Doha, 9 November 2001

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Doha, 8 November 2001
Greenpeace challenges WTO to play by its own rules over climate change and force the US to join Kyoto

The Greenpeace flag ship, SV Rainbow Warrior, sailed into Doha today to challenge the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to use the 4th Ministerial Conference to force the US to commit to the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.	The Rainbow Warrior arrives in Doha. © Greenpeace

Greenpeace warned the delegates at the conference that the principles of the WTO would render worthless unless the meeting extracted the commitment from the US.

“The WTO in its own charter claims to promote the use of the world’s resources for sustainable development,” said Greenpeace International Executive Director, Gerd Leipold, on board the Rainbow Warrior.

“That claim is nonsense if they do not actively promote efforts to combat climate change through the Kyoto Protocol. By allowing the US to remain outside the protocol, the WTO is effectively handing them a multi billion dollar trade subsidy. This makes a mockery of the organisation’s own rules.”

Greenpeace will urge member states at the meeting to refuse to engage in a new round of trade liberalisation at least until the US ratifies Kyoto and the WTO adopts effective measures to address environmental destruction.

“If in six days time there has been no new round, this meeting will have been a success, because it will force the WTO to change,” said Remi Parmentier, the Political Director of Greenpeace International.

“WTO decisions must not be allowed to overrule international environmental agreements; the precautionary principle must be incorporated in decision-making; and patents on life must be banned,” Parmentier added.

On board the Rainbow Warrior for the duration of the WTO meeting will be nationalities from 18 countries, including “witnesses” from local communities who will testify to the adverse affects of WTO global policies. Greenpeace will also broadcast “No New Round Radio” daily over the internet.

Discuss this story in the Greenpeace cybercentre.

More information:

7 November 2001: Australia plays international brat at climate talks

The report “Safe Trade in the 21st Century: the Doha Edition,” contains the full Greenpeace recommendations - “The Greening of Doha”. To read the report in English, Arabic, French or Spanish click here.

Greenpeace critique of the Draft Ministerial Declaration released by the WTO on 27 October 2001 and Greenpeace’s proposed alternative.

Greenpeace International Executive Director, Gerd Leipold, statement on a new global security.

Press contacts:

Remi Parmentier, Political Director, Greenpeace International: + 34 637 557 357 or +31 653 504 702
Sara Holden, Chief Media Officer, Greenpeace International: +31 615 007 406