"I think we can now go home and look our children in the eye."

World Clinches Climate Deal, U.S. Isolated

By Matt Daily

BONN, Germany (Reuters) - Ministers from nearly 200 countries clinched a historic deal Monday that should force most rich industrial nations to curb the air pollution blamed for global warming, but left the United States isolated. An all-night bargaining marathon in Bonn saw European Union ministers finally break a deadlock with Japan over how the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on cutting greenhouse gas emissions would work in practice, paving the way for the treaty to come into force. Another failure, after the collapse of a summit at The Hague in November, could have killed it off for good following President Bush's withdrawal from the pact in March. "It's a brilliant day for the environment," a weary but elated Michael Meacher, the British environment minister, told Reuters. "It's a huge leap to have achieved a result on this very complex international negotiation. It's a huge relief."

Environmentalists voiced some disappointment at what they called loopholes in the deal. Greenpeace dubbed it "Kyoto-Lite." But they said any accord which made a start on curbing dangerous warming of the Earth's climate and the threat of rising sea levels due to melting ice was better than nothing.

Amid bleary smiles and multiple standing ovations for conference chairman Jan Pronk, the Dutch environment minister, there was irritation that Bush had rejected any deal in advance, saying Kyoto's mandatory emissions would hurt the U.S. economy. "One country not playing the game is one too many," said the EU's chief negotiator, Belgian Energy Minister Olivier Deleuze.

U.S. STANDS BY REJECTION

Bush endorsed a general commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at a weekend summit in Genoa of the Group of Eight (G8) industrial powers but insisted Kyoto was "fatally flawed." That had left the EU's hopes of rallying a critical mass of the remaining industrial nations behind the pact dependent on getting Japan on board. Tokyo's reservations on technical issues and its desire to avoid leaving its U.S. ally isolated kept the result of the negotiations in doubt to the very last moment.

In the end, not one of the 180 or so states present voiced objections to the final compromise, not even the United States -- though Washington repeated that it will not ratify the pact. Only the 30-odd most developed nations would, if they ratify the treaty, have to cut emissions and their support was the key factor in meeting criteria for the deal as a whole to survive.

Some delegates hailed a new, global diplomatic elan from the 15-nation EU, while others saw a triumph for United Nations "multilateralism" over the "unilateralism" of the United States and the riot-hit "rich man's club" of the G8 in Italy.

"It shows that George Bush is totally isolated in the climate debate," said Greenpeace climate activist Bill Hare. Bush's representative in Bonn, Undersecretary of State Paula Dobriansky, told delegates: "Although the United States does not intend to ratify that agreement we have not tried to stop others from moving ahead as long as U.S. interests are not threatened." Some observers in the hall heckled her remarks, in a rare interruption of the festive atmosphere.

In a conciliatory gesture, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said in Tokyo his government would "continue maximum efforts" toward "an agreement inclusive of the United States." Canada, another U.S. ally on environmental issues which only belatedly swung behind Monday's deal, also said it hoped to see a promised new climate policy from Bush "converging" on Kyoto.

DOWN TO THE WIRE

Four years of negotiation had often pitched the EU, with its desire for tough targets on cutting emissions, against the likes of Japan, Canada and Russia who wanted more flexible mechanisms. After the failure at The Hague, those disputes boiled down to four tense days in Bonn. When Pronk put forward a take-it-or-leave-it compromise deal, immediately backed by the EU, ministers began a 24-hour race to break Japanese-European deadlock on one key issue -- how punitively the targets would be enforced.

"We felt we could not fail twice," Pronk said. "Citizens, the electorate, people did expect us to reach a result."

As dawn came up over the Rhine and fears nagged that delay could wreck the entire process, the EU found room to give ground, dropping the word "legally" from descriptions of how binding the hitting of emissions targets would be on countries. The ministers left haggling over the small print to civil servants spending the rest of the week in the former West German capital. EU officials insisted targets would still be binding.

Spontaneous applause rang out in the hotel conference room where fatigued ministers had bargained throughout the night. "We have rescued the Kyoto protocol," said EU Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom. "We can go home and look our children in the eye and feel proud of what we have done." Not to be outdone in superlatives, New Zealand delegate Peter Hodgson said: "We have delivered probably the most comprehensive and difficult agreement in human history."

Forested nations like Canada, Russia and Japan won concessions from the EU to be able to offset carbon-absorbing forests against targets for cutting carbon dioxide emissions. Disappointed environmentalists say that means the cut is only about a third of the original goal of reducing industrial countries' greenhouse gas output to 5.2 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. But it was better than nothing. Said Jennifer Morgan of environment group WWF's climate change campaign: "This first small step is a giant leap for humanity and for the future of our planet."

