Tony Blair recommends the use of electric vehicles

Amsterdam, 8 May 2009

"Implement a specific plan - promote the use of electric vehicles for example - and negotiate an agreement with the other EU countries in Copenhagen." This was the advice that Tony Blair gave Dutch Minister of European Affairs, Frans Timmermans, at an international meeting during which they discussed specific solutions to climate change. The meeting, which was held at the Koninklijke Schouwburg theatre in The Hague, was an initiative of the Dutch National Postcode Lottery. Together with Postcode Lottery beneficiary The Climate Group, Tony Blair is trying to garner support from politicians worldwide in order to make it possible to reach an ambitious international climate agreement at the United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen in December of this year.

Tony Blair is of the opinion that by taking specific action, the Netherlands can send out a clear message that it really is possible to do something about global warming. This would then inspire members of the public and the business community to take action themselves. The idea of electric cars was not just plucked out of thin air. Blair took part in a forum with four entrepreneurs committed to sustainable enterprise in the form of solar and wind energy, LED light bulbs and electric cars.

According to Blair, success in Copenhagen at the end of this year is essential in order to be able to offer rapidly developing countries such as China and India modern solutions, given that these countries are now stepping up industrial production to generate affluence. However, Blair was clearly optimistic: "The current economic crisis is the perfect opportunity to make changes in the economy that will reduce CO2 emissions."

Tony Blair and Postcode Lottery chairman Boudewijn Poelmann

Tony Blair and climate change
Tony Blair was the first head of government to put the issue of climate change on the international political agenda at the G8 Summit in 2005. The Dutch National Postcode Lottery is making it possible for Tony Blair and The Climate Group, one of the lottery beneficiaries, to draw people’s attention to climate change solutions in the Netherlands.
One of the aims of the Dutch Postcode Lottery is to raise awareness of the work of the humanitarian and environmental charities it supports. Climate change is one of the main challenges the world is currently facing. However, all kinds of solutions are now being devised to help make the transition to a sustainable economy. The Dutch Postcode Lottery wants to help publicise and introduce these solutions. As well as hosting the Climate Solutions event, the Dutch Postcode Lottery will also be doing this by distributing an ultra-low-energy LED light bulb to all of its members in the autumn of 2009.

Society wins every time
Fifty percent of the money spent on Postcode Lottery tickets is donated to charity. Thanks to the 2.5 million lottery members who played the postcode lottery in 2008, a record sum of more than 244 million euros was donated to more than 66 humanitarian and environmental charities, including the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), UNICEF, the Society for the Preservation of Nature in the Netherlands, the Dutch Society for the Protection of Birds, STOP AIDS NOW, Humanitas (an organisation that extends a helping hand to people in need), and the DOEN Foundation (which works to create a livable world for everyone). Back...