If you want to follow up on the latest news regarding G8, BBC is always a good place to start.

As Kenyan journalist John Kamau writes:

At the moment I think that the G8 should have held this high-profile meeting in Africa. It would have been a better public relations exercise if they came and survived on less than a dollar a day - like some of us do - during the summit.

Well spoken. I do hope that Bush for once practises what he preach - in the most literal sense. And while they’re at it, I sincerely hope that the environment issues will be discussed seriously, but Bush has ruled out US backing for any Kyoto-style deal on climate change at the G8 summit. Sadly this is because the US’ economy is in a poor state, and Bush don’t want to lose any votes on promises of spending money on environmental issues (plus the side effects will affect the oil industries etc.) - even though it ultimately also would benefit USA in the long run. “New technologies are the way forward”. Bullshit. Perhaps for the economy, and for his oil cousins, but it’s not the only solution, even though technology can push a bit in the right direction regarding development of alternative energies.

Well, I digress. As George Monbiot says:

If we want to change the world, we must force governments to force us to change our behaviour.

I just hope the live8 / whiteband / make poverty history campaigns has left just a tiny little impression on the G8 leaders. But who am I kidding…

On this day...

... in 2003: All that Jazz...