Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-01-10-Speech-1-057"
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"en.20050110.12.1-057"2
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".
Mr President, I welcome the fact that the Kyoto Protocol will enter into force on 16 February, with 132 countries having ratified the provisions of the agreement. The recent ratification of Kyoto by the Russian Government means that it will now have legal standing. Under this agreement, the European Union is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 8%, as compared to 1990 levels, by the year 2012. I welcome the enactment of the EU Emissions Trading Directive that will help to ensure that the European Union complies with the serious international obligations under the Kyoto Accord.
The one disappointing fact is that some countries, including Australia and America, have not signed up to the provisions of this agreement. America is responsible, as we all know, for over 24% of all greenhouse gas emissions on an annual basis. The effectiveness of Kyoto is diluted because America is not a signatory to the accord. However, it is not a complete tale of doom and gloom from America on this political issue. California – the largest state in America in population terms – has already enacted the Pavley tax, which is designed to reduce the use of greenhouse gases by 22% in that state by 2012. I am glad to see that it is being followed by other states. At present 19 American states are pursuing this initiative designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is clear that more and more American businesses and citizens are becoming positively disposed to tackling climate change.
The European Union must use every diplomatic avenue open to it to coax and persuade the American Government to introduce measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This can and should be done through the structures of transatlantic summits between America and the European Union. We need a coordinated international approach to tackle climate change. The Kyoto Protocol is the only current international framework available within which the countries that have ratified it can coordinate their approach to this issue.
The British Government will assume the presidency of the European Union later this year and, as a very firm ally of the present American Administration, I would hope that it will be in a very strong diplomatic position to coax the American Government to move forward on this matter in a more constructive way."@en1
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