Monday, 23 July, 2001, 13:02 GMT 14:02

UK Compromise saves climate treaty

By BBC News Online's environment correspondent Alex Kirby in Bonn

In an historic deal, 178 countries have agreed how to tackle climate change. The compromise reached after a day and a night of intensive talks in Bonn means the Kyoto Protocol, the global climate treaty, can soon enter into force. European Union Environment Commissioner, Margot Wallstrom, said: "I think we can now go home and look our children in the eye".

The conference president, Dutch Environment Minister Jan Pronk, received several standing ovations during the emotional final session. The last hurdle had been Japan's objection to the wording of some clauses designed to ensure that countries comply with the protocol. But that was modified, and Japan's reservations melted away. Watered down The deal the delegates struck was to accept a draft proposal put forward by Mr Pronk late on Saturday. It waters down considerably the provisions of the protocol as originally agreed four years ago.

Kyoto required industrialised countries to cut their emissions of six gases believed to be exacerbating global warming by an average of 5.2% below their 1990 levels over the next 11 years. US opposition The Bonn agreement, conservationists say, will reduce that 5.2% figure to about 2%.

Ms Wallstrom said the deal had serious gaps. She said: "We've managed to rescue the Kyoto Protocol. "We can now start the ratification process, and countries can start to take action on climate change. "We have lots of criticisms to make, but we are willing to live with this compromise. It is a very important start."

The US has repudiated the protocol, with President George W Bush saying he will not ratify a "fatally flawed" treaty. However, Paula Dobriansky, the head of the US delegation, said to heckles from delegates for environmental groups: "The Bush administration takes the issue of climate change very seriously and we will not abnegate our responsibility".

Contentious issue

One contentious part of the compromise is the freedom it gives to countries to meet some of their pollution reduction targets by using "carbon sinks" - trees and other vegetation which absorb carbon. This means they can make smaller and more electorally acceptable cuts in emissions from industry and transport. Olivier Deleuze, head of the EU delegation and Belgian energy minister, said: "We would have preferred to have fewer sinks in the deal, for instance. "I could give you 10 examples of changes I'd like to have seen. But I prefer an imperfect living agreement to a perfect one that doesn't exist."

Deal welcomed

Campaign groups have welcomed the deal with reservations. Kate Hampton of Friends of the Earth, said: "The Kyoto Protocol is still alive. That is a triumph for citizens all over the world. It is also a political disaster for President Bush. But the price of success has been high: the protocol has been heavily diluted, its effect on the climate has been massively eroded".

'Giant leap'

WWF said the agreement "provides sound architecture for the protocol", calling it "a giant leap for humanity". Greenpeace said: "The Kyoto Protocol can and should be the spark that sets off the coming green revolution, leading to a world where the energy we use is both clean and renewable." The head of the UK delegation, the Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett, said: "We came here very much fearing failure. We now have agreement, we have a deal, we have focus." The UK environment minister, Michael Meacher, said: "It's a brilliant day for the environment. "It's a huge leap to have achieved a result on this very complex international negotiation."

Ratification

With the protocol's practical details at last finalised, the way is open for countries to ratify it. Japan's support is crucial, because with the US now out of the running the protocol can enter into force only if it is ratified by the big polluters - the EU, eastern Europe, Russia and Japan. All now seem certain to ratify. But many climate scientists say the world will need to cut its carbon emissions, not by 5%, let alone today's 2%, but by more than half during this century. The Bonn agreement is certainly historic. In its present form, though, it is more of a symbol than a battle cry.

-- U.S. Booed at Bonn (isolated@repubican.killers), July 23, 2001

Answers

We were "booed"??!! Oh horrors!!!!!!!

Why is this suddenly such a big deal when just two years ago the Senate unanimously rejected it???

-- libs are idiots (moreinterpretation@ugly.com), July 23, 2001.

The next ice age - NOW!

-- Cave Man (caves@are.us), July 23, 2001.

“Europe will lead?” Lead what, the sheep to slaughter? Give me a friggin break. Hopefully France will not take an active role in this so-called ‘leadership’. They are the only people on this planet that can’t show a profit with a Disney property, not to mention defend their own country. Arrogant losers!

-- Telinet (like@it.is), July 23, 2001.

Howdy:

Remember me. Not a great supporter of Dubya. Think that the last election [and its illegitimate conclusion] did more harm to the country than anything that I can remember. Still, on Kyoto, he may have it right.

Had my annual meetings with technical people [not the polits. discussed above] on this subject in Europe last week. There are a variety of opinions on the subject. Too many to discuss here.

In a capsule form, I saw three lines of thought within the framework that the world climate is now warming; at the moment.

