Industrialised nations continue to be the major contnlxftrs of greenhouse gases and their emissions are increasing
WITH the European Community's
carbon dioxide emissions rising and
the developing countries reluctant to
bail them out, industrialised countries found themselves jammed into a
tight corner at the ninth meeting of
the negotiations on the Climate
Change Convention held in Geneva.
Right at the start of the February
7-18 meeting, Bert Bolin, chairperson
of the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change, a scientific body set
up to advise the negotiators, declared
that the industrialised countries' target of stabilising greenhouse gas
emissions by 2000 was "very modest" and asked for reductions "well
below the current levels." Later, the
Group of 77 refused to endorse a proposal by industrialised countries to
get emission credits for providing finance and technology
to the developing countries for reducing their
greenhouse gas emissions (See box).
A concerned German government
asked for a "protocol" for reducing
all greenhouse gas emissions to be
ready by March 1995, when it hosts
the first conference of convention
signatories.
The Danish government asked its
pledge
a 20 per
cent reduction in emissions from
1990 levels by the year 2005.
Danish environment minister
Svend Auken had earlier
committed his country to
this target to "prove the
importance of furthering
this process".
But three key issues that could
not be resolved were the chairpersonship of the council, the number and
distribution of constituencies on the
council and the qualified majority
required if there is a vote.
Anderson said that after December,
donor countries expressed strong
support for a core fund of $2 billion
for GEF. He said G-77 countries were
"also keen to re-engage in negotiations." The GEF restructuring plan
would be ready for the member governments' approval at the GEF participants assembly, which was to start March 14 in Geneva.
As it dawned on the delegates
that money from GEF would be limited, the debate got stuck on what the
priorities and eligibility should be for
funding. The wrangling was mainly between the former East European
countries and the developing countries. The developing countries also wanted the costs of
changing their technology as a result
of climate change to be included in
the funding, a stand opposed by the
industrialised countries.
Meanwhile, Northern environmentalists began lobbying for bringing even other forms of aid to follow
the funding criteria of the climate
change convention. In this regard,
mention was made of the proposed
World Bank loan to India's National
Thermal Power Corp for 15 coal-fired
power plants. They contend that
loans that lead to an increase in
developing country emissions should
be discouraged.
"The continuous debate on
money shows the anxiety of developing countries over reduced funds and
increasing blame of emissions being
directed towards them," said a developing country delegate on condition
of anonymity.
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