effective, equitable and efficient framework within which governments can work to avert climate change, even some progressive fossil fuel producers have now begun to demonstrate a positive interest in the concept. Consequently, as Jubilee 2000and Seattle have shown, governments and powerful interests are helped to change by coherent coordinated pressure from civil society.

Yours sincerely

1. Aubrey Meyer - Global Commons Institute (GCI)
2. Richard Douthwaite - Author of the Growth Illusion, Ireland
3. Mayer Hillman - Senior Fellow Emeritus Policy Studies Institute, UK
4. Titus Alexander - Chair Westminster UNA/Charter 99
5. Tom Spencer - Secretary General GLOBE Council
6. David Chaytor MP, Chair GLOBE UK All Party Group.
7. Andrew Simms - Global Economy Programme, New Economics Foundation
8. Annikki Hird - Student Cincinnati Ohio USA
9. George Monbiot - Journalist UK
10. J N von Glahn - Chairman, Solar Hydrogen Energy Group
11. Nick Robins - Director, Sustainable Markets Group IIED
12. John Whitelegg - Eco-Logica Ltd
13. Nicholas Hildyard - The Corner House, UK
14. Helen N Mendoza - Haribon Foundation and SOLJUSPAX, Philippines
15. Sam Ferrer - Green Forum Philippines
16. Ramon Sales Jnr. - Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement
17. Larry Lohmann - The Corner House, UK
18. Daniel M. Kammen - Associate Professor of Energy and Society, Director, Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) Energy and Resources Group (ERG) University of California Berkeley, USA
19. Hans Taselaar - Association for North-South Campaigns, Programme Manager ESD, Netherlands
20. Anil Agarwal - Director Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, India
21. Dr Frances MacGuire - Climate Change Policy Coordinator Friends of the Earth (England Wales and Northern Ireland)
22. Matthias Duwe - Student, SOAS, London, UK
23. Krista Kim - Student, UC Berkeley, CA US
24. Agus Sari - Executive Director Pelangi, Indonesia
25. Patrick Boase - Chairperson, Letslink, Scotland
26. Joerg Haas - Germany
27. Tony Cooper - MA DipStat MBCS CEng GCI
28. Thomas Ruddy - Chairperson and editor "Computers and Climate"
29. Paul Burstow - UK
30. Mark Lynas - Co-ordinator, Corporate Watch, UK
31. Philippe Pernstich - Global Commons Institute
32. Rohan D'Souza - Yale University, USA
33. Boudewijn Wegerif - Project Leader, Monetary Studies Programme
34. Jyoti Parikh - Senior Professor Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research India, National Project Coordinator, Capacity Building Project, UNDP Chairperson, Environmental Economics Research Committee EMCaB, Worldbank
35. Aniko Boehler - Chairperson, Senso Experience & Projects
36. Marc van der Valk - Barataria, Netherlands
37. Charlotte Pulver - UK
38. Charlotte Rees - UK
39. Paul Ekins - Forum for the Future, UK
40. Lara Marsh - Tourism Concern UK
41. Angie Zelter - Reforest the Earth, UK
42. Peter Doran - Foyle Basin Council (Local AGenda 21 Derry)
43. Paul Swann - Global Resource Bank
44. Adam Purple - "Zentences!" and  "The [late NYC] Garden of Eden"
45. Martin Piers Dunkerton - Director Paradise Films UK
46. Alan Sloan - GRB Ecology Department UK
47. John Thomas - Energy Spokesperson Calderdale Green Party UK
48. Rick Ostrander - Relax for Survival USA
49. Christopher Harris - US
50. Carol Brouillet - Founder- Who's Counting Project, CA US
51. John Pozzi - Acting Manager Global Resource Bank
52. Icydor Mohabier - Georgia State University US
53. Christopher Harris - US
54. David Thomas - UK
55. Christopher Keene - Globalisation Campaigner/Green Party of England and Wales
56. Piet Beukes - Industrial Missionar, ICIM South Africa
57. John Devaney - International Co-ordinator, Green Party of England and Wales
58. Jama Ghedi, Abdi - Msc&MA - Gawan Environmental Centre, Somali NGOs
59. Julie Lewis - Centre for Participation, New Economics Foundation
60. Juliet Nickels - UK
61. Dr Caroline Lucas MEP - Member of European Parliament, Green Party
62. Dr David Cromwell - Oceanographer, UK, author "Private Planet" publ. June 2000, Jon Carpenter.
63. Colin Price - Professor of Environmental and Forestry Economics, University of Wales, Bangor
64. Patrick McCully - International Rivers Network Berkeley, California USA