1. It is a normal cycle which will eventually reverse itself.

2. It is caused by industrial development in the last 150 y. It didn't appear earlier because the climate of the 1800's was undergoing a normal cooling cycle and reversed the effect of emissions. Now the climate is undergoing a warming cycle and emisions are re-enforcing normal climate change.

3. It is entirely caused by emissions.

One thing that everyone agrees on: Makes no difference what the cause is, nothing we do will change the trend in this century. We should be spending the money on preparing for the change.

It is unlikely that any of us will live long enough to see who is correct. *<)))

Best Wishes,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), July 23, 2001.

You forgot to say 'I Love You'. Sniff.

-- Telinet (like@it.is), July 23, 2001.

Telinet:

How much are you respected here? How do you appear? You should read Flint's discussion with some of the fringe elements on TBK2000:

Title withdrawn

Then you will know. Of course maybe you wish to be marginalized.

Best Wishes,,,,

Z

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), July 23, 2001.

We're all gon na die!

-- (the ghost of Future Shock@NWO.com), July 23, 2001.

Hello Z,
I guess there's a slight gulf between scientists and politicians on this subject.

Incidentally, I read Telinet's last answer as an allusion to the thread Alright you people, listen up! And listen good!.

-- (bumpkin@dnet.net), July 23, 2001.

I wouldn't be so quick to denounce the French for Euro-Disney, Barry. Disney has always been a source of entertainment for Americans, but Europe [in general] has been slow to jump on the bandwagon for things American [unlike Japan.]

I'd heard that Euro-Disney was a "bust", but I didn't see that when we visited the park in 1995. It was just as crowded as Disneyland and Disneyworld, IMO. Their future might not be so bleak. As you may recall, my son thought he'd been to every Disney park in the world after visiting Euro-Disney. When I told him that another had opened in Japan, he said, "Mom?" I said, "No, son. The next Disney park we visit will be at YOUR expense."

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), July 23, 2001.

Z,

What makes you think YOU are respected here?

-- (your opinions @ are. worthless), July 23, 2001.

Z...welcome back =)

-- (cin@cin.cin), July 23, 2001.

I respect you, Z. :)

-- helen (its@morning.too), July 24, 2001.

Out of everybody here I think Z loves me the most!

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), July 24, 2001.

Is this true Z?

-- Debra (Thisis@it.com), July 24, 2001.

No Unk, ‘Z’ is in love with himself, or least with the image that he wishes to present. Hardy a post of his appears that doesn’t start with something like, “I just returned from a trip halfway around the world” or, “I just had my meetings with technical people”….yadda, yadda. Never seen anyone spend so much time puffing himself or herself up…..normally a good bullshit indicator.

And who was the only crybaby that refused to say ‘I love you’ a few Sundays ago?

Didn’t he run away moaning that he would never return?

This guy is full of shit, plain and simple.

But all and all, its nice to have you back ‘Z’. We should all be honored to have such an exalted one such as you grace these pages.

BTW ‘Z’, unlike yourself I am not here on the Internet looking for ‘respect’ from mostly strangers. I save those energies for IRS audits.

-- Telinet (like@it.is), July 24, 2001.

I love you Telinet.

-- helen (love@day.was.a.good.idea), July 24, 2001.

I love you too Helen!

-- Telinet (like@it.is), July 24, 2001.

I like Telnet. I also like FTP.

-- (ButIDont@Like.http.very.much), July 24, 2001.

To be fair (a vice I cannot seem to let go), Z is not the only forum regular who hadn't posted to the "Alright you people" thread. I also hadn't; I was overseas that weekend, at a convention on solar-powered fans. Or was it wind-powered heaters? Whichever, I didn't get back until that thread was no longer warm, or should I say gushy. Anyway, I love you helen.

I found Z's post on this thread fairly interesting, in that it wasn't merely a variation on "Take my word for it" or "If you don't get it, it's not worth my time to explain."

-- David L (bumpkin@dnet.net), July 24, 2001.

Ah, David my good man, I think you may have missed something in regards to Unk’s ‘I love you’ day. ‘Z’ showed up and posted all right but refused to say the magic words and got deleted, along with some others. However, ‘Z’ went into a snit and said he was leaving forever, rather than submit to Unk’s request. Furthermore, he went over to Poole’s Roost and moaned and whined about his terrible treatment.

Everyone else took it in the good spirit that it was intended. Not he.

A self-serving asshole if ever there was. Big bullshitter too!

-- Telinet (like@it.is), July 24, 2001.

You are right, Telinet. I was not aware of Z's involvement on that thread. But I stand by what I'd said about helen. 8^)

-- David L (bumpkin@dnet.net), July 24, 2001.

Woo hoo! I love you David!

-- helen (up@way.too.late), July 25, 2001.