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Climate Change Campaign

State of The Climate


Climate Talks Sinks In Loopholes

October 30, 1997

Smoke Stack Bonn, Germany--Final negotiations before the Climate Summit in Kyoto, Japan in December are sinking in an ever increasing number of loopholes that would give countries the license to pollute unabated. Making matters worse, the US and Japan continue to ignore the reams of analyses that show how greenhouse gas reductions can be achieved by available technologies and proven policies.

A good example of the loopholes is what WWF calls 'phantom abatement' of emissions. In Russia and eastern Europe, emissions have fallen dramatically with the collapse of their economies. The US proposes that nations be allowed to purchase those 'phantom emissions,' thereby giving them the right to continue polluting.

That kind of diversionary proposal has pushed talks more off track than ever before. Two years after nations promised to set targets and timetables to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, governments are competing to create escape clauses that would render the Kyoto protocol meaningless. Even more alarming -- they would allow governments to falsely advertise that they've actually committed to emission reductions.

"The US and Japan deserve top marks for creative writing and accounting," said Lars Georg Jensen, Policy Coordinator, WWF Climate Change Campaign. "There are at least a dozen loopholes -- and even the loopholes have loopholes."

Another stumbling block is the refusal of the US and Japan to engage in serious debate over the significant greenhouse gas reductions that are possible through policies and measures to improve energy efficiency. For example, an analysis for WWF by the Tellus Institute in Boston, Massachusetts shows that cutting US emissions by 10 percent by 2005 would result in net savings to the economy of $46 billion and by 2010 that figure would rise to $136 billion with a 22 percent emissions reduction.

The G-77 and China proposal in many ways supports the EU position of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 7.5% in 2005 and 15% in 2010, meaning that nearly 150 countries back this. For WWF, the reduction targets from the EU and G-77 and China are the only realistic basis for negotiations. WWF calls for greater co-operation between the EU and G-77 and China.

The current gridlock has unleashed frenetic, last-minute diplomatic efforts. EU leaders must ease the Clinton administration toward accepting emission reductions when representatives from UK, The Netherlands, Luxembourg and the European Commission gather in Washington on 4 November.

WWF leads international efforts to protect the diversity of life on Earth. The WWF Climate Change Campaign is working around the world to raise awareness of the threats of climate change to wildlife and natural ecosystems, urge governments to taking action to prevent climate change, and to build partnerships with business and industry to find solutions to the problem.

For more information, access the WWF Climate Change Campaign website at http://www.panda.org/climate

*WWF is known as the World Wildlife Fund in the United States and Canada, and as the World Wide Fund For Nature outside of North America.