22 June 2002, Seville: As the
European Union's Seville Summit closed today,
Greenpeace welcomed its endorsement of a plan
for sustainable development which it will take
to the Johannesburg Earth Summit in September
this year.
"The Earth Summit in August in Johannesburg is a
golden opportunity for Europe to move towards
responsibility in its relations with developing
countries," said Emilio Rull, Greenpeace
spokesperson at the Sevilla Summit.
Greenpeace is campaigning for the Johannesburg
Earth Summit to adopt clear political
commitments to sustainable development, with
targets, frameworks, and implementation
plans.The EU has made a series of commitments
covering sanitation, renewable energy,
protection of natural resources and
biodiversity, and the Seville Summit has agreed
to take these to the Johannesburg meeting.
"There are 64 days to the Earth Summit. Europe
must now launch a diplomatic campaign to reach
its objectives in Johannesburg, or the agreement
in Seville will remain a paper tiger, " added
Rull. "Given that the USA opposes the European
objectives, what is needed is strong European
leadership."
Greenpeace was disappointed that the Seville
conclusion failed to make any reference the role
of the USA, Canada and Australia undermining the
Kyoto Protocol, designed to prevent dangerous
climate change.
"The problem is not only that the rich countries
do not condemn the external debt of developing
countries, but also that the rich countries do
not even pay their environmental debt", said
Emilo Rull.
Of all European countries, Spain is furthest
behind in compling with the Kyoto Protocol,
recently ratified by the European Union. Spanish
greenhouse gas emissions have increased by 33.7%
despite being allowed only a 15% increase under
the Kyoto agreement.
"If not for the lack of political will of the
Spanish governement, the European Union in
Seville would have called upon Russia and Canada
to ratify the Kyoto Protocol as a matter of
urgency," said Rull.
Greenpeace said the European Unionīs declared
objectives regarding food security were
incompatible with the proliferation of
Genetically Modified Organisms in agriculture
and food which are jeopardising the livelihoods
of agricultural workers in developing countries.
"If Europe is serious about food security, it must put an end to it's
own agriculure export subsidies which are placing developing countries
at a disadvantage."
