Pressure mounts on rich nations to reduce greenhouse gases
From Ashraf Abdullah in Berlin
PRESSURE is mounting on the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), especially the United States, as another 17 countries join ranks with their developing partners to push for greater commitment from developed nations to reduce greenhouse gases.
The 17 developing countries joined the initial 42 at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change — Conference of the Parties on Monday, to bring the total number to 69.
The developing countries, spearheaded by Malaysia, India and China, are calling for a protocol for the reduction of carbon dioxide by the developed nations to the 1990 level in year 2000 and a further 20 per cent in year 2005.
The "green" paper, produced by developing countries, minus oil-exporting countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran and Venezuela, affirms that current commitments are not adequate to meet convention objectives.
The paper responds to major industrialised country concerns. It refers to all greenhouse gases, rather than just C02.
While indicating that consultations should not introduce any new commitment for developing countries, the paper invites co-operation in promoting enhanced developing country action under existing commitments.
Most importantly for the US, the paper makes clear that it envisions an interactive, on-going process in which all countries can participate.
The paper gives the opportunity to the US and developed nations of the OECD to show the world whether they are serious about their policies to prevent global warming.
It also includes targets and timetables to keep countries on track and to spur technological development.
The United States, so fond of asking developing countries for action, now finds itself with all the action it can handle.
It has consistently implied that the developing countries were not acting to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
This is inconsistent with growing evidence that developing countries are undertaking more agressive approaches to reduce emissions than any other industrialised country.
Malaysia, India, Thailand, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Pakistan, Morocco and Indonesia have all reduced their emissions.
Malaysia for example is now using gas, which emits much lower C02, for energy generation.
Recycling gas under the combined cycle method for generating electricity, is among the conditions imposed by the Malaysian Government for independent power producers (IPP).
This leaves the US isolated, with the fossil fuel industry and its oil allies, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iran.
Asked to comment on the matter, the head of the Malaysian delegation Datuk Renji Sathiah said:
"The ball is now in the other end of the court. The developed countries have to respond to the paper.
"Any attempt to amend or weaken the green paper would mean that these countries are not sincere in their call for progress."
Sathiah, who is also head of the Malaysian mission to the European Union and Ambassador to Belgium, said the least that the developed countries could do was to affirm some provisions that strengthened the targets and timetables to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions.
But at a Press conference on Monday, the head of the US delegation Rafe Pomerance avoided reporters’ questions on the "green" paper saying that he could not dwell into the matter until the OECD completed its ongoing discussions.
The OECD is under pressure to respond before the ministerial meeting begins today, especially after most of the interest groups have shown support for the paper.
Source : The New Straits Times 05 April 1995
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