TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR JAPAN AND THE KYOTO PROTOCOL: STATEMENT BY BILL HARE, GREENPEACE INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE POLICY DIRECTOR

2 July 2001

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 PLEASE CONTACT:
Bill Hare: +31-6-21296899; +49-30-446-78765
Steve Sawyer: +31-6-5350-4715
Susan Cavanagh: +31-6-21296910