JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
4 April 2001
- –Jorge Moreira da Silva, Cristina García-Orcoyen Tormo, Avril Doyle, Marielle de Sarnez and Françoise Grossetête on behalf of the PPE-DE Group
- –Dagmar Roth-Behrendt, Anneli Hulthén and Riitta Myller on behalf of the PSE Group
- –Marit Paulsen, Chris Davies and Karl Erik Olsson on behalf of the ELDR Group
- –Didier Rod, Paul A.A.J.G. Lannoye and Nelly Maes on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
- –Francis Wurtz, Jonas Sjöstedt, Mihail Papayannakis and Laura González Álvarez on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group
- –PSE (B5‑0267/2001),
- –Verts/ALE (B5‑0270/2001),
- –GUE/NGL (B5‑0278/2001),
- –PPE-DE (B5‑0287/2001),
- –ELDR (B5‑0295/2001),
European Parliament resolution on the Kyoto Conference objectives
The European Parliament,
– having regard to Articles 2 and 6 of the EC Treaty, according to which environmental protection requirements will have to be integrated into Community sectoral policies with the aim of environmentally sustainable economic development,
– having regard to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) adopted at the Rio Earth Summit,
– having regard to the December 1997 Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC,
– having regard to the conclusions of the Environment Council held on 22 June 2000,
– having regard to the 6th Conference of Parties held in The Hague in November 2000,
– having regard to its resolutions relating to climate change of 9 February 1999, 11 March 1999, 7 October 1999 and 26 October 2000,
– having regard to Rule 50 of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas climate change is manifestly one of the most alarming challenges facing the world at the dawn of the 21st century; whereas a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (a joint project of the United States' Environmental Panel and the World Meteorological Organisation) indicated that the earth's temperature would increase by between 1.4 and 5.8°C over this century unless action is taken to tackle this phenomenon mostly due to human activity; whereas the same report stressed the catastrophic consequences of such a phenomenon, with a growing probability of typhoons and cyclones, while ice and snow cover is dramatically decreasing and sea levels rising; whereas the situation is already appalling in some regions of the world, due to global warming; whereas in this context it has now become of the utmost importance to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are a major cause of global warming,
B. whereas the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC is a key political instrument for any sustainable development strategy in general and for a world strategy against global warming in particular; whereas its ratification and implementation are priority issues; whereas it has to be ratified by 55 signatories whose emissions account for at least 55% of total carbon dioxide emissions (out of 84 signatories) to enter into force,
C. whereas 38 industrialised countries, including the US, agreed in Kyoto to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5.2% by 2012 compared with the 1990 level; whereas the EU countries are committed to an 8% reduction and the United States to a 7% reduction; whereas legally-binding commitments should be assumed in all countries to this end; whereas Mr Prodi and Prime Minister Göran Persson have called on President Bush to engage in a ‘high-level dialogue’ between the EU and US in order to resolve differences over the protocol,
D. whereas the 6th Conference of Parties in The Hague revealed many difficulties in the follow-up and implementation of the Kyoto Protocol,
E. whereas the new US administration has rejected the Kyoto Protocol; whereas the President of the United States, George W. Bush, has argued that the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol would cost jobs and harm the US economy while developing countries would be exempted and excluded from cleaning up the environment,
F. whereas the United States is responsible for about 25% of total emissions of carbon dioxide, the main pollutant covered by the Kyoto Protocol; whereas there are big differences in the per capita CO2 production of different countries: the average European produces 10 tons of CO2 per year, the average American 24 tons of CO2 per year, and developing countries are below the average; whereas a worldwide per capita production of 1.7 tons would be the maximum allowable to stop global warming,
G. whereas the UN climate control protocol is a transparent mechanism for showing newly industrialising countries that industrialisation and environmental protection can, and indeed must, go hand in hand,
1. Strongly condemns the decision taken by President George W. Bush not to implement the Kyoto Protocol on global warming; emphasises that this unilateral decision is putting in danger the whole Kyoto process and threatens climate disaster; considers that this decision is a very bad political signal for EU/USA relations and dialogue; welcomes the European Council declaration in Stockholm on climate change and in particular the recognition of ‘climate change as a global threat to future well-being and economic progress’;
2. Shares the view of the Swedish Presidency, which described the US move as ‘appalling and provocative’; associates itself with the protests of numerous governments and environmental NGOs in the world;
3. Is appalled that the long-term interests of the majority of the world population are being sacrificed for the sake of short-term corporate greed in the US;
4. Recalls that President Clinton signed the treaty in 1998 and calls therefore on the present US administration to engage in constructive dialogue with the EU so that the 2002 implementation date can be respected;
5. Considers that the Kyoto Protocol remains the cornerstone of a world strategy against global warming and that any alternative plan would postpone the whole process for years with incalculable consequences and stresses that the new American approach will condemn the USA to environmental isolationism;
6. Contests the US administration's arguments and stresses that the Kyoto Protocol must be perceived as part of a global sustainable development strategy which in no way contradicts economic development and employment; sustainable development strategies and rational use of natural resources enhance economic growth in the medium and long term;
7. Emphasises that the struggle against global warming is a matter of solidarity between developed and developing countries; therefore welcomes the unanimous condemnation of the US by the EU, China and Japan; the recent Inter-Governmental Experts Group on Climate Change pointed out that those countries which have access to the most limited resources are also those whose capacity to adapt is weakest and which therefore are the most vulnerable to global warming and its adverse effects; therefore, developed countries, including the United States of America, have an important responsibility and must play a leading role in the effective reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; in its resolution of 26 October 2000, the European Parliament called ‘on the contracting parties to adopt further ambitious reduction targets as quickly as possible, particularly for the industrialised countries’;
8. Stresses furthermore that sustainable development is a matter of solidarity between generations; it would be socially and humanly irresponsible to squander the heritage of energy resources and a sound environment to which our descendants will rightfully lay claim;
9. Considers that, regarding the aim of preventing global warming, it is essential during the COP6A to achieve a successful outcome in time to ratify and implement the Kyoto Protocol by 2002 and therefore supports all initiatives taken by the Council and the Commission to this end;
10. Fully supports the declaration of the Stockholm Council which confirms a real European commitment to the Kyoto process and the ratification and implementation of the Protocol;
11. Reiterates its determination that the EU and its Member States should implement without delay a balanced set of policies and measures so that the EU can meet its Kyoto target, irrespective of any setbacks in the negotiations;
12. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to maintain a leading role in the Kyoto process and make the ratification process a success;
13. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to take all necessary political and diplomatic initiatives to put pressure on the US administration and urge it to reconsider its position on the Kyoto Protocol; therefore welcomes and fully supports the efforts of the Commission and the Council to this end;
14. Urges the European Union negotiators to plan a quick ratification of the Protocol even without the USA, in the run-up to the COP6A before the Rio+10 conference in 2002;
15. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the United Nations and the Government of the United States of America.