65. Samantha Berry - Post-graduate student (PhD)
66. Caspar Davis - Victoria, BC Canada
67. David J. Weston - Monetary Reform Group UK
68. Joseph Mishan - Stort Valley FOE local group
69. Ryan Hunter - Center for Environmental Public Advocacy, Slovak Republic
70. Dr. Elizabeth Cullen - Irish Doctors Environmental Association
71. Tom Athanasiou - Writer, USA
72. Jamie Douglas Page - UK
73. Rosli Omar - SOS Selangor, Malaysia
74. Michal Kravcik - People and Water, Slovak Republic
75. Daphne Thuvesson - Trees and People Forum, Editor/Forests Trees & People Newsletter,  SLU Kontakt Swedish Uni. Agricultural Sciences
76. Chris Lang - Germany
77. Sarmila Shrestha - Executive Secretary, Women Acting Together for Change
78. Narayan Kaji Shrestha - Volunteer, Women Acting Together for Change
79. Wong Meng-chuo - Co-ordinator, IDEAL Malaysia
80. Amanda Maia Montague - international spiritual activist
81. Soumya Sarkar - Principal Staff Writer, The Financial Express
82. Sujata Kaushic - Editor Wastelands News, SPWD, NEW DELHI
83. Xiu Juan Liu - student Department of Geography University of Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
84. Ross Gelbspan - Author 'The Heat Is On' and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
85. Barry Coates - Director World Development Movement UK
86. Aubrey Manning - UK
87. Andy Thorburn - Composer, Pianist and seed potato inspector, Scotland
88. Mike Read - Mike Read Associates, Australia
89. Shalmali Guttal - Focus on the Global South, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok THAILAND
90. Jennie Richmond - Policy Officer Christian Aid
91. Lavinia Andrei - Co-ordinator Climate Action Network Central and Eastern Europe (Romania)
92. Dr. Ing. Joachim Nitsch - DLR, German Aerospace Center; 'System Analysis and Technology Assessment'
93. Karla Schoeters - Co-ordinator Climate Network Europe
94. Sibylle Frey - Researcher UK
95. Dr Ben Matthews - Global Commons Institute
96. Wolfgang Sachs - Wuppertal Institite Germany, IPCC TAR WG3 Lead Author
97. Bernd Brouns - University of Lüneburg Germany
98. Jindra Cekan, PhD - American Red Cross, Washington DC USA
99. Rohan D'Souza - postdoctoral Fellow, Agrarian Studies Program Yale University
100. John Tuxill - School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University
101. Olav Hohmeyer - Prof. Dr. University of Flensburg
102. Grant Harper - Victoria, Australia
103. Frances Fox - Asst. Manager, Global Resource Bank
104. Ernst von Weizsaecker, MP (SPD) - President, Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment & Energy, Germany
105. Marci Gerulis- Graduate Student, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
106. András LUKÁCS - President Clean Air Action Group, Budapest, Hungary
107. Srisuwan Kuankachorn - Director, Project for Ecological Recovery, Bangkok, Thailand
108. Devinder Sharma - journalist and author New Delhi, India
109. Ryan Fortune - journalist, Cape Times, Cape Town, South Africa
110. Emer O Siochru - Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability (FEASTA) Ireland
111. Anne Ryan - National University of Ireland, Maynooth
112. David O'Kelly - Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability (FEASTA) Ireland
113. Youba Sokona - Executive Secretary for International Relations of ENDA-TM, Dakar, Senegal
114. Jia Kangbai - Managing Editor, The Progress Online, Sierra Leone
115. James K. Boyce - Economics Dept University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003 USA
116. Judit.Halasz - Green-Women, Hungary
117. Dr.Saleemul Huq - Executive Director Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies
118. Dr. Jean-Michel Parrouffe - Association Québécoise des Énergies Renouvelables
119. Guy Dauncey - Author Victoria, Canada
120. Dr. Alex Casella - Prof.& Director of Energy Studies, University of Illinois
121. Michael R. Meuser - Clary Meuser Research Associates, Santa Cruz, CA USA
122. Arthur H. Campeau Q.C. - Ambassador for Environment and Sustainable Development
123. Professor Jack Dymond - Oregon State University
124. Donald L. Anderson - Biologist,USA (Maine)
125. Douglas G. Fox, Ph.D. - President, Fox & Associates, Former President, Air & Waste Management Association & Chief Scientist, USDA-Forest Service USA
