Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-12-15-Speech-3-019"
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"en.19991215.3.3-019"2
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". – Thank you for inviting me to give the Commission's assessment of the results of the Bonn Conference on Climate Change.
This brings me to a very important matter that Parliament has also raised in a resolution, namely the question of nuclear energy as an option for clean development mechanism projects. I am of the opinion that the environmental and safety problems surrounding nuclear energy are too important to encourage its proliferation in developing countries under the header of the clean development mechanism. There are excellent alternatives such as renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures that fit much better with the purpose of the CDM to promote sustainable development.
Let me turn to some of the other divergence issues. The EU proposal for a concrete ceiling on the use of the Kyoto mechanisms has not been addressed formally at COP 5 but was very much the subject of discussion in the corridors.
The intentions underlying the proposals stand as firm as ever, guaranteeing that every party achieves at least a substantial part of its emissions target at home instead of relying heavily on the Kyoto mechanisms. This should allow the first behavioural and technological changes with a view to preparing for the much more ambitious emission cuts of the future.
In addition, the Kyoto targets must be achieved through real emission reductions and not by buying other countries' quotas that have become over-generous due to economic decline – the famous hot air. Hence the need to limit the amount of its quota of emissions that a party can sell. A decision on how to ensure this environmental soundness must be taken at COP 6 as part of the overall package of decisions and the Community's position on the ceilings issue has not changed.
Another important feature at COP 5 concerned the voluntary commitments of developing countries and it is commendable that developing countries such as Argentina and Kazakhstan are taking the initiative to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions. In view of their economic growth prospects their involvement in international climate change action is of the utmost importance. However, it is crucial that we get the process right. We must avoid inflation of the environmental permits available in the Kyoto mechanisms as this would work against real emission reductions.
I hope to come back to you in a year or so to report positive results from COP 6. In the meantime the Commission will continue not only its active role in the negotiations but also its work on Community measures. Under the climate change action programme, which I announced in this House in October, the Commission's work is currently focusing on the establishment of a list of priority measures in the area of climate change to be presented to the Environment Council in March. I am also working hard to have a Green Paper on emissions trading within the European Community adopted by the Commission in March. It will allow a wide debate of all stakeholders on an approach which should further reduce the costs to our economies of reducing greenhouse gases.
A tremendous amount of technical and political work still lies ahead of us in putting the Kyoto Protocol into effect as a first step in fighting global warming. I appreciate your commitment to help in conveying the importance of combating climate change throughout Europe and to your counterparts in other countries, in particular the United States Congress.
One year ago the parties to the Convention on Climate Change decided on a two-year work programme, the Buenos Aires plan of action. It should lead to decisions on the outstanding issues under the Kyoto Protocol by COP 6, which will take place one year from now in The Hague. In this context the expectations for Bonn concentrated on the need to make substantial technical progress. It was clear from the outset that the major political decisions would have to wait for COP 6. I believe such progress has been achieved.
The aspect of COP 5 of greatest political importance was Chancellor Schroeder's call for entry into force of the Protocol by the year 2002. I am very pleased that the European Union, along with many other parties, expressed its support for that idea. This means that a clear timetable is now set which increases the pressure on all parties to make COP 6 a success. I urge all parties to ensure that they are able to launch the ratification process immediately after COP 6. In this context, the decision of the parties in Bonn to speed up the process during the coming years was important.
Allow me to comment on some of the issues that were discussed in Bonn. The most important unresolved issues under the Kyoto Protocol are the rules and modalities for the Kyoto mechanisms and the design of a comprehensive compliant system. The Kyoto mechanisms – emissions trading, joint implementation and the clean development mechanism – are a part of the Protocol.
It is generally recognised that they have the potential to make climate action more cost efficient. Of course, it is vital that such a system is complemented by a strictly compliant system including provisions for cases of non-compliance.
In view of the difficult international negotiation process, it was quite a success that, on the Kyoto mechanisms and on compliance, we succeeded in getting de facto draft negotiating texts. These will continue to constitute the basis for further negotiation in the coming months. Without this achievement, the prospects of reaching decisions at COP 6 would have been bleak.
Good progress has also been made on issues such as capacity building, technology transfer and adaptation to the effects of climate change. The meeting highlighted once again how important it is to make equal progress on issues of importance to the industrialised world as much as to the developing countries. That is why we need a balanced process between issues relating to the Kyoto Protocol and issues relating to the underlying Climate Change Convention.
We have to keep in mind that COP 6 can be successful only if we can deliver significant results on both issues, building a bridge between the industrialised and developing countries.
Another success was the continuation of the so-called activities implemented jointly. These projects financed by industrial countries cannot but enhance capacity building and technology transfer in developing countries and economies in transition."@en1
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