8_june_climate

friday 8 june 2001

eu to ratify kyto without us?

Friends of the Earth International today gave a cautious welcome to today's commitment from European environment ministers to build the "broadest possible" coalition to save the Kyoto climate Protocol. The EU must now clearly state that it will ratify the agreement without the US.

Kate Hampton, Friends of the Earth International's Climate Change Co-ordinator said:
"The stage is now set for European heads of governments to reject President Bush's bogus climate plan in Gothenburg and get on with the business of securing environmentally sound rules to implement the Kyoto treaty on climate change. Bush is in a corner - the whole world is telling him he is wrong, including some of his own cabinet and eminent American scientists. He is desperately trying to manage expectations about next week's public relations exercise but the world is no longer listening."

President Bush is expected to make a statement about his climate plans on Monday. The speech may not spell out the administration's climate proposals in detail but is expected to refer to the introduction of voluntary targets combined with emissions trading and greater use of carbon sinks and nuclear power. Bush arrives in Spain on Monday and travels to Brussels before reaching Gothenburg for meetings with EU heads of government on Thursday.

Kate Hampton will be in Gothenburg during President Bush's visit.
Kate Hampton 020 7566 1723 +44 774 896 7323
Press Office 020 7566 1649 (dir) http://www.foe.co.uk