Congratulations to the hundreds of Oxford people, young and old, who have backed the Make Poverty History campaign.

And well done to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown for taking the issues of poverty and climate change head on.

Our world has never been richer, but every week 200,000 children under five die of preventable diseases.

Our planet is getting warmer because of greenhouse gases, but George Bush pretends it is not happening. Climate change will hit the poorest people, especially in Africa, hardest of all.

We desperately need action now, not just on debt and aid but on fairer trade and tackling Aids.

We need substantial cuts in greenhouse gases and much more investment in renewable energy.

Poverty and global warming, like slavery and apartheid, can be made history.

It is up to Blair and Bush. And it is also up to us. What Oxford people do and say makes a difference.

That is why all parties on Oxford City Council have campaigned on these issues. Giving money, buying fair trade coffee, using public transport and insulating our homes all helps.

The Oxford residents I talk to want action on climate and poverty.

If the Group of Eight national leaders in Gleneagles are not listening, they too will very quickly become history. John Tanner (Councillor), Portfolio holder for the environment, Oxford City Council