[GreenYes] Fwd: Stars, Politicians, Businessmen ask Bush to attend World Summit on Sustainable Development

[Gary Liss <gary@garyliss.com>]

>From: Michael Strauss <earthmedia@igc.org>
>Date: Thu, 02 May 2002 23:22:27 -0400
>
>News coverage of the Johannesburg Summit began to gain momentum last week 
>with articles on events surrounding Earth Day.  The Associated
>Press article below reported on the celebrity Breakfast at the U.N. on
>April 22.  The event was also covered by CNN, NTV [Japan], ARD
>[Germany], Reuters, Bloomberg, and local Spanish-language radio.
>_____________________________________________
>
>HOLLYWOOD STARS, POLITICIANS AND BUSINESSMEN
>DELIVER EARTH DAY MESSAGE TO BUSH AND OTHER LEADERS:
>ATTEND U.N. ENVIRONMENT SUMMIT
>
>By EDITH M. LEDERER
>Associated Press Newswires
>April 22, 2002
>
>UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Hollywood stars, politicians, and businessmen
>delivered an Earth Day message to U.S. President George W. Bush and
>other world leaders: If you care about the environment join Britain's
>Tony Blair and Russia's Vladimir Putin at a U.N. summit to promote
>environmentally friendly development.
>
>Bush came under pressure Monday from environmental activists to make a
>commitment to attend the Aug. 26-Sept. 4 World Summit on Sustainable
>Development in Johannesburg to make the conference a milestone in
>protecting planet Earth.  Prime Minister Blair and President Putin are
>the two major world who have promised to attend the summit.
>
>"The world summit ... could be a turning point in changing the way the
>entire world addresses key development and environmental challenges,"
>Rep. Christopher Shays, a Republican, told an Earth Day observance at
>U.N. headquarters.  "But it won't happen unless our world leaders
>participate in the summit."
>
>He challenged leaders from industrialized and developing nations to
>"take risks" to save the environment and engage in a dialogue of equals
>at Johannesburg on innovative new ways to tackle climate change, air and
>water pollution and other issues.
>
>Bush's environmental record was attacked by Andrew Cuomo, former
>secretary of Housing and Urban Development under Clinton.
>
>He said he didn't believe the federal government would provide
>leadership in preserving the environment for future generations, citing
>the president's opposition to the Kyoto treaty on climate change and
>failure to announce his attendance at the Johannesburg summit.
>
>Bush defended his environmental record during an Earth Day walk through
>the Adirondack Mountain woods in northern New York, and dismissed a
>chorus of Democratic critics, including former rival  Al Gore.
>
>The activists gathered under a tent on the lawn at U.N. headquarters
>promised to keep up the pressure on the president - and other leaders as
>well.
>
>"We need all of you to insist that president Bush and other world
>leaders commit to attending the Johannesburg summit," actress Susan
>Sarandon told the crowd of about 200 invited guests.
>
>Her plea was echoed by her co-host, actor Joe Pantoliano, one of the
>stars of the Oscar-nominated movie "Memento," who urged people
>everywhere to send letters to their prime ministers and presidents.
>
>Even though the world is focused on conflict and terror, British actor
>Patrick Stewart of "Star Trek" fame said, "we must not allow our leaders
>... to use international crises (as) an excuse for being distracted"
>from environmental issues.
>
>Canadian actor Joshua Jackson, who appeared in the television series
>"Dawson's Creek," noted that Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien "has
>not signed up to attend either."
>
>As part of the new environmental coalition, executives from two
>environmentally friendly companies also spoke and supported the summit
>-- Starbucks which supported Earth Day activities all over the country
>and Toyota which has produced the world's first mass-produced
>gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle and helped pay for the U.N. event.
>
>To post on websites a formatted version of
>the AP article or photos, contact:
>_________________________________________________
>          Michael Strauss, Director
>        INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ADVOCACY
>        for NGOs at the 2002 Summit
>
>211 East 51st Street, 3C   tel: 1-212 355-2122
>New York, N.Y. 10022       fax: 1-212 753-4804
>             earthmedia@igc.org
>_________________________________________________

Gary Liss
916-652-7850
Fax: 916-652-0485

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