'Serious concerns' about Bali climate deal: White House
Yahoo News 16 Dec 07;
The United States Saturday voiced "serious concerns" about a deal reached at the UN climate conference in Bali, emphasizing the need for major developing countries to be included in greenhouse gas emissions targets.
In a statement following the end of the global conference, where the United States found itself isolated in battling against new emissions goals for developed countries, the White House renewed its call for emissions targets for countries like China and India.
And it said that any new agreement to succeed the UN Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012, must acknowledge a country's sovereign right to pursue economic growth and energy security.
While there were positive aspects to the conference's deal to seek a new treaty by 2009, the "United States does have serious concerns about other aspects of the decision as we begin the negotiations," the White House said.
"The negotiations must proceed on the view that the problem of climate change cannot be adequately addressed through commitments for emissions cuts by developed countries alone.
"We must give sufficient emphasis to the important and appropriate role that the larger emitting developing countries should play in a global effort to address climate change," it said.
The White House also said coming talks need to distinguish between wealthier emerging countries and those with smaller economies.
"In our view, such smaller and less developed countries are entitled to receive more differentiated treatment so as to more truly reflect their special needs and circumstances."
The statement was a reiteration of the adamant US position toward the Kyoto Treaty and the Bali talks that large, rapidly growing economies such as China, India and Brazil must themselves commit to emissions cuts if efforts to slow climate change are to be equitable and effective.
The US position nearly scuttled the Bali deal before a last-minute compromise allowed Washington's negotiators to sign on.
Washington had said it would not accept a joint statement agreed by nearly all of the 190 nations present as it wanted developing countries such as China to agree to tougher commitments.
But on an unscheduled 13th day of talks earlier Saturday, the United States -- the only major industrial nation to reject Kyoto -- reached a deal with the European Union to avoid mentioning any figures as a target for slashing greenhouse gas emissions.
Despite finally going along with the Bali pact, in its statement later Saturday Washington insisted that the agreement has "not yet fully given effect to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities that is a pillar of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change."
"Empirical studies on emission trends in the major developing economies now conclusively establish that emissions reductions principally by the developed world will be insufficient to confront the global problem effectively," it said.
"Accordingly, for these negotiations to succeed, it is essential that the major developed and developing countries be prepared to negotiate commitments, consistent with their national circumstances, that will make a due contribution to the reduction of global emissions."
The US stressed too that any future pact had to accommodate the national economic interests of those taking part.
"At the same time, the United States believes that any arrangement must also take into account the legitimate right of the major developing economies and indeed all countries to grow their economies, develop on a sustainable basis, and have access to secure energy sources."
Meanwhile, Democratic Party presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton hit out at the Bush administration's resistance to the Bali agreement and promised to take a lead in creating a post-Kyoto treaty if she is elected president next year.
"The Bush administration again sought to block progress, but ultimately could not resist the weight of the scientific and political consensus for action on climate change," Clinton said in a statement.
If she is elected president, Clinton said, "I will immediately lead the process to develop a new treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol. My administration will engage in high level meetings with leaders around the world every three months, if that's what it takes, to hammer out a new agreement."
US wary of global warming framework
Yahoo News 15 Dec 07;
Despite agreeing on the outline for a new global warming deal, the White House quibbled with it Saturday and said it does not sufficiently address the role of developing nations.
White House press secretary Dana Perino said the product of a two-week U.N. climate conference was "a critical first step" with many "quite positive features." Those she cited included a commitment for richer nations to speed the transfer of technology and financial aid to help poor countries handle environmental changes.
The United States had opposed this request from developing countries and relented only after criticism from other delegations at the 190-nation talks on the Indonesian island of Bali. Environmentalists still complained that the commitment to provide green technology to poor countries was not strong and they lamented that the deal does not require specific actions yet against global warming, including no specific emissions targets.
Instead, the deal sets an agenda and schedule — a "road map" — for negotiators to reach, by 2009, a new international pact aimed at addressing global warming. The U.S. and some other nations said emissions reduction targets should come at the end of the process, not the beginning.
In a statement, Perino said that aspects the U.S. particularly welcomes include a recognition of the importance of technology in the solution and the role of industry agreements.
But, she said, "the United States does have serious concerns" because the U.N.-sponsored talks have "not yet fully given effect to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities."
Specifically, commitments for emissions cuts cannot be required from developed countries alone, as that would be insufficient to reduce global warming and would be unfair. "Major developing economies must likewise act," Perino said.
Also, requirements of developing countries must be set to reflect factors such as the size of a nation's economy or its emissions level, she said.
"For these negotiations to succeed, it is essential that the major developed and developing countries be prepared to negotiate commitments, consistent with their national circumstances, that will make a due contribution to the reduction of global emissions," Perino said. "A post-2012 arrangement will be effective only if it reflects such contributions."
