Press release - 9 November, 2001
Coral eco-systems are vulnerable to climate change
Greenpeace demanded today that Canada, Australia, Russia and
Japan stop their petty bickering over minor elements of the final
package at the climate negotiations here in Marrakech and accept
the deal that's on the table.
"The question I have for the Umbrella group is: Do they have a
mandate to block this deal, and hold the climate to ransom?", said
Bill Hare, Greenpeace International climate policy director.
"Canada's Prime Minister Chretien promised last week that Canada
would ratify the Kyoto Protocol in 2002. Their bottom line for
these negotiations was to secure an agreement for a Clean Energy
Workshop to be held early next year, as part of its scheme get
Kyoto credits for exporting electricity to the United States. They
received that concession last week, on top of the concessions they
received in Bonn last summer.
"Australia should be shown the door. The Australian government
goes to the polls Saturday and while the current administration has
said it won't ratify without the US, the two major opposition
parties have already promised to ratify if elected.
"Russia has already been given generous sinks allowances and is
demanding more, while the Japanese are seeking to unravel the
agreement reached in Bonn."
Throughout last week's negotiations, the Umbrella Group was
haggling over every word in the negotiations.
"It's time to stop caving in to pressure from the Umbrella Group
and start protecting the climate," said Hare.