July 18, 2001

FIRST UPDATE ON BONN CLIMATE CHANGE TALKS

Friends of the Earth International, the world's largest environment network with groups in 68 countries, will be present throughout the Bonn climate talks. We are always ready to help with informed comment and opinion.

We will also be staging a large, grassroots action of the talks on Saturday 21st July when thousands of people from more than 25 countries will be building a Lifeboat as a symbol of the need to save the Kyoto Protocol.

Planks to be used in building the lifeboat have come from concerned citizens in countries including China, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, United States, and Canada. Celebrity supporters who have contributed photos for the Lifeboat include pop star Sting and actress Emma Thompson.

The Lifeboat will be 30 metres long, 6 metres wide, and 5 metres high.

The base of the Lifeboat will be outside the Art Museum of Bonn, Friedrich Ebert Allee 2 (tram stop: Heussallee), from 11am to 1pm tomorrow (Wednesday 18th July), for photographs and filming.

The main Lifeboat action will begin at 9.30am on Saturday 21st July, in the Munsterplatz. A procession will follow through Bonn, and the Lifeboat will be installed in the Robert Schumann Platz (close to the Maritim Hotel) between 13.45 and 14.30. It will remain in place for the remainder of the COP talks.

For more information contact:

Ian Willmore
Ph: 0174 1260 4808 or 00 44 7887 641 344

Howard Mollett
Ph: 00 41 792 160 206

Daniel Mittler (Bund/ FoE Germany) on Lifeboat action
Ph: 0173 923 4747

Updates:
Regular updates will be posted on:
http://www.foei.org/

Melbourne Action:
In Melbourne, there will be a visual 'lifeboat' event this Sunday July 22nd, meeting at 11am outside the Palais Theatre near Luna Park, St Kilda.

Contact

Domenica at Friends of the Earth Melbourne (03) 9419 8700
or Tristy Fairfield 0411 220 704 for details and comment.