21/09/2005 - The Canadian
government should set a tone of ambition and
determination to ensure this years UN Conference
on Climate Change succeeds in maintaining
the momentum of the Kyoto Protocol, the International
Climate Action Network and the The Climate
Action Network/Réseau Action Climat
- Canada (CAN) said today at a joint press
conference.
The call comes on the eve of Ministerial meetings
dedicated to preparing for the upcoming conference
in Montreal that Canada will host and chair.
“From demonstrating real action to reduce
emissions at home, to leading other countries
into a new round of negotiations to address
dangerous climate change, the eyes of the
world will be on Canada,” said Jennifer Morgan,
Director, WWF Climate Change Programme. “Prime
Minister Paul Martin’s remarks at the UN that
“Climate change is real, and the world must
recognize it; human activity is a defining
cause, and the world must act on it.” set
the right tone. This can only be translated
into action by teaming up with the positive
forces for further action, and not allowing
the lowest common denominator--in-action.”
The November 28 - December 9 meeting in Montreal
is the first gathering of Parties to the Kyoto
Protocol since the Protocol entered into force
last February, the world’s only multilateral
agreement setting absolute reduction targets
for emissions of carbon dioxide and other
gases which cause climate change. The first
phase of the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012 and
work to explore a next phase begins in earnest
in Ottawa as Environment Minister Dion meets
with counterparts from 40 countries, September
22 – 24.
“We are extremely worried that some parts
of the federal government are trying to play
down both the importance and the expectations
in regards to the meeting in Montreal” said
Steven Guilbeault, Climate and energy campaigner
for Greenpeace who was present in Kyoto when
it was adopted. “Failure in Montreal is simply
not an option, the stakes are too high and
Canada’s international reputation would be
seriously damaged”, he added.
For the UN Conference on Climate Change to
be a success, Minister Dion must guide the
parties towards:
Ø A commitment to launch formal negotiations
towards a post-2012 greenhouse gas reduction
regime to address the need for significantly
greater emission reductions to address dangerous
climate change;
Ø A clear timetable for reaching an
agreement, to give clarity and continuity
but recognizing negotiations will take time
Ø The Kyoto Protocol as the main legal
platform for the negotiations;
Ø Identification of the key elements
to be negotiated, including deeper emission
cuts for industrialised countries and support
for further commitments from some developing
countries in line with meeting their development
goals
“We realize these are tall orders but the
global threat of climate change is the most
serious issue the international community
will ever face. It demands an extra ordinary
response,” said John Bennett, Executive Director
CAN.
NOTES:
From 22 to 24 September, an informal Ministerial
meeting will be held in Ottawa on invitation
of the Canadian government. The meeting is
dedicated to preparing the work programme
of the Conference of the Parties to the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP),
starting 28 November 2005 in Montreal, Canada.
This conference is also the first Meeting
of the Parties (MOP) to the Kyoto Protocol
since it came into force.
As a baseline for future agreements, governments
should commit themselves to keep global average
warming below a 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees
Fahrenheit) increase in comparison to pre-industrial
levels. The European Union and other governments
have committed to staying below this danger
threshold.
