Pivotal world conference on climate change gets under way

November 13, 2000
Web posted at: 10:49 AM EST (1549 GMT)

In this story: Weather causes concern A 5 percent reduction RELATED STORIES, SITES

From Natalie Pawelski
CNN Correspondent

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (CNN) -- How much should forests count when it comes to helping the Earth keep its cool? Should a country be able to make up for its greenhouse gas emissions by paying to clean up pollution overseas?

Delegates from about 180 countries will meet this week in The Hague to try and answer the many big questions raised by the Kyoto Protocol negotiated in Japan in 1997. Right now, it's the only worldwide strategy for dealing with global warming.

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"We have got to keep the action going," said Michael Zammit Cutajar, the convention's executive secretary. "We can't afford to put things aside for some years and start again later. We have to keep momentum. But we are heading in the right direction and the Hague conference may take us one important step further."

The policy negotiated at Kyoto is not without its critics.

"We remain opposed to the Kyoto protocol because we think it's the wrong way forward on climate policy. We believe there's a right way forward and that focuses on technology-driven ways to address concerns about greenhouse gas emissions," said Glenn Kelly with the Global Climate Coalition.

Adding to the pressure to reach an agreement are some of the worst weather crises in recent memory, including the heaviest flooding in Britain in 50 years. The storms are expected to cause damages in excess of a billion euros ($860 million). Also cause for concern are last month's floods in Italy -- which cost insurers more than 1.5 billion euros ($1.29 billion).

Many scientists and environmental groups argue that the storms that caused the flooding are the first signs of climate change brought on by global warming.

Despite the fact that global temperatures are rising -- the 10 hottest years on record have occurred since 1981 and the six hottest since 1990 -- the direct impact from greenhouse gas emissions remains under debate.

Some countries are questioning whether nuclear and hydroelectric plants, which produce no carbon dioxide, should be affected by the policies

And although dozens of countries have signed onto the Kyoto Protocol in principle, there are still fierce fights over the how the policies should be implemented.

For example, some countries are questioning the role of nuclear and hydroelectric power plants -- which don't put out greenhouse gasses but can cause other environmental problems.

Proponents of nuclear power, who say their reactors produce far fewer greenhouse gases than even the cleanest natural gas plants, will argue their case.

Another problem seems to be that while a lot of big companies are jumping on the emissions-cutting bandwagon, individual consumers are not.

"The biggest rise in emissions is coming from motor vehicles. It's those areas that are very difficult to get at because of the fragmentation. Of course because they are individuals and because you can't tell people what to do," Cutajar said.

The Kyoto Protocol, signed in 1997, is built on the 1992 Rio agreements and calls for an average 5 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions internationally from 1990 levels by 2008-2012.

So far only about 30 states have ratified the Kyoto Protocol, and none of the major industrial countries have officially tied themselves to the targets.

To have the effect of law, 55 states producing a total of 55 percent of the output of greenhouse gases must approve the protocols domestically.

Cutajar says he has two goals for the conference: to find a way to encourage poor countries to limit greenhouse gas emissions and to make the treaty acceptable to rich, industrialized nations.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
  • The Convention and the Kyoto Protocol

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