BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The world should rethink its emphasis on unfettered economic growth and boost efforts to create environmentally-friendly sources of fuel, a draft statement by oil and gas giant Russia ahead of a G8 summit says.
The statement, drafted by the Russian energy ministry for a meeting of several United Nations energy ministers, urges G8 governments not to let economic growth take precedence over fighting poverty and securing energy supplies.
"The traditional industrial development model, aimed at unrestricted economic growth, requires serious adjustment," the statement, obtained by Reuters, said.
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Governments should consider "specific features of the increasingly interdependent world economy, the exhaustibility of world resources and the aggravation of humanitarian problems, nowadays closely linked to energy problems," it said.
The communique, which has not been agreed by the ministers and may be changed, is addressed to leaders of the Group of Eight rich nations, who will meet in Germany next week.
Russia is organizing the event with the Paris-based United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). A UNESCO spokeswoman said, however, that only 12 nations from the group's 192 members were sending ministers.
Aside from the Russia, none of the G8 major powers have confirmed they will attend the UNESCO event. The U.N. agency's spokeswoman said the declaration still has to be negotiated with all of the participants at the conference. Continued...
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