HONOUR KYOTO:AGREEMENT ON CLIMATE PROTECTION NOW – NO EXCUSES

19 July 2001

Bonn, Germany: Ministers arriving today at the climate talks have no excuse for failing to reach agreement on how to address the greatest environmental threat of the 21st century. Many polls have shown that people around the world want you to take action now. Ministers need to say that they will publicly commit themselves to ratify the protocol now.

There is absolutely nothing preventing the ministers arriving here from removing the stumbling blocks that stand in the way of ratifying the protocol.

There is no escaping the fact that the situation is grim. Thanks to President Bush, countries like Japan, Canada and Australia are exploiting their new found importance to leverage ever wider loopholes and carbon accounting practices that are more rubbery than ever. For the treaty to enter into force countries representing 55% of the emissions reductions must ratify. Without Japan, that target will likely not be met.

Ministers should not waste their valuable time speaking with Canada and Australia, who are either stalling or sabotaging the talks.

The Kyoto Protocol still provides the only global legal framework for emissions reductions to save the climate and as such is too valuable too lose. The simple fact remains. Those countries who are serious about addressing the climate will immediately agree to ratify the protocol.

Look at this – the only thing that stands in the way of an agreement are the fossil fuel companies who have these governments in their pockets. When you clear away the technical language and the scientific studies, it’s all about the vested interests of the fossil fuel industry on one side, and the future of our planet on the other.

The thing they fear most are legally binding emission targets that will impact on the sales of there core products – fossil fuels.

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