|
monday 23 july
2001
kyoto still afloat - but It's taken on
water
The Kyoto Protocol has survived the best
efforts of George W Bush and the US
administration to kill it off. But
obstructive behaviour by members of the
Umbrella Group has forced Mr Pronk and
countries supporting the Protocol to water it
down substantially. Forest "sinks" at home
and in developing countries, emissions
trading and other provisions threaten to
allow industrialized countries to minimize
domestic action to cut greenhouse gases. And
implementation of the compliance system has
been partly delayed after disgraceful
pressure from Japan in particular.
Environmental campaigners will be
demanding early ratification of Kyoto. But
they will then be campaigning to ensure that
governments treat the Protocol as only a
first step towards tackling man-made climate
change, and that they do not use the
loopholes in the Bonn deal to avoid action at
home. They will also be demanding that
compliance rules are introduced quickly and
ensure that the Protocol is a properly
enforceable and effective international
agreement.
Friends of the Earth International Climate
Campaigner Kate Hampton commented: "The Kyoto
Protocol is still alive. That in itself is a
triumph for citizens all over the world who
have campaigned so hard for governments to
act to tackle dangerous climate change. It is
also a political disaster for President Bush,
who with the arrogance of power thought that
his decision to renege on Kyoto would be
enough to kill it.
But the price of success has been high.
The Protocol has been heavily diluted. Its
effect on the climate has been massively
eroded. This is not an academic question of
tonnages and percentage points. Each move
away from action will bring further misery
and destruction to communities across the
world. We leave here with new hope for the
future. But we warn the world's governments:
this is only a small step forward. You have a
very long way to go."
The mood in the conference centre is
euphoric, but now the real work on
ratification and implementation must
begin.
Contact:
Kate Hampton 00 44 7748 967 323
Roda Verheyen 0179 465 2979
Ian Willmore (Media) 00 44 7887 641 344
Howard Mollett (Media) 00 41-792 160 206
Eugene van Haaren (Dutch media) 00 31-6-2959
3873
|
