Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-09-04-Speech-2-261"
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"en.20010904.10.2-261"2
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"Commissioner, I too want to begin by offering my congratulations on what happened in Bonn. Many of us went there with misgivings about the likely result of the conference. These were, of course, felt particularly keenly in July when it was feared that what had been discussed previously would simply go by the board.
I want to emphasise that my political group and I are deeply impressed both with the Commissioner's work and with the Swedish and Belgian presidencies. I am talking here not only about what happened at the Bonn conference itself but also about the sound preparatory work which, for example, the Commissioner carried out by travelling around a number of countries to try to convince them of the importance of the Kyoto Protocol.
We can only regret the fact that there is no political will for change on the other side of the Atlantic. It is only to be hoped that, in time, there will be political developments aimed at persuading the United States too to take part in this necessary work. American companies will probably also appreciate in the long term that they are missing something by not being involved in this development.
There is no going back now. If we are to be able to make some impact upon climate change, everyone must participate, especially the United States which is one of the biggest producers of greenhouse gases.
It is now a question of putting words into action. As I have pointed out throughout these discussions, the Kyoto Protocol is only the beginning. It sounds hopeful when the Commissioner now promises that we shall have a ratification proposal before the end of the year and that the intention is to return with communications and proposals on trading in emissions rights. On this issue, I want to emphasise what Parliament has said previously, namely that trading in emissions rights must never become the biggest part of the commitment. A real change has to take place. We must change our transport systems and we must reduce emissions if there is to be less of an effect upon the climate.
That also applies to sinks. There are, of course, a number of shortcomings in the Protocol and the decision. It had been hoped that the sinks would not have been so important. Norway has set a good example by saying that it does not intend to make use of its sinks in the same way. It would be all to the good if more countries were to follow that example.
We must wait to see what happens at the conference in Marrakesh. Sooner or later, it will also be time to begin discussing how we are to make further progress. Practical proposals are required if progress is really to take place and if we are not simply to get bogged down in the Kyoto Protocol.
Allow me, finally, to thank the Commissioner and the Presidency for the sound work they have done."@en1
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