News from Bonn (CoP-6, part TWO)

News from BONN (CoP-6, part two) - July 2001

Now that the conference is over, these pages will be kept as an archive. Look forward to our coverage of the next CoP in Marrakesh, Morocco, starting on the 19th of October 2001. In the mean-time check out our international news - just click below.

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LATEST NEWS FROM BONN - listed by day, most recent first

JUL 22, 2001
Negotiators Near Accord on Details of Climate Pact

By ANDREW C. REVKIN
ONN, Germany, Sunday, July 22 — Negotiators from 178 countries moved a step closer late Saturday night to agreement on the final details of the Kyoto Protocol, a climate treaty rejected by President Bush.
After consulting key blocs of countries, the chairman of the talks, Jan Pronk of the Netherlands, issued a 15-page proposal for settling disputes on details of the agreement, which would be the first to require industrialized countries to cut emissions of heat- trapping gases linked to a recent, and possibly harmful, warming trend.
In an important shift, environmental groups that strongly opposed the last such proposal — offered at failed talks last November in The Hague — this time gave their guarded support.
There were still weak spots, said Rob Bradley, a spokesman for Climate Action Network, a coalition of European environmental groups. But, he added, "The architecture is sound, there's enough here to take us forward and it's an urgent enough problem for us all now to put details behind us and get this done."
Many longtime participants in the effort to create binding limits on warming gases said the momentum appeared right this time for resolution.
The European Union and many developing countries have said they plan to pursue ratification of the treaty even without the involvement of the United States, the largest emitter of heat-trapping gases.
The leading industrial nations, at their summit meeting in Genoa, Italy, told President Bush on Saturday that that they intended to ratify the protocol by next year.
The Europeans particularly have said they hope that a change in administration or rising public pressure might prompt the United States eventually to participate.
Japan, Australia and Canada, which in the past tended to side with the United States on key points, have remained hesitant to endorse the pact, and were offered concessions in the new document in a clear effort to gain their support before the formal talks end tonight.
"They clearly got more than they deserve," said Bill Hare, the climate campaign director for Greenpeace.
Some people involved in the talks said they found it ironic that the document held many concessions that the Clinton administration had sought, but failed to get, from Europe in the Netherlands.
This time, Europe appeared willing to accept the same ideas, still endorsed by former American negotiating partners, in their eagerness for closure.
On Saturday night American officials, like those from almost every other country, declined to talk about the proposal and instead hunkered down to look for problems.
Mr. Bush has said the United States will not interfere with others' efforts to complete the treaty, but was prepared to oppose any elements that might harm American interests.
The document from Mr. Pronk, who is also the Dutch environment minister, appeared to have something for just about every camp: punishment for countries that fail to hit targets; substantial new money to finance poor countries' efforts to adapt to the harmful effects of warming and to develop technologies to reduce their own emissions; expanded credits for forests and farmland that can, if properly managed, sop up carbon dioxide, the main heat-trapping gas released by human activities.
Shortly before midnight on Saturday, a blizzard of photocopies swept the hall. Delegates, environmental campaigners and industry lobbyists scattered to crunch numbers and decide whether to fight or support it.
When Japanese officials offered to discuss their views with Mr. Pronk well into the early morning hours, if necessary, he said: "I can work without sleep. I am available."

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