Wednesday, December 19, 2007

A welcome for the Bali Climate Change Conference outcome, with regrets that it could not go further

Environment - 18-12-2007 - 09:28
Although some members of the Temporary Committee on Climate Change said they regretted the lack of a direct reference to binding emission cuts by industrialised countries in the final text of the Bali roadmap, most of those speaking at a meeting on Monday enthusiastically welcomed the final outcome of last week's UN Conference.

"The most important political result", said Committee Chair Guido Sacconi (PES, IT), "is that we have reached an agreement" which includes "a roadmap and a timetable" for an international treaty by 2009. Although the text includes "no direct reference to reduction targets", noted the Chair, "all countries, developed and developing alike, are now called upon to take mitigation measures". Moreover, he concluded, the final Bali text addresses many of the EP's concerns, such as deforestation, technology transfer and aid for developing countries. Lena Ek (ALDE, SE) picked up on the last of these issues. "We now have to see to it", she said, "that developing countries can combine the fight against poverty with the fight against climate change". Read More