Archived press release

Kyoto afloat despite attempted sabotage

17 December 2007

BALI (INDONESIA) December 15, 2007 - Negotiators reached a deal in Bali today (Saturday) on taking forward the Kyoto Protocol but Friends of the Earth International expressed disappointment at the weak content following many attempts to derail the talks by some delegations.

But the European Union, Australia and developing countries stood their ground on the need to include an agreement in a united front that emissions cuts should be in the range of 25 - 40 per cent, as demanded by climate scientists. This provides some indication of ambition but still leaves a lot of work to be done.

Friends of the Earth Director Tony Juniper said:

"This deal is very disappointing. We said we needed a roadmap, but this conference has failed to give us a clear destination. Many of the developing countries brought good proposals to Bali - they know we need a climate deal - but the industrialised nations have let them down. We urgently need to find a way forward for an international agreement. This is a journey we have to make together."

Delegations from the United States and Japan, supported by Canada, earlier in the talks shot down strong developing country proposals on financing the transfer of technology. The rest of the industrialised countries failed to reign in the destructive behaviour of these three countries, which has led to compromised deal.

The deal does include an agreement on the Adaptation Fund which will begin to deliver funds for developing countries to deal with the impacts of climate change, and an agreement to review how industrialised countries will meet emissions reduction targets in the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

The limitations of the deal includes:

• A work plan to negotiate complex issues on the potential scheme to reduce deforestation in developing countries, with references that could include plantations which would water down the scheme;
• Obligation for verifiable reporting on developing country actions without resolute commitments to finance technology and capacity building to assist them to do so

Friends of the Earth International Climate Coordinator Stephanie Long said:

"Around the world millions of people are already suffering the effects of climate change. People outside the talks have sent a strong message demanding climate justice. This message must no longer fall on deaf ears. We only have two years to build on this weak outcome and develop a just deal which ensures tough action from industrialised countries and assistance for people in the developing world."

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust