It's the time of the year when G8 leaders pretend they want to offer solutions to the world's problems. As George Monbiot keeps reminding us, they are really part of the problem.

For instance, if you can choose between saving the lives of tens of thousands of children in the philippines and boosting the shares of companies in your own country, what do you do ? It's a no-brainer, you use your power in favour of the companies, so they can carry on effectively killing the children ...

Read George Monbiot's version of this story (much better than my rough and ready summary) here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2095677,00.html