Archived press release

Russia Must Ratify Kyoto Protocol, Urges Kofi Annan

19 March 2004

World leaders must still do more to tackle the problems posed by climate change, Friends of the Earth urged today, the 10^th anniversary of the start of the first international convention on climate change [1]. And Russian President Vladimir Putin should celebrate the anniversary by ratifying the Kyoto Protocol, the environmental campaign group said.

The call follows on from a speech by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, in New York, calling on countries which have not yet ratified the Protocol to do so. The Protocol's lack of entry into force remained "a major hurdle to effective global action", he said.

Friends of the Earth is calling on Russia to ratify so as to bring the Kyoto Protocol, the only international treaty designed to tackle climate change, into force [2].

So far more than 100 nations, including the UK, Canada, and Japan have ratified or accepted the Kyoto Protocol. But key polluters including Russia, Australia and the United States have yet to do so [3], despite rising levels of climate changing greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, the lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the world are still at risk from the damaging impacts of climate change and animal and plant species are threatened with mass extinction.

Friends of the Earth Director Tony Juniper said:

"Ten years ago world leaders recognised the importance of climate change by setting up the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which led to the Kyoto Protocol. It was a crucial first step, but sadly some countries stopped there. As a result millions of lives around the world are at risk from the damaging impacts of climate change. Those rogue states which have yet to ratify must now join this international effort. And Russian President Vladimir Putin should lead the way."

Notes

[1] The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change entered into force on 19^th March 1994.

[2] The Kyoto Protocol must apply to 55 per cent of the rich nation's greenhouse gas emissions to come into legal force. It currently applies to 44 per cent, and as Russia is responsible for 17 per cent of emissions, their ratification will activate the Protocol.

[3] Full progress on Kyoto commitments and signatories: http://unfccc.int/resource/kpstats.pdf (PDF format)

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust