Climate Change Convention Sucked into "Black Hole of Loopholes," WWF Says

Friday, December 12th, 1997

Kyoto, Japan-Two and a half years of negotiations on climate change ended, Thursday, with a flawed agreement that will allow major polluters to continue emitting greenhouse gases through loopholes.

The treaty will fail to properly reduce the threat of climate change because key players -- in particular, the United States and Japan -- have refused to set realistic targets for emission reductions. They also inserted loopholes that would further reduce their already very low targets and in some cases, even allow an increase in greenhouse gas pollution.

"Governments can run away from the Kyoto Summit, but they can't hide," Adam Markham, director, WWF Climate Change Campaign said, "Despite this agreement's many flaws, WWF will push for early ratification and entry into force so that the process of raising targets and closing loopholes can proceed. This plan has no where to go but up, so WWF is going take the message to the public that they must pressure their governments to take action that will truly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Opinion poll after opinion poll in the United States, Japan, Australia, and other countries show overwhelming public support for real government action on climate change and they will not tolerate political smoke and mirrors to disguise the truth."

United States Vice President, Al Gore, Japan Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, and many other government leaders agreed the science of climate change is irrefutable. Gore in his speech to the Kyoto delegates described the climate skeptics of being akin to "tobacco scientists." WWF believes the result of today's agreement plays into the hands of those vested interests.

"If this agreement is not improved, governments will have condemned the world to the human misery of floods, droughts, rising sea-levels and the spread of infectious diseases," Markham said. "The preservation of nature and wildlife -- polar bears, the tiger, even Santa's reindeers are just a few of the many species sucked into the black hole-loop holes of this tragically week plan."

For its part, WWF will expand its work at the national level around the world to encourage energy savings and reductions of greenhouse gas emissions through such programs as:

  • working with modern utilities to provide green electricity to consumers,
  • working with multi-national domestic appliance manufactures to increase the energy efficiency of the products and
  • promoting energy efficient commercial buildings, housing and renovations (such as the major hotel development for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games).

WWF's target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent from 1990 levels must be put back on the agenda. Stricter limits will have to be discussed at future sessions to limit emissions from polluting energy sources.

WWF will continue to monitor the impact of climate change on nature and wildlife, and help promote the clean energy systems of the future that will allow humankind to live in harmony with the environment while meeting material needs.

Return to Press Releases Index