G20 misses opportunity

World Poverty and Climate Change did not get much attention at G20, disappointing many advocates for the issues.

Apparently the best G20 could manage was --

" support for "well-functioning markets" as the best way of giving countries future access to energy sources and new technologies needed to tackle climate change".

Tim Costello, head of World Vision, and Oxfam Australia chief Andrew Hewett, co-chairmen of Make Poverty History, said delegates and the Australian Government had missed an opportunity to increase aid and deliver new policies to help wipe out poverty.

I'm not sure what one can expect from a couple of days of talks amongst the money men of the 20 countries, but I think something can be gained by leveraging the system at the top end.

The Melbourne Age reports a positive side-meeting on Saturday between Tim Costello and with the World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz for 90 minutes. Apparently Costello came away very impressed. "It's funny to be placing my hope in a neo-con who took us into Iraq when I'm against the war, but I came out thinking this man is concerned about the poor," Costello remarked yesterday.

Perhaps that new trust will enable future activity.

Meanwhile, there are the projects on the ground that are making big differences to vulnerable lives. Yes, School of St Jude is right there, in action. It's a place where your help is valued.