Mixed reception in Asia to global warming summit

Experts say global warming will lead to wetter monsoon seasons in Asia

November 28, 2000
Web posted at: 4:57 PM HKT (0857 GMT)

In this story: Asian agenda on the backburner Issues for developing Asia RELATED STORIES, SITES

By Nick Easen
CNN Interactive Writer

HONG KONG (CNN) -- Protests on several fronts have followed the breakdown of The Hague summit on global warming, with governments from around the world failing to ratify an agreement on curbing greenhouse gases.

Greenpeace activists have demonstrated at a shale oil plant in Queensland, Australia, and workers in New Delhi condemned the shutdown of polluting industries that mean they will lose their jobs.

Beyond the angry rumblings, what are implications of the failure of the U.N. summit and for Asia, one of the most energy-hungry regions on the planet?

Anna Reynolds, Coordinator for the Climate Action Network Australia says many Asian states are among the most vulnerable to the impact of climate change.

Japan and Australia, part of the U.S. led bloc known as the Umbrella Group, pushed to be allowed to use so-called carbon sinks, or areas of carbon dioxide-absorbing vegetation, to offset greenhouse gas emissions. India and China continued to insist on their right to rapid development without commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Although the summit ran out of time Japan said it would continue to participate actively in international efforts on global warming and persist with the issue domestically. Australia was split between heavy industry and its strong environment lobby, with the resources sector jubilant that the federal government had held out against curbs on emissions.

The landmark 1997 Kyoto Protocol has bestowed a legacy of complex political, technical and legal issues that have yet to be reconciled with a whole spectrum of issues from Asia's developed and developing nations.

"The summit shows how developed nations had failed again to include the Alliance of Small Island States and developing Asian countries in the discussion of global warming", Anna Reynolds told CNN.com.

This was reiterated by conference delegate Father Jett Villarin, Filipino advisor and Head of the Climate Center Division who says developing Asian country issues were "effectively put on the back burner."

Last minute discussions placed the environmental integrity and credibility of the protocol under question, as nations were unable to agree on a deal resulting in a real and continued reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases.

"A lack of a solution will be an excuse for developed countries to continue with 'business as usual' development and not to think about real and effective solutions on climate", Villarin told CNN.com.

A dispute later in the conference between the European Union and the Umbrella Group on how best to deal with emissions swept aside many earlier issues. One was a monetary package for developing nations, including assistance to some Asia-Pacific countries to help fund systems to tackle the effects of global warming and stem its growth.

Many developing countries in the region do not have the ability to adapt to the potential damaging effects of climate change or implement a program of emission reduction.

"Global warming in Asia will mean greater climatic extremes with drier dry seasons and wetter wet seasons. There is the issue of sea-level rise leading to saltwater intrusion in paddy fields, degradation of water resources and the coastal environment. Then there is the issue of health, with the potential for more vector borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever," says Villarin.

"If you look at developing countries' ability in Asia to deal with environmental disasters, it is evident that we can barely cope with these, we can only react.

"The ability to adapt or build capacity to deal with climate change is severely limited."

The main agreement to come out of the Hague summit was for delegates to reconvene in Bonn in May in another attempt to complete the Kyoto protocol.

Massive street protests held after Indian court closes polluting factories
Greens attack Australia over rising greenhouse gases

Climate Change Information Center of the Philippines
Climate Action Network Australia

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.