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2
July 2001
Time is running
out for Japan and the Kyoto Protocol
Statement
by Bill Hare, Greenpeace International Climate Policy Director
The
statement follows recent media reports on the changing state of climate
negotiations after Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi's meeting with US President
Bush, upcoming meetings with UK and French leaders and in response to
reports that Japan is thinking of proposing amendments to the Kyoto Protocol
in order to bring the USA back to the Protocol.
At a press conference
Monday in Tokyo the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan stated that Japan
is preparing revisions to the Protocol. These are reported to be alterations
to the targets and timetables of the Protocol that would delay the targets
by several years and reduce their effectiveness.
"Time is running out
now for Japan and the Kyoto Protocol. Greenpeace is convinced that efforts
to renegotiate the Protocol's targets and timetables to appease the Americans
will fail and result in the effective death of the Protocol. This will
mean the loss of a critical five to ten years of action, which the climate
cannot afford."
"European leaders
meeting Mr Koizumi this week in London and Paris should tell him in very
clear terms that this is not the right path and that it will result in
the death of the Kyoto Protocol. The Japanese Cabinet meets on 10 July,
a week before the resumed climate negotiations in Bonn. If Japan fails
to lift the veil of uncertainty surrounding its position then this would
fundamentally threaten the prospects for reaching any agreement at all."
"Prime Minister Koizumi
missed a major opportunity to tell President Bush that his position on
the Kyoto Protocol was unacceptable and that Japan has no choice but to
ratify the Kyoto Protocol without the USA. Mr Koizumi says that he will
work "to the last minute" to persuade Mr Bush to rejoin the Kyoto Protocol.
However, stories continue to circulate that Japan is seeking amend the
emission targets and timetables of the Kyoto Protocol. If this is true,
Mr Koizumi is making a terrible mistake in seeking to somehow appease
the Mr Bush, Exxon and other US fossil fuel interests."
"Japan would be falling
for a favourite US negotiating tactic: to reduce everyone else to the
lowest common denominator, and then walk away from the table. Mr Koizumi
must not fall for this old trick. The future of efforts to protect the
climate depends upon Japan living up to its great responsibility to defend
the Kyoto Protocol. It is imperative that Japan agrees to ratify the Protocol
with or without the USA"
For further information:
Bill Hare: +31-6-21296899
+49-30-446-78765
Steve Sawyer:
+31-6-5350-4715
Susan Cavanagh:
+31-6-21296910
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