126. Clive Hamilton - Executive Director, The Australia Institute
127. Emilio Sempris - Coordinator, National Climate Change Program (Panama)
128. Michael Roth - Queensland Transport, Australia
129. Carrie Sonneborn - Australian Cooperative Research Centre for Renewable Energy, Western Australia
130. Ali Bos - Postgraduate student, Canberra, Australia
131. Ilona Graenitz - Director, GLOBE Europe
132. Sungnok Andy Choi - Student/The Graduate Institute of Peace Studies
133. James Robertson - Prog. Mgr., Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research, Japan
134. Thomas Bernheim - Expert Federal Planning Bureau, Belgium
135. Julian Salt - Project Manager, Natural Perils, Loss Prevention Council UK
136. Winona Alama - South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)
137. Fatu Tauafiafi - Information and Publications Officer, South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)
138. Maria Lourdes 'Pinky' Baylon - University of Cambridge UK
139. Ying Shen - student of environmental chemistry Oklahoma City, US
140. Susan Engelke - student Sacramento, California, US
141. Pierre-Jean Arpin - France
142. Dr. Muawia H. Shaddad - Sudanese Environment Conservation Society
143. Christer Krokfors - University of Uppsala, Finland
144. Jesus Ramos-Martin - MSc Ecological Economics Keele University, UK
145. Lelei LeLaulu - Counterpart International
146. John Vandenberg - Resource Planning & Development Commission, Tasmania, Aust.
147. Pervinder Sandhu - ART
148. Paul Gregory - Researcher
149. Eleanor Chowns - Co-Ordinator GLOBE UK
150. Jurgen Maier - Forum Umwelt & Entwicklung, Germany
151. Grace Akumu - Executive Director Climate Network Africa
152. Robert Engelman - Vice President for Research, Population Action International
153. Tim O'Riordan - Associate Director, C-SERGE, UK
154. Ted Trainer - Author 'Developed to Death', Austrialia
155. Barry Budd - Australia
156. Tim Lenton - Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK
157. Tony Whittaker - retired solicitor, founder member Green Party
158. Lesley Whittaker - writer, consultant and member of Devon County Council, founder member Green Party
159. Freda Sanders - research psychologist and finance director, founder member Green Party
160. Dr. Michael Benfield - ethicist, development consultant and investor, founder member Green Party
161. Oras Tynkkynen - climate campaigner, Friends of the Earth Finland
162. Prof David Crichton - Environmental Consultant to the Association of British of Insurers
163. Teddy Goldsmith - Editor The Ecologist Special Issues
164. Simon Retallack - Deputy Editor, The Ecologist Special Issues
165. Ian Meredith - Canadian Association for the Club of Rome
166. Peter Dinnage - London UK
167. Jeremy Faull - Ecological Foundation, UK
168. Alistair Neill Stewart - Student Canada
169. Alina Averchenkova - PhD student, University of Bath, UK
170. Lars Åke Karlgren - member of regional parliament Västra Götaland, Sweden
171. FERDINAND - Researcher, Centre for Economic and Social Studies Environ.
172. Kathrin Eggs - Germany
173. Mrs Deirdre Balaam - UK
174. Dr John Kilani - Environmental Adviser, Chamber of Mines of South Africa
175. Jennie Sutton - Co-Chair "Baikal Environmental Wave" Irkutsk, Russia
176. Javier Blasco - Information officer - Carrefour de Aragon (Spain)
177. Alistair Neill Stewart - student, Canada
178. Dilip Ahuja - ISRO Professor of Science & Technology Policy National Institute of Advanced Studies Indian Institute of Science
179. Gerald Leach - Senior Research Fellow, Stockholm Environment Institute
180. Prof Neil E. Harrison - Executive Director, The Sustainable Development Institute, University of Wyoming
181. Robert L. Randall - President, The RainForest ReGeneration Institute Washington, D.C. USA
182. Brian Grant - Director, Geonomics Association of BC
183. Paaniani K Laupepa -
184. Reggie Norton - Association of Artists for Guatemala
185. Dr Alberto di Fazio - Astrophysicist, Director Global Dynamics Institute Rome
186. Lewis Cleverdon - interdependency researcher, GCI, UK
187. Prof. Edita Stojic-Karanovic - President,International Forum "Danube -River of Cooperation"
188. Alina Congreve - Local Gov campaigner Herts FoE
