ASEAN nations upset at U.S. stance on Kyoto Protocol

0 Comments | Asian Political News, May 21, 2001

PHNOM PENH, May 15 Kyodo

Environment ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) voiced disappointment Tuesday at the U.S. refusal to participate in ongoing negotiations on the 1997 Kyoto Protocol on curbing global warming.

The ministers, in a statement issued at the end of one day of informal talks in Phnom Penh, expressed ''deep concern over the U.S. government's position on the Kyoto Protocol.''

''The ministers were of the view that the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol should not be renegotiated,'' the statement said.

It added that they look forward to an ''amicable resolution of outstanding issues'' at the resumed sixth session of the Conference of Parties of the Climate Change Convention (Kyoto Protocol), which will be held in Bonn from July 16-27.

The new administration of U.S. President George W. Bush recently decided to unilaterally withdraw from the protocol, which would require the world's industrial nations to accept mandatory limits on emissions of heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases that prevent heat emanating from the burning of fossil fuel from dissipating into space.

The protocol will be enforced if it is ratified by at least 55 countries. These must include industrial states whose combined CO2 emissions accounted for 55% of total emissions from the industrial world in 1990.

Since the United States accounts for 40% of such emissions, its withdrawal could discourage other industrial nations from ratifying the pact.

The ASEAN environment ministers also expressed concern over a prediction by the ASEAN Specialized Meteorological Center that there is a 75% chance of drier than normal conditions in the region during the second half of 2001, and consequently the potential for spells of smoke haze episodes during that period.

They resolved to undertake greater efforts to prevent the problem through regional preparedness, including development of fire suppression mobilization plans, monitoring of land and forest fires and trans-boundary haze, and strengthening law-enforcement efforts.