Press release - 18 December, 2004
Greenpeace today expressed disappointment at the outcome of the climate talks in Buenos Aires, and anger at the US and Saudi Arabia for their deliberate tactics of obstruction and delay. The agreement means that discussions on future greenhouse gas cuts will not progress substantially during the coming year and will not ensure that countries most at risk from climate impacts get the assistance they need from the industrialised world.
"We hope that everyone has taken note of the bullying and
blocking tactics of the USA at these negotiations. As a result we
have a deal that is that barely keeps the process moving" said
Greenpeace spokesperson, Steve Sawyer.
"This agreement ensure that there will not be the kind of
progress we need on negotiations of future emissions cuts during
the next twelve months, and the adaptation package is far from
adequate."
The complex agreement originally contained plans for a series of
informal meetings to discuss the future of the climate regime. At
the insistence of the US, this was reduced to one 'seminar'. US
demands that the agenda should not contain any discussions of
future cuts or be reported back at the next negotiations were
finally amended to allow one informal seminar to go ahead.
Saudi Arabia worked alongside the US throughout the meeting and
further blocked progress by imposing conditions on making financial
assistance available for adaptation in developing countries. In
return it demanded compensation for loss of oil revenues if the
world moves away from fossil fuels.
"For Saudi Arabia to hold out a begging bowl whilst the least
and poorest developed countries in the world struggle to cope with
floods, droughts and extreme events, is obscene" said Sawyer.
"And the danger of trying to negotiate with the US is clear.
They are intent on wrecking the talks and are not capable of
negotiating in good faith. Their position on the science is
illegitimate, their refusal to accept responsibility for impacts on
the developing world is immoral and their negotiating positions are
absurd."
"Only by moving ahead strongly without the US can we make real
progress on climate change," he concluded.
Next year's negotiations will see the Kyoto countries meeting as
a group for the first time. The USA will have observer status only
at this and future Kyoto Protocol meetings unless and until it
ratifies.
Notes: Complete reports visit :http://weblog.greenpeace.org/climatesummit/