After days of tough negotiations, participants to the U.N. Convention on
Climate Change (COP) on Monday finally reached an agreement on
concrete steps to reduce greenhouse gas, which is of "historical
dimension" as described by many participants.
The sixth conference of the COP has been in session since July 16,
making an all-out effort to map out rules for implementing the Kyoto Protocol, which
commits developed countries to reducing their greenhouse gas
emission.
The Kyoto Protocol was in danger of peril after U.S. President
George W. Bush rejected the treaty on grounds that it is "fatally
flawed." Under its provisions, it can enter into force only with
signatures of developed countries representing 55 percent of their
greenhouse gas emission in 1990.
With Washington's refusal to implement Kyoto Protocol, Japan’s
backing has been crucial to the European Union's efforts to save
the treaty.
Japan, Canada and Australia were for weeks striving towards the
treaty, pressing for more use of forests and farmlands as they can
absorb carbon and serve as substitute for real reduction in
greenhouse gas. After they won substantial concession on the issue
from the EU, Japan and those wavering countries finally sided with
their European partners.
Developing countries, which constitute the majority of the COP
parties and have all along called for implementing the Kyoto
Protocol, helped to wring the deal. Although they were unhappy with
developed countries' soft approach to providing funds and
technology in reducing greenhouse gas as required under
international treaties, they supported the EU-Japan deal in order
to prod them into concrete action in that respect.
According some participants, the success of the Bonn conference is
significant not only for the survival of the Kyoto Protocol, but
also for its far-reaching impact on the political field, because it
is achieved amid growing doubts that without U.S. participation it
could ever be done.
Margot Wallstrom, European Commissioner for the Environment, said
"this is a victory for the multilateral negotiating process." Some
EU officials called it triumph for United Nations and
"multilateralism" over "unilateralism."
"The significance of what we have achieved here in Bonn does not
merely relate to the climate change process," said Bagher Asadi,
chairman of the Group of 77.
(Xinhua News Agency 07/24/2001)