The cake was decorated with forests, orangutans, and renewable
energy symbols including windmills and solar panels, with the words
"Happy 10th Birthday Kyoto" in English, Indonesian and
Japanese.
The first slice was cut by Japanese Environment Minister Ichiro
Kamashito at the end of the UNFCCC's 10th anniversary press
conference.
Designed to be strengthened and broadened through time, the
Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period, from 2008-12, starts next
year. The Bali conference is negotiating the framework for the
second phase, beginning in late 2012.
"The Kyoto Protocol is the hope for our future - we are bound
together. The youth of today is celebrating Kyoto because its
birthday marks a commitment the world made to a future of cutting
emissions and dealing with climate change," said Agnes de Rooij of
Solar Generation International.
"Kyoto is the most far-reaching environmental treaty ever agreed
with almost every country in the world committing to some form of
action in the fight against climate change. Kyoto is a strong basis
from which to create the urgent political response we need on
climate change," she said.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) this year
concluded that Kyoto is working. It has successfully set up the
right legal frameworks and mechanisms, and stimulated national
action. However,
it noted that Kyoto was constrained by "modest emissions
limits." (1)
"At ten years old, one is expected to take on more
responsibility in life. You're expected to know right from wrong.
Now that Kyoto is ten, this conference needs to give it that
responsibility," said De Rooij.
"It is clear from the science that what we have at the moment is
not strong enough and that Kyoto needs to be built on and
strengthened. We call on all countries to honour this treaty,
respect their citizens and future generations and do the work," she
said.
Other contacts: Media:Cindy Baxter, Greenpeace International communicationsTel +62 81 33 794 9713/4/5Solar Generation:Agnes de Rooij, Greenpeace InternationalTel: +62 81 31 072 3031Climate Campaign:Stephanie Tunmore, Greenpeace International climate campaignerTel: +62 81 33 794 9705
Notes: (1) The IPCC, in its Fourth Assessment Report, Working Group III, Summary for Policymakers: “The Kyoto Protocol’s most notable achievements are the stimulation of an array of national policies, the creation of a carbon market and the establishment of new institutional mechanisms.” and “The Kyoto Protocol is currently constrained by the modest emission limits. It would be more effective if the first commitment period is followed-up by measures to achieve deeper reductions and the implementation of policy instruments covering a higher share of global emissions.”