Archived press release

Kyoto Deal Will Not Stop Global warming

11 December 1997

Friends of the Earth International said this morning that the Kyoto Protocol agreed at the United Nations COP3 meeting on climate change will not slow down global warming. After eleven days of negotiations, governments have come up with a compromise deal that could in the early part of the next century even lead to emission increases because of a
series of loopholes that remain in the final text. These loopholes could include the provision for Russia to sell 'phantom' emissions with more energy-intensive economies such as the United States.

The emission reductions agreed amount to an overall reduction of about 5.2 per cent for the developed countries at 1990 levels by 2008-2012. This is far below the 15 per cent reduction at 1990 levels by 2010 proposed by the European Union as a realistic and achievable target, and even that reduction is very low indeed compared to the action demanded by some other interpretations of global warming science. It is expected that the rising concentrations of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere will contribute to further climate change leading to billions of dollars worth of property damage, loss of human life, sea level rise and extreme weather conditions that may damage tourism and agriculture. It will also accelerate the process of species extinction and habitat loss.

The highly compromised political deal done in Kyoto is largely attributable to the position of the United States which was heavily influenced by fossil fuel and automobile industry interests. The failure to reach agreement led to the talks spilling over into an all night session and ended in disarray as interpretation facilities were withdrawn.

Tony Juniper of Friends of the Earth International said:

“Governments have delivered a deal but at present this is fatally compromised and riddled with loopholes. Millions of people worldwide will remain at risk from the social and economic upheaval that will accompany progressive global warming. There must be an urgent evaluation of what has been achieved here and early efforts to improve on this weak agreement. The acceptance of the need for more effective action by countries like the USA will be vital".
ENDS

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust