WWF Says 'Flawed' U.S. Proposal Would Undermine Kyoto Accord


June 4, 1998



Meeting in Bonn at the current U.N. conference on global warming, the United States, Russia and several other nations are circulating a proposal on emissions trading that, if adopted, would seriously undermine the objectives of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

The proposal, for rules governing the trading of permits that would let countries buy and sell pollution allowances, undermines the credibility of the new trading system by delaying real reductions in the emissions of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, according to Nick Mabey, a WWF economist and climate change expert.

By rejecting caps on emissions trading and failing to address the need for a monitoring system that would ensure transparency, the proposal being circulated by the so-called "JUSCANNZ" group and Russia would actually encourage the creation of hidden markets for buying and selling rights to pollute.

The "JUSCANNZ" group is composed of the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, Norway and New Zealand. Although not a member of the group, Russia is also supporting the proposal, which is now being discussed at a 10-day meeting in Bonn of the 150 countries that participated in the Kyoto Conference on climate change last December.

Mabey and other WWF experts are available to discuss the proposal with the media. Interested reporters may call Mabey in Bonn directly at the following mobile phone number: 011-44-498-843-610. Or they may contact Adam Markham, WWF's Director of Energy and Climate Policy, in Washington, DC, at (202) 861-8388.

Contacts:
NICK MABEY, 011-44-498-843-610
ADAM MARKHAM, 202-861-8388
MICHAEL ROSS, 202-778-9565