189. Donna Andrews - Alternative Information and Development Centre (AIDC) South Africa
190. Richard Sherman - Earthlife Africa Johannesburg
191. Nick Drake - Southampton UK
192. Miguel Castellon - President Nicaraguan Development Association
193. Truls Gulowsen - environmental camapigner Norway
194. Helena Paul - the GAIA Foundation London
195. John Mead - Independent consultant
196. Catherine Budgett-Meakin - Freelance consultant
197. Richard Loxton-Barnard - UK
198. Emily Shirley - Green Party UK
199. Ulrich Duchrow - Kairos Europa
200. William C.G. Burns - Co-Chair, American Society of International Law - Wildlife
201. Richard Page - UK
202. Dr. Lennart Olsson - Director of Centre for Environmental Studies, Lund, University, Sweden
203. Alex Begg - UpStart Services Ltd
204. John Dougill - London UK
205. Richard Parish - Churchill Community School UK
206. William J. Collis - Fisheries Scientist, Ecosystems Sciences, Bangladesh
207. Danielle Morley - UNED Forum UK
208. Michael Roy - Community Management Consultant, Bangladesh
209. Richard J.T. Klein - Senior Research Associate, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany
210. Sarwat Chowdhury - Ph.D. candidate, University of Maryland, USA
211. Helen Chadwick - IESD, De Montfort University UK
212. Ritu Kumar - Director, TERI-Europe, London UK
213. Dr Peter Mansfield - Good HealthKeeping, UK
214. Ari Lampinen - Associate Prof of environmental technology, Uni. Jyvaskyla Dept. of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Finland
215. Villa Mario - Professor/Politecnico di Torino, Italy
216. Henry Echeverri - Principal Advisor Corporation for the Industrial Development of Biotechnology and Clean Technologies, Colombia
217. Alex Shoumatoff - Journalist and author of "The World is Burning", contributing editor Vanity Fair Magazine New York, USA
218. Tom Smith - Park Slope Greens/Brooklyn, NY (USA) North East Resistance Against Genetic Engineering USA
219. Marcelo Mautone - President, AAC-Asociación para la Acción Climática, Montevideo, URUGUAY
220. Stuart M. Leiderman - "Environmental Refugees & Ecological Restoration" Environmental Response/4th World Project, New Hampshire, USA
221. Wim Zweers - Environmental Philosopher, formerly Fac of Philosophy, Univ. of Amsterdam, Netherlands
222. Jocelyn Brooks - President, Pacific Institute of Resource Management, Wellington, New Zealand
223. Caroline Gardner - Secretary, Pacific Institute of Resource Management, Wellington, New Zealand, currently studying for a Master's degree in Development Studies
224. Jennifer Klarwill - Executive member of Pacific Institute of Resource Management, Wellington, New Zealand
225. Cliff Mason - Executive member of Pacific Institute of Resource Management, Wellington, New Zealand
226. Ian Shearer - Treasurer, Pacific Institute of Resource Management, Wellington, New Zealand and Manager of NZ Wind Energy Association
227. Kay Weir - Editor  Pacific World and executive member of Pacific Institute of Resource Management Wellington, New Zealand
228. Derek Wilson - Executive member of Pacific Institute of Resource Management, Wellington, New Zealand
229. Hellmuth Christian Stuven - runner and environmental planner, Roskilde, DK
230. Dr. Mae-Wan Ho - Institute of Science in Society and Biology Department Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes
231. Dr. Mark Siegmund - Associate Editor, International Journal of Humanities and Peace; Director, Tetworld Center for Peace and Global Gaming
232. Peter Talbot Willcox - Chairman of Metanoia Trust and REEP, London, UK
233. Fr. Vincent Rossi - Orthodox priest, Christian Society of the Green Cross, Santa Rosa, CA
234. Mark Muller - Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
235. Prof. Alwexey Yablokov - The Centerfor Russian Environmental Policy , Moscow, Russia
236. Peter Morrison - Executive Director Pacific Biodiversity Institute, Winthrop, WA 98862
237. Marie Haisova - Director Agentura GAIA, Prague, Czech Republic
238. Dr Vladimir Levchenko - Moderator of Ecological NW Line, St.Petersburg, Russia. Inst. of Evolutionary Physiology & Biochemistry of Russian Acad. Sci.
239. Constanta Emilia Boroneant - Snr Researcher, Climatology National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology Bucharest, Romania
