Bush Administration Sinks to New Low on Climate Change
Buenos Aires, Argentina – The Bush administration's tough tactics at the 10th meeting of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have hampered progress on global warming, says WWF.
According to the global environment organization, the US moved from non-interference at the conference to a strategy of active obstruction, using a series of wrecking measures. These tactics were employed to block any discussion on future talks and to keep poor vulnerable countries from getting the support they need to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
"The Bush administration came to Buenos Aires with a clear agenda to stop any discussions about future action on climate change," said Jennifer Morgan, Director of the WWF global climate change programme.
"It has revealed its true colours — defending the interests of Saudia Arabia and US fossil fuel companies at the expense of the worlds poor."
According to WWF, the Bush administration often intervened on behalf of Saudia Arabia, one of the world's biggest emitters of CO2 and spread disinformation to African and developing countries about the need to adopt binding caps on their emissions.
However, these tactics failed to stop the start of informal talks on the future of climate change action. Contrary to the wishes of the US, these talks offer the opportunity for countries to exchange views on future frameworks. Member states also adopted a work plan on adaptation measures to help the most vulnerable countries better deal with climate change impacts.
While the outcome of the Buenos Aires conference is far from ideal, WWF calls on those countries taking part in the informal talks to map out a clear plan to reduce CO2 emissions.
Throughout the two week conference, the European Union, worked hard with other Kyoto club countries to stand firm against US wrecking tactics. However, faced with US intransigence, it was reduced to damage limitation.
"In Buenos Aires, the EU has squared up to the US and showed its fighting spirit," said Jennifer Morgan. "Although it had limited room for manouver, the EU managed to withstand sustained pressure from the world’s biggest polluter."
"Any blame, however, for the lack of significant progress in Buenos Aires must be firmly placed at the door of the US and Saudia Arabia, she added "The failure of the US to show any good-will proves that future negotiations should be held under the Kyoto Protocol, which the US has not ratified."
WWF calls on Kyoto countries to honour their commitments and work for deeper cuts during the next Kyoto commitment period starting in 2012. Discussions on this period will begin in earnest at the next UN climate change conference in November 2005.
Related Links
News: Climate change impacts on nature worse than thought http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/other_news/news.cfm?uNewsID=17191
News: Climate change top threat to world's coral reefs http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/other_news/news.cfm?uNewsID=16973
Background on COP10 of the UN Climate Treaty http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/climate_change/news/news.cfm?uNewsID=16990
WWF Global Climate Change Programme http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/climate_change/index.cfm
WWF - The Conservation Organization http://panda.org
and in our Links section
Please also see:
Conference of the Parties (COP 10) in Buenos Aires, Argentina
The Tenth Session of the Conference of the Parties was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 6 to 17 December 2004 at the “La Rural” exhibition center. The twenty-first sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 21)and the Subsidiary Bodyfor Implementation (SBI 21) was held in conjunction with COP 10 (6 – 14 December).
· Buenos Aires conference advances efforts to adapt toclimate change and meet Kyoto targets http://unfccc.int/files/press/releases/application/pdf/041218pr_cop10.pdf
(411 kB)
es (436 kB) http://unfccc.int/files/press/releases/application/pdf/041218pr_cop10_esp.pdf
Final decisions of the COP http://unfccc.int/meetings/cop_10/items/2944.php
Webcast http://cop10.vdo3.com/
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change http://unfccc.int/2860.php and in our Links section.
Buenos Aires, Argentina – The Bush administration's tough tactics at the 10th meeting of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have hampered progress on global warming, says WWF.
According to the global environment organization, the US moved from non-interference at the conference to a strategy of active obstruction, using a series of wrecking measures. These tactics were employed to block any discussion on future talks and to keep poor vulnerable countries from getting the support they need to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
"The Bush administration came to Buenos Aires with a clear agenda to stop any discussions about future action on climate change," said Jennifer Morgan, Director of the WWF global climate change programme.
"It has revealed its true colours — defending the interests of Saudia Arabia and US fossil fuel companies at the expense of the worlds poor."
According to WWF, the Bush administration often intervened on behalf of Saudia Arabia, one of the world's biggest emitters of CO2 and spread disinformation to African and developing countries about the need to adopt binding caps on their emissions.
However, these tactics failed to stop the start of informal talks on the future of climate change action. Contrary to the wishes of the US, these talks offer the opportunity for countries to exchange views on future frameworks. Member states also adopted a work plan on adaptation measures to help the most vulnerable countries better deal with climate change impacts.
While the outcome of the Buenos Aires conference is far from ideal, WWF calls on those countries taking part in the informal talks to map out a clear plan to reduce CO2 emissions.
Throughout the two week conference, the European Union, worked hard with other Kyoto club countries to stand firm against US wrecking tactics. However, faced with US intransigence, it was reduced to damage limitation.
"In Buenos Aires, the EU has squared up to the US and showed its fighting spirit," said Jennifer Morgan. "Although it had limited room for manouver, the EU managed to withstand sustained pressure from the world’s biggest polluter."
"Any blame, however, for the lack of significant progress in Buenos Aires must be firmly placed at the door of the US and Saudia Arabia, she added "The failure of the US to show any good-will proves that future negotiations should be held under the Kyoto Protocol, which the US has not ratified."
WWF calls on Kyoto countries to honour their commitments and work for deeper cuts during the next Kyoto commitment period starting in 2012. Discussions on this period will begin in earnest at the next UN climate change conference in November 2005.
Related Links
News: Climate change impacts on nature worse than thought http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/other_news/news.cfm?uNewsID=17191
News: Climate change top threat to world's coral reefs http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/other_news/news.cfm?uNewsID=16973
Background on COP10 of the UN Climate Treaty http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/climate_change/news/news.cfm?uNewsID=16990
WWF Global Climate Change Programme http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/climate_change/index.cfm
WWF - The Conservation Organization http://panda.org
and in our Links section
Please also see:
Conference of the Parties (COP 10) in Buenos Aires, Argentina
The Tenth Session of the Conference of the Parties was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 6 to 17 December 2004 at the “La Rural” exhibition center. The twenty-first sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 21)and the Subsidiary Bodyfor Implementation (SBI 21) was held in conjunction with COP 10 (6 – 14 December).
· Buenos Aires conference advances efforts to adapt toclimate change and meet Kyoto targets http://unfccc.int/files/press/releases/application/pdf/041218pr_cop10.pdf
(411 kB)
es (436 kB) http://unfccc.int/files/press/releases/application/pdf/041218pr_cop10_esp.pdf
Final decisions of the COP http://unfccc.int/meetings/cop_10/items/2944.php
Webcast http://cop10.vdo3.com/
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change http://unfccc.int/2860.php and in our Links section.