EU Fails to Take Early Action on Climate Change

["Greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

EU FAILS TO TAKE EARLY ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
 
BRUSSELS, MARCH 3, 1997 - Greenpeace today criticised the
European Environment Council for its failure to agree on an
early greenhouse emission reduction target for 2005 which is
necessary if the international community is to avoid dangerous
climate change.  
The Council agreed to an overall reduction target for greenhouse
gases of 15 per cent by 2010 but further delayed an agreement
for A 2005 target to the June Environment Council. 
 
"This proposal falls well short of the Association of Small
Island States (AOSIS) target of 20% reductions by 2005, the
minimum required if the international community is going to
avoid dangerous changes to the global climate," said Greenpeace
EU political advisor Aphrodite Mourelatou. 
 
"We are highly critical of the decision not to have a separate
target for carbon dioxide, the major greenhouse, and the overall
targets also do not include the greenhouse gases, HFCs, SF6's
and PFCs.
 
"However in the context of the EU's recent failure to agree on
greenhouse gas reduction targets, it is the absolute bare
minimum to which the EU could agree and still claim to be
maintaining their lead in the international climate change
negotiations."
 
Mouraletou said it is imperative that the European Union reaches
agreement on a 2005 reduction target. "Greenpeace will be
pressing both the EU and Member State Governments during the
coming months to develop this basic position into a more
effective and far-reaching proposal," she said.
 
The Council's joint negotiating position will be a basis for
negotiations on the legal protocol of the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change, which will be finalised in Kyoto,
Japan in December. A preparatory climate convention meeting is
being held in Bonn this week. Discussions within the EU on CO2
and other greenhouse gas emission targets have been going on for
two years. The Council meeting in Brussels is the last scheduled
before the deadline by June 1 for submission of proposals to the
Kyoto process. 
 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  EU POLITICAL ADVISOR APHRODITE
MOURELATOU  32-75696027 BILL HARE ON 06-534 33454