GREENPEACE BUILDS FLOOD DAMS INFRONT OF CONFERENCE CENTRE, AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS (AGBM8).

Bonn, GERMANY 31 October 1997

At the conclusion of the United Nations Climate Conference more than 40 Greenpeace activists have surrounded the Beethoven conference hall with flood dams. Displaying banners reading "Climate Change Made in USA - U.S. business against the Earth", the environmental group criticised the American position which is bound to delay action on dangerous climate change for another decade.

"While the existence of whole cultures is threatened by rising sea levels, President Clinton is deliberately delaying actions against dangerous climate change. His diplomats here have been working to allow US emissions to increase by at least one-fifth by 2010 in apparent contravention of his already totally inadequate stabilization objective", said Bill Hare, Climate Policy Director of Greenpeace International in Bonn.

"The U.S. proposal, a stabilization of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions at 1990 levels during a budget period from 2008 - 2012 includes so many loopholes, that it would actually allow US emissions to increase by 20-30 per cent," calculated Hare.

At these negotiations the US has worked to allow:

• "Hot Air" greenhouse gas trading with Russia which could allow an increase emissions of 7-11% relative to 1990 levels in 2008-2012 [1]. This has been vigorously opposed by the European Union and Japan.

• An accounting trick which would enable countries to use the carbon dioxide absorbed by forest plantations to offset fossil fuel emissions, adding 7% to the allowed US emissions in 2008-2012 [2]. The EU and Japan have attempted to close off this loophole.

• In addition the US and other governments have not moved to close off an exemption for emissions from fuel used in international aviation (i.e air travel) and marine (ship freight) transport which would permit an increase of emissions by 5-10% until 2010.

If governments are serious about addressing the problem of climate change, they have absolutely no alternative to a drastic and early reduction of greenhouse gas emissions" said Hare. Greenpeace supports the protocol of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) which calls for a 20 per cent reduction of CO2 based on 1990 levels by the year 2005.

"If Chancellor Kohl and other heads of states leaders are not able to convince President Clinton that he has to come up with something better before December, the Kyoto negotiations are bound to be a failure" said Hare. Greenpeace attributes the lackluster performance of the US administration to increased pressure from the heavily represented industry lobby group.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

in Bonn: Bill Hare, Climate Policy Director of Greenpeace International tel: +31 653 433 454,

Holger Roenitz, Greenpeace Intl. press officer tel: +31 653 23 84 75,

Gary Cook, Legislative Director of Greenpeace USA Climate Campaign tel: +31 653 41 79 45

Kirsty Hamilton, Greenpeace Intl. tel +31 653 504 730

Notes to editors:

[1] "Hot Air" emission trading refers to the potential for Russia to sell some of its greenhouse gas emissions budget under the US proposal as part of an international greenhouse gas trading regime. While there may be nothing wrong with this in principal Russia is likely to receive an emission budget far in excess of what it needs, given that its emissions are now some 30 per cent below 1990 levels and its emissions commitment will be set relative to 1990 levels (or even earlier, when its emissions were higher). back to text

[2] Forests are brought into the discussion because they potentially absorb human-induced carbon-dioxide emissions and have led to some countries proposing to use reforestation as a way to combat rising greenhouse gas emissions. While new forest plantations can absorb carbon dioxide no one can say for how long the stored CO2 will remain in the forest. The recent example of the forest fires in Indonesia show how fast the stored carbon may be released into the atmosphere. Problems such as this show how unsafe it is to use forest plantations to "offset" fossil fuel emissions. back to text

[3] The US has favoured the inclusion of powerful greenhouse gases such as Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) which could add 5-10% to industrialized country emissions by 2010. The EU and Japan have resisted the inclusion of these gases.