Climate talks collapse without deal
Talks in The Hague, aimed at enabling the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol collapsed on 25 November without a concluding agreement. One of the main stumbling blocks to a deal was disagreement between the EU and the USA as to whether carbon sinks, which absorb a degree of pollution, are an acceptable alternative to cutting emissions. Whilst recriminations as to who is responsible for the failed talks are banded about between Environment Ministers, European Commissioner for the Environment Margot Wallström is turning her attention to the World Conference on Climate Change part two, now set to take place in 2001. 'The example of the Cartagena Protocol to the UN convention on biodiversity, on which agreement was reached only at the second attempt, shows that a temporary setback can lead to a better result in the end', commented Mrs Wallström. 'We of course would have preferred a deal on the rules for the Kyoto Protocol now, but the negotiations were never going to be easy and in the end, we simply ran out of time to resolve all the issues. The resumption of COP6 will give us the second chance we need.' Commissioner Wallström continued: 'Any agreement must safeguard the environmental integrity and credibility of the Protocol, and unfortunately some of the ideas under discussion in the final hours in The Hague did not guarantee this. It is imperative that any deal results in real and continued reductions by industrialised countries, particularly the main polluters, in their emissions of the greenhouse gases that are warming the planet. COP6 has made important technical progress on a number of issues and has allowed all sides to understand each others' positions much better and to narrow our differences considerably.' Mrs Wallström added that she remains confident that under the skilful presidency of Jan Pronk, the Dutch environment minister, a deal that is both good for the environment and cost-effective will be made next year. 'We will continue to do everything we can to ensure that happens', said Mrs Wallström.