Friends of the Earth has again called on Prime Minister Tony Blair to increase pressure on the reelected Bush Administration to join international efforts against climate change. A protest march to London’s US Embassy took place last week in order to push the issue.

The Prime Minister has pledged to make climate change the key issue during the UK’s EU and G8 presidency in 2005, but so far all efforts to get America onside have fallen short. It is hoped that the recent progress on the Kyoto Protocol, with Russia’s ratification, will encourage the Bush Administration to work on an international level.

“The USA is becoming increasingly isolated over climate change,” said Friends of the Earth's Director Tony Juniper. “Last month Russia finally ratified the Kyoto Protocol, the international treaty aimed at cutting emissions of the gases responsible for climate change. This crucial decision by Russia means that the Kyoto Protocol will now come into effect early next year.”

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