240. Dr. Josep Puig - Scientists and Technicians for a Non Nuclear Future
241. Geri DeStefano - PhD, The Source Natural Healing Centre, Vancouver, BC
242. Alfred Webre - JD, MEd, Editor, earthradioTV.com, Vancouver, BC
243. S. Maini - Architect Executive of the Auroville Building Centre INDIA
244. Dr Jim Phelps - Chairman, Zululand Environmental Alliance (ZEAL), Empangeni, 3880 South Africa
245. Eduardo Gudynas - Latin American Center Social Ecology
246. Jan Haverkamp - Friends of the Earth Czech Republic
247. S. (Bobby) Peek - groundWork, South Africa
248. Olivier Barot - Photographer & graphic designer, Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India
249. Hermann Hatzfeldt - Germany
250. Dr Annalet van Schalkwyk - Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, Unisa, South Africa
251. P. Lehmann - Sonzier Switzerland
252. H. Holloway - Sustainability Network
253. Stan Scarano - Co-President, National Coaltion for the Chemically Injured USA
254. Prof Upali S. Amarasinghe - Department of Zoology University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka
255. Dr I M Dharmadasa - Advisor to Solar Energy Applications for SAREP-South Asia Renewable Energy Programme, Dr. Sheffield Hallam University
256. Judie Blair - South Africa Development Fund
257. John Whiting - Diatribal Press London UK
258. Anne Roda - International Communications Coordinator, Earth Day Network, Seattle USA
259. Adil Najam - Assistant Professor Department of International Relations Center for Energy and Environmental Studies Boston University
260. Ian.Burton - Emeritus Professor at the University of Toronto, Canada
261. Colinas Verdes - Foundation for Conservation and Development, San Pedro de Vilcabamba, Loja , Ecuador
262. Dr Arvind Sivaramakrishnan - UK
263. Dr. Anjan Datta - Coordinator Environment Cluster Centre for Environment and GIS Studies Dhaka Bangladesh
264. Claire W. Gilbert, Ph.D. - Publisher, Blazing Tattles
265. Wil Burns - Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security CA USA
266. Dr Philip Webber - Chair, Scientists for Global Responsibility
267. Kevin Danaher - Global Exchange
268. Hermann Oelsner - Darling Sustainable Energy and Employment Scheme
269. Sarah O'Gorman - OIlwatch Europe
270. Mark Dubrulle - President European Society for Environment and Development (ESED)
271. Phumla Yeki - Vuk'Afrika, Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA
272. Danie van der Walt - Executive Producer 50/50, SABC. RSA
273. Daniel Humphrey - Student, Coventry University
274. Stephen Law - Environmental Monitoring Group, Wynberg, South Africa
275. Michael P. Huyter  - Environmental Specialist, CalPoly-Pomona
276. Medini Bhandari - Chairman, Association for Protection of Environment & Culture (APEC), Morang, Nepal
277. Geoff Holland - Director, Institute for Global Futures Research (IGFR). Australia
278. Yves Bajard, D.Sc.- Secretary, Networking for a Common Future in Society (formerly National Centre for Sustainability) Victoria, BC. Canada
279. Alastair Robinson - CHPA, London
280. Martin Wright - Editor, Green Futures
281. Lloyd Wright - Institute for Transport & Development Policy, Ecuador
282. Eduardo Viola - Full Professor of International Relations, University of Brasilia, Brazil
283. Michael R. Meuser - Clary Meuser Research Network
284. Maria Becket - Coordinator, Religion Science and the Environment, Greece
285. David Palin - Organisation Consultant working for environment and development, Belgium
286. Tessa Tennant - Board Member, Calvert World Values Fund
287. Richard Worthington - Earthlife Africa Johannesburg Branch Co-ordinator
288. Professor Andrew McLaughlin - Department of Philosophy, Lehman College, Bronx, N.Y.
289. John Vandenberg - Town Planner, Tasmania, Australia
290. Giacomo Valentini - Brussels, Belgium
291. Cornelis R. Becker - Director Meteorological Service, SURINAME
292. Tammo Oegema - Senior Researcher at IMSA, AmsterdamInnovat
293. Manoj K Guha - Director, Special Projects and Technology Applications, Colombus, Ohio, USA
294. Alejandro Leon - Professor, Universidad de Chile
295. John Byrne - Director, Center for Energy & Environmental Policy, US
