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Greenpeace 'to put humans first' Greenpeace to take poverty focus
(about 5 hours later)
The new head of Greenpeace, South African Kumi Naidoo, has told the BBC he will make human life more of a priority for the environmental group. The new head of environmental group Greenpeace, South African Kumi Naidoo, says he will prioritise the impact of climate change on the world's poor.
The BBC's Jonah Fisher in South Africa says it reflects his background as a rights campaigner, fighting apartheid. A BBC reporter in Johannesburg says it reflects his background as a anti-poverty and anti-apartheid campaigner.
Mr Naido also criticised US President Barack Obama for failing to make the fate of the earth a priority. In a BBC interview, he also criticised the US president for failing to make the fate of the earth a priority.
He said Mr Obama's statements did not reflect the urgency about the planet he expressed during his election campaign. He said Barack Obama no longer reflected the urgency about the planet he had during his election campaign.
Mr Naidoo is the first African to head Greenpeace since it was founded in 1971.Mr Naidoo is the first African to head Greenpeace since it was founded in 1971.
The group has perfected the art of using high-profile media events to exert pressure on politicians and big business about climate change. The group has perfected the art of using high-profile media events to exert pressure on politicians and big business.
The BBC's Jonah Fisher in South Africa say for Greenpeace the appointment of Mr Naidoo marks a continuing shift in focus from whaling and nuclear testing to climate change.
'Disappointed''Disappointed'
Mr Naidoo said human existence on the planet was "fundamentally under threat". Mr Naidoo said human existence on the planet was "fundamentally under threat" by climate change.
We can't change the science. The science is clear. We have to change the politics Greenpeace head Kumi Naidoo Campaign group: GreenpeaceWe can't change the science. The science is clear. We have to change the politics Greenpeace head Kumi Naidoo Campaign group: Greenpeace
"We are seeing every year now, 300,000 more people dying from what can be described as climate-related impacts," he told the BBC."We are seeing every year now, 300,000 more people dying from what can be described as climate-related impacts," he told the BBC.
"We're talking about climate refugees and so on, connecting all of those existing focus on the environment with human concerns, is both the right thing to do.""We're talking about climate refugees and so on, connecting all of those existing focus on the environment with human concerns, is both the right thing to do."
He said Mr Obama had lost his urgency on the issue.He said Mr Obama had lost his urgency on the issue.
"During his election campaign... every single speech that he gave, he talked about a planet in peril, referring to climate change," Mr Naidoo said. "We all understood that he 'got' it.""During his election campaign... every single speech that he gave, he talked about a planet in peril, referring to climate change," Mr Naidoo said. "We all understood that he 'got' it."
On Sunday, Mr Obama and other world leaders meeting in Singapore said it would not be possible to reach a climate change deal ahead of next month's UN conference in Copenhagen.On Sunday, Mr Obama and other world leaders meeting in Singapore said it would not be possible to reach a climate change deal ahead of next month's UN conference in Copenhagen.
Mr Naidoo said he was "quite disappointed" that Mr Obama had not yet announced clearly his intention to attend the summit.Mr Naidoo said he was "quite disappointed" that Mr Obama had not yet announced clearly his intention to attend the summit.
At the two-day Asia-Pacific summit, world leaders dropped a target to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, which was outlined in an earlier draft.At the two-day Asia-Pacific summit, world leaders dropped a target to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, which was outlined in an earlier draft.
"Anything short of a binding treaty in Copenhagen must be read as a failure of leadership on the part of the political class," AP news agency quoted him as saying on Monday."Anything short of a binding treaty in Copenhagen must be read as a failure of leadership on the part of the political class," AP news agency quoted him as saying on Monday.
"We can't change the science. The science is clear. We have to change the politics. If we can't change the politics, then we have to put our energies into changing the politicians.""We can't change the science. The science is clear. We have to change the politics. If we can't change the politics, then we have to put our energies into changing the politicians."