"The Kyoto
Protocol is stronger today than it was two weeks ago. This historic
first Meeting of the Parties has acknowledged the urgency of the
threat that climate change poses to the world's poorest people, and
eventually, to all of us. The decisions made here have cleared the
way for long term action," said Bill Hare, Greenpeace International
Climate Policy Advisor in Montreal.
The parties
have agreed the following:
- To start
urgent negotiations on a new round of emission reduction targets
for the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol (2013-2017).
A special group has been established to ensure that these
negotiations are concluded "as soon as possible". This is necessary
to ensure the continuity of carbon markets, and to allow
governments to put policies and measures in place to ensure that
the new, deeper emission reduction targets are met
- To start
now to review and improve the Kyoto Protocol. Mandated under the
existing treaty, this review will formally begin at next year's
meeting.
- A Five Year
Plan of Action on Adaptation, to assist least developed countries
to cope with the impacts of climate change. This programme will
begin to address the fact that climate change already impacts the
world's poorest, and that it will get much worse in the coming
decades. It is the ethical, political, and legal responsibility of
the industrialised countries to provide for this.
As expected,
the Bush administration attempted to derail the process, at one
point even walking out of the negotiations, but the rest of the
world showed a resolve to move ahead regardless. For once, the Bush
administration was forced back to the table and into agreement with
the international community. No doubt the overwhelming presence of
U.S. civil society at these talks has had a positive effect.
The US has
continued to attempt to lure countries away from the UN
multilateral climate regime with its international emission trading
to an ineffective approach based on voluntary actions and
'partnerships'. Today, however, governments have agreed to hold
substantive talks beginning in May 2006 on the Kyoto Protocol's
second commitment period, sending an unmistakable signal that we
are on the road to new and more ambitious targets.
Greenpeace is an independent, campaigning organisation, which uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems, and to force solutions essential to a green and peaceful future.
Other contacts: In MontrealBill Hare, Greenpeace International Climate Policy Advisor, +31 621 296 899Steve Sawyer, Greenpeace International Climate Policy Advisor, +31 653 504 715Mhairi Dunlop, Greenpeace International Communications, +44 7801 212 960
VVPR info: For further information please contact:Greenpeace documents on the UN Climate Change Conference 2005 can be found at www.greenpeace.ca/climate2005