PRONK PAPER: FIRST STEP TOWARDS AGREEMENT TO HONOUR THE KYOTO

22 July 2001

Bonn, Germany - The President of the International Climate Conference, Mr Jan Pronk, presented a draft proposal for agreement which represents a shift towards resolution of political issues, but this has only been achieved by allowing large loopholes in the Protocol.

Thanks to Canadian and Australian vandalising, and Japan’s stalling, the proposal is filled with loopholes which if fully utilised would mean that little action would be needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

At midnight delegates have only 18 hours to restore the environmental integrity to this Protocol.

Greenpeace has fought hard for an environmentally effective Protocol, so hard that some US press blamed us for the collapse of the Hague talks last year. We were the first to raise the loopholes issue and we will not drop the fight to make this Protocol work now. The blame for this mess is on the governments and companies which have sought to first block, then undermine, and now kill the Kyoto Protocol.

Canada and Australia should stop blocking right now and allow an agreement to be made so that the only global agreement to protect the climate, the Kyoto Protocol, can be ratified.

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