296. Dr. Nur Masripatin - Ministry of Forestry and Estate Crops, Indonesia
297. Dr. Khalid Akhtar - Assistant Professor, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Eng. Sciences & Technology, TOPI 23460, District PAKISTAN
298. Dr Tariq Ali - Research Director, Environment Office, Imperial College, London
299. Alexandra Hartridge - UK
300. Chris Hewett - Senior Research Fellow Institute for Public Policy Research, London  UK
301. Daniele GUIDI, - Ecosoluzioni, ITALY
302. Nelson Obirih-Opareh - University of Amsterdam Faculty of Environmental Sciences Amsterdam The Netherlands
303. Tim Reeder - Fleet UK
304. Catarina Roseta Palma - Phd student, Fac. Economia UNL Lisboa Portugal
305. Nicholas Vincent - New Zealand
306. Arild Vatn - Professor at the Agricultural University of Norway
307. Prof. Juan de Dios Ortuzar - Department of Transport Engineering Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile
308. Ian Bateman - University of East Anglia UK
309. Colin Patrick Gleeson - Senior lecturer in the Built Environment, North East Surrey College of Technology, England
310. Richard McManus - Mto Consulting, Australia
311. Carlos Frick - Director, R&D, Instituto Plan Agropecuario, Uruguay
312. Dr. Michael Finus - Senior Lecture, University of Hagen, Germany
313. Robert W. Schultz - Renewable Energy Information Network of Namibia, Project Coordinator REINNAM Polytechnic of Namibia Windhoek
314. Chris Livesey - Environmental Policy Consultant Tonkin & Taylor Ltd Wellington NEW ZEALAND
315. Paul Diamond - Director EMML, founder of SUSTAIN The World Sustainable Energy Fair.
316. Gisela Prasad - Director, Institute of Southern African Studies, National University of Lesotho, Lesotho
317. Dr. Stefan Drenkard Decon - Deutsche Energie Consult Germany
318. Martin Manuhwa - ZIMPOWER Engineers Zimbabwe
319. Randall Spading-Fecher - Energy & Development Research Centre, University of Cape Town, South Africa
320. Anthony Cortese Sc.D.- President Second Nature, Inc. Boston, MA USA
321. Nino Javakhishvili - Project Assistant of CENN, Caucasus Environmental NGO Network
322. Fabrice Flipo - PhD Student UTT f-10000 Troyes
323. Malkhaz Dzneladze - Georgian Society of Forestry, National Parks and Conservation - President. Georgia
324. Berndt H. Brikell - Political Scientist, Department of Social Sciences Political Science, Örebro University, Sweden
325. Professor Dr Chris Ryan - International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics, Lund University, Sweden.
326. Norbert Suchanek - Journalist and Author, Germany
327. Matthias Buck - Associate Research Fellow, Ecologic, Centre for International and European Environmental Research, Berlin and PhD Research Student, London School of Economics and Political Science
328. Dr.P.Ilango - Ageing Research Foundation of India, Tiruchirappalli, INDIA
329. Antoni Salamanca - President of ECOjustice, Environmental Consultant. Spain
330. Arinda Cadariu - Project Officer /Gestionnaires Sans Frontieres Romania
331. Mitchell Gold - UN Special Envoy / Senior Research Assistant, the International Association of Educators for World Peace,
332. Jean-Daniel Saphores - Assistant Professor of Economics, Universite Laval, Quebec, CA
333. Doug La Follette - Wisconsin Secretary of State, Madison, Wisconsin USA
334. Dr. Jim Salmon - Past-President, Canadian Wind Energy Association
335. Richard B. Norgaard - Prof. Energy and Resources, Univ. of California at Berkeley, US
336. Conrad E. Roedern - SOLAR AGE NAMIBIA, Windhoek, Republic of Namibia
337. Professor Dr. Hugo Freije - Environmental Chemistry, Univ.Nac.del Sur-Argentina Bahia Blanca Rep. Argentina
338. Carolyn Raffensperger - Executive Director, Science and Environmental Health Network
339. Michelle Syverson - New York
340. Neil B.A. Trivett - Environmental Systems Research
341. Kazuhiro Ueta - Professor of Environmental Economics and Public Finance Graduate School of Economics, Kyoto University
342. Matt Coyne - MSc Student, Imperial College Centre for Environmental Technology
343. Asghar Ali - PhD Candidate, University of East Anglia, Norwich UK,
344. Libero Vitiello - Researcher, University of Padova, Italy
345. Steve Knowlson - University of the West of England, UK
346. Olivier Hoedeman - Corporate Europe Observatory, Netherlands
