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EU hesitant over Kyoto extension

By Li Jing and Li Xing (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-12-04 11:15

CANCUN, Mexico - The European Union is still hesitating over whether to extend the Kyoto Protocol after its first commitment period expires in 2012, while environmentalists are trying to save the only global carbon reduction regime.

"We're willing to consider a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol," said Peter Wittoeck, the Belgian envoy who speaks for the EU.

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"But if it is only the EU that is under such a commitment without the rest of the world (then) that would not be a solution for the global climate problem."

At the same time, non-governmental organizations on Thursday launched a "Love Kyoto" campaign to keep the Kyoto Protocol moving forward.

On the first day of the Cancun summit, Japan said it would not sign up to a second commitment period of the protocol, because the mechanism addresses only 27 percent of global carbon emissions.

The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997 with 16 major emitting countries pledging to commit themselves to cut emissions by about 5 percent below 1990 figures by 2012. It is the only existing legally binding mechanism to reduce carbon emissions.

The United States remains outside the protocol.

"So there is still no absolute yes or no to a second commitment period of Kyoto Protocol from European Union side," Wittoeck told a news conference in Cancun.

Developing countries said Japan's position could damage negotiations for a new global climate treaty.

Barry Coates, Oxfam executive director in New Zealand, told China Daily: "For a future agreement, it will take many years for that agreement to come into force.

"Climate change cannot wait until we conclude these negotiations and get it agreed by countries around the world.

"We need to take action. We need the countries that cause the climate change, particularly the rich countries, including Japan, the US and the EU, to continue taking action.

"We've just started tackling the climate change, we cannot kill the Kyoto Protocol for now."

He said industrialized nations are the cause of global warming, so they have the responsibility to move first and to move further to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Masako Konishi, senior climate policy adviser of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Japan, said the support of emerging economies and the US is needed for a robust carbon reduction framework after 2012.

"But that does not necessarily mean Japan does not need to make commitments anymore. All the countries need to do as much as they can to reduce carbon emissions after 2012, to 2020, to 2050," she said.

"So moving away from the Kyoto Protocol now is not a solution. To include emerging economies and the US, we need both tracks."