Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-05-10-Speech-2-181"
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"en.20050510.22.2-181"2
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".
Mr President, last autumn a Finnish business magazine wrote that if the world had a managing director, he or she would have already started to take vigorous action to reduce emissions, and action a lot more vigorous than Kyoto.
Some time ago, an article in the British magazine
expressed astonishment at decision-makers who view the warnings of climate researchers with indifference. The magazine asked whether political decision-makers thought they lived in an alternative universe where the laws of nature did not apply, and went on to say that no one would ever view a risk of economic collapse so nonchalantly.
After Kyoto, we will need bolder cuts in emissions and more countries to be involved. We will also need to involve major economically developing countries, such as China and India. Above all, however, it is the biggest polluter, the United States of America, which ought to recognise its responsibility. It is pointless trying to imagine the involvement of China and India if the richest country on earth remains a free-rider. The industrialised countries have to acknowledge their historical responsibility for the fact that climate change has begun generally, and, accordingly, it is we who have the main responsibility to cut emissions.
The countries which have not ratified the Kyoto Protocol are trying to gain an unfair competitive edge. We should seriously think about whether we can, for example, impose protective tariffs on imports into Europe of steel produced in the United States. The rules of the World Trade Organisation make this possible.
Fortunately, the voice of reason is also being heard in the United States. Many states there have decided to take action. The north-eastern states are starting to engage in carbon dioxide emissions trading, and want to be part of the European Union emissions trading scheme. A number of city mayors have committed themselves to action at local level, and they are seeking the involvement of 141 cities, which is the same as the number of countries that have ratified Kyoto. Since, however, mere reason does not appear to be enough to persuade the United States to bear global responsibility, the kind of action possible under WTO rules ought to be seriously considered."@en1
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