347. Gordon Edge - Editor, FT Renewable Energy Report FT Energy
348. Yehudi van de Pol - Oilwatch Europe/A SEED Europe
349. Heide Iravani - Ozone Action Washington, D.C. USA
350. Tara Bewak - Ozone Action Washington, D.C. USA
351. Matt McLaughlin - Student, Penn State University
352. Megan Cartwright - Student, University of Washington
353. Sarah Ward - Energy&Development Group Noordhoek Cape Town South Africa
354. Alberto Clarizia - University of Naples, Italy
355. Victoria E. Long Graduate Student/Research Assistant
356. Fred J. Lauver - Chairman, Environmental Advisory Council, E.Pennsboro Twp, PA
357. Joy Pagano - Environmental Campaigner, Handforth, Cheshire, UK
358. Kirtee Shah - President of Habitat International Coalition (HIC), President of India, Habitat Forum (INHAF) and Hon. Director, Ahmedabad Study Action Group (ASAG)
359. Wouter van Dieren - Director IMSA, member Club of Rome AMSTERDAM
360. John Jopling - Sustainable London Trust
361. Joy Pagano - "The Noah Project",  at Manchester Reform Synagogue UK
362. Patrick Curry - The Campaign for Political Ecology UK
363. Donald Brown, - Senior Counsel for Sustainable Development, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania USA
364. Clare Hillyard Melia, - London Co-Counselling Community
365. Viviann Chui, - Student, Yale University
366. Kabir Chowdhury, - Ph.D. Candidate, University of Guelph, Canada
367. Karen Sack
368. Kevin Smith, - European Youth For Action, Amsterdam
369. James Wharfe, - BSc in Development Studies
370. Ayman Jallad, - Humanitarian Group for Social Development
371. Donald A.Brown, - Phildalphia, USA
372. Shahid Ali, - International Trading Corporation
373. Dr. Gregor Giebel, - Risoe National Laboratory, Denmark
374. Jane Carter, - International Service, UK
375. Joy Aeree Kim, - Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia, UK
376. Kevin Donnelly, - Teacher & Monetary Reformer, UK
377. Matthew Paterson, - Senior Lecturer in International Relations, Keele University, UK
378. Steve Arnold, - Student, UK
379. Ajay Singh, - Research Scientist, India
380. Gordon Gissing, - Research Engineer (retired), UK
381. Dr Hosny Hasanean, - Astronomy & Meteorology Department, Cairo University, Egypt
382. Lera Miles, - PhD student, UK
383. Anna Chen, - UK
384. Richard Bramhall, - Low Level Radiation Campaign, UK
385. Choony Kim, - Korean Federation for Environmental Movement
386. Marco Mezzera, - Focus on the Global South, Thailand
387. Carl Munson, - Change for Good, UK
388. Nicky Henson, - Worldaware, UK
389. Marlene Attzs, - Sustainable Economic Development Unit, University of the West Indies
390. Timothy Byakola, - Climate and Development Initiative, Uganda
391. Richard Tipper, - Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management, UK
392. Michael Richards, - Forest Policy & Environment Group, Overseas Development Institute, UK
393. Professor David Donnison, - Emeritus Professor, Department of Urban Studies, Glasgow University, UK
394. Professor Doctor Michael Opielka, - Institut für Sozialökologie (ISÖ), Germany
395. Dr Henry Tam, - Global Progressive Forum, UK
396. Dr Chris Busby, - Green Party Spokesperson on Green Audit, Science & Technology, UK
397. Dr Jim Phelps, - Chairman, Zululand Environmental Alliance (ZEAL)
398. Lloyd Wright, - Representative, Latin America Institute for Transportation & Development Policy, Ecuador
399. Berndt H. Brikell, - Research Secretary, Örebro University, Sweden
400. Norbert Suchanek, - Writer and Journalist (ecology), Germany
401. Dr Peter Mansfield, - Director, Templegarth Trust and Good HealthKeeping Ltd, UK
402. Alex Shoumatoff, - contributing editor, Vanity Fair Magazine, author 'The World is Burning'
403. John Jopling, - Projects Manager, Sustainable London Trust, UK
404. Juan de Dios Ortuzar, - Professor of Transport Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
405. Alejandro Mackay, - Chile
406. Mike Barker, - Energy Area, Institut Cerdà, Spain
407. Catarina Roseta Palma, - Phd student, Portugal
408. Mark Muller, - Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
409. Richard Sandbrook, - UK
410. John Byrne, - Director Center for Energy & Environmental Policy, University of Delaware, USA

Please add your signature and your title in your organisation if applicable.

Please add your e-mail address to join list for occasional mail-outs to the, 'Global Commons Network'. Registration on this list will be quite transparent because it will simply consist ofthose who have co-signed the above letter.

At the same time, this signatory list is presently growing fairly fast. This notwithstanding, we will persist with non-automated up-dating of the co-signatory list to avoid 'hoaxes'. To assist in this and authentic record keeping, would you please definitely add your full address and other contact details in the box below.We will assume that you wish these to remain confidential, and will keep them as such. They will only be used 'publicly' if any dispute ever arose as to the authenticity of the co-signatures.

Thank you for your understanding and assistance. 

Here are two letters to Tom Spencer. They are from theEnvironment Ministers of Denmark (Svend Auken) and UK (Michael Meacher) congratulating him on the Green Ribbon Award and promoting CONTRACTION & CONVERGENCE strongly.

FROM SVEND AUKEN - DANISH MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT

Dear Professor Spencer

I have been informed about the very justified awarding to you of the Best Member of European Parliament Award in the 1999 Green Ribbon Political Awards.

Let me express my wholehearted congratulations. Your tremendous and very successful work with the GLOBE international parliamentarians network has been a pleasure to observe

If we did not already have such a successful construct as GLOBE, we would have to create it immediately. I will not keep a secret of the fact, that I have been happy to see the support given to GLOBE from all over the world, and the way GLOBE has contributed to the international discussions and shaping of ideas, in the important task of developing concepts and creating consensus for sustainable approaches to stewardship of this planet.

It is no secret, that GLOBE boldly succeeded in formulating the obvious, which was not yet achieved by ministers. That global partnership to avoid the danger of climate change requires that we start to discuss the arrangements for sharing of both responsibilities and entitlements, based on principles of precaution and equity, that best defend the aspirations and security of all nations for the future.

The approach of Contraction and Convergence is precisely such an idea. It secures a regime that would allow all nations to join efforts to protect our global commons from being over-exploited,without the risk that any country would be deprived of its fair long-term share of the common environmental emission space. And it allows for consistent and efficient management of the global emissions, that would enable us to strive for constraining global interference with the climate below fixed ceilings, such as the max. 2 degree temperature rise, and the max. 550 ppmv CO2-concentration,recommended by the European council of ministers.

Already, your influence was felt, when the European Parliament clearly formulated on the 17 September 1998, that future negotiations ought to be based on these obvious ideas, as the logical next step.

Our own national analysis, as formulated in Danish Energy futures and in Energy 21 from 1995 and 1996, clearly contain ideas very close to the ideas of contraction and convergence. As our own contribution to such an international regime, we foresaw the need to cut our own emissions dramatically, by 50% before2030, and our plans still point in that direction. Hence I warmly welcome that similar views seem to be gaining support from quarters in both the North and the South. Inter alia thanks to your work.

Presently, we face the extreme challenge of securing a ratification of the Kyoto-protocol, through successful negotiations at COP6. We can not allow to fail there, and must be prepared to show openness to new ideas, in order to square the circle of accommodating conflicting views among the major negotiating blocks. If this is only possible by viewing the protocol as part of the bigger task involving the future direction for the negotiations, we should be prepared to do so.

Developing countries have just worries about the future, and how to secure their development aspirations, and we all have worries about the fate of this planet. And at the same time, we all have our individual worries about the impact of the protocol in the short run. If the cure to alleviate all these worries is that we make a combined attack on the worries, we must do it.Getting back from COP6 without seeing a future road would be a disaster, and irresponsible to mankind.

Congratulating you again, warmly,

I remain

Yours Sincerely

Svend Auken

Minister for Environment and Energy

& FROM MICHAEL MEACHER - UK MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT

Dear Tom

Congratulations on winning the Green Ribbon Award. You certainly have been a tireless campaigner for fair and comprehensive international action on climate change, and I think this award is well deserved.

It also reflects growing understanding of, and support for the need for, along the contraction and convergence lines you have so strongly championed. The steps already taken by the Annex One countries to the Convention could be confused as representing initial moves in this process through the proposed collective contraction of 5% by 2008-12 compared with 1990, matched by North-South convergence as the developing countries steadily industrialise.But a much tighter and sharper framework of commitments is clearly now needed, and one that is focussed on longer term emissions targets that are substantially lower. I note that Sir John Houghton, as chair of the IPCC, recently told the British Association for the Advancement of Science that global greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by more than 60% in less than 100years in order to stabilise their rising concentrations in the atmosphere.

It is difficult to see that this can be achieved with universal global assent - the underlying basis of the Convention- without collective agreements which broadly reflect the principles of contraction and convergence. The growing evidence of sudden and highly damaging climatic events which we are already seeing world-wide only seem to emphasize the urgency of securing such a framework.

I do believe that contraction and convergence provides an effective, equitable market-based framework within which governments can co-operate to avert climate change, and again congratulate you on your campaigning to bring this about.

Yours sincerely

Michael Meacher

Minister for Environment

Return to GCI homepage