U.S. and EU blamed for collapse of climate talks

THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- Environmentalists are laying the blame for the collapse of the U.N. climate summit with the U.S. and European Union.

The summit in The Hague broke up on Saturday in disarray after delegates failed to reach an agreement on proposals to cut greenhouse gases and reduce global warming.

Britain's Deputy Prime Minister walked out of the meeting, declaring he was "gutted" at the failure of the talks.

Some delegates said a compromise deal on implementing a pact reached in Kyoto in 1997 was rejected at the 11th hour by members of the 15-nation EU.

AUDIO Conference chairman Jan Pronk: "I am very disappointed" 29 seconds 317kb AIFF or 162kb WAV sound    IN-DEPTH Climate change   • Bonn deal: Main points   • Q&A: Climate change   • Greenhouse effect   • Regional consequences   • Fossil fuel debate   • Message board   • Quick vote   • News search   In-Depth Specials   • Bonn 2001 summit   • Fallout from Kyoto

Others accused the U.S., the world's largest polluter, of intransigence.

The Kyoto pact calls for a five percent average cut in developed nations' 1990 levels of emissions by 2010.

"The failure of these talks is a disaster. No words can truly express our anger," said the Friends of the Earth group, describing the chaotic breakdown of the talks as a fiasco.

Experts said failure to cut emissions of greenhouse gases would bring more storms and floods of the kind that ravaged parts of Asia and Australia last week and southern Africa and Venezuela one year ago.

Environmentalists say a combination of cumbersome EU procedures and the stance of the U.S. had exposed poorer nations to the risk of more disease, hunger, homelessness and dispossession from increasingly erratic weather.

The Sierra Club campaigning group said the U.S. bore the greatest responsibility for solving the global warming problem because it was the world's top polluter.

"The U.S. emits almost a quarter of global warming pollution despite having only four percent of the world's population. While other countries are not blameless, the U.S. deserves special recognition as the world's only superpower and biggest polluter."

French Environment Minister Dominique Voynet said that if negotiators had had a day more, or even just half a day, they might have sealed an agreement.

The EU-U.S. dispute was mainly over a U.S. plan to allow developed nations to count carbon dioxide soaked up by forests, so-called carbon sinks, against emissions reduction targets.

Washington, backed by Australia, Canada and Japan, says it could not reach its targets without such methods. Opponents say the plan might actually lead to an increase in global emissions.

Greenpeace environmental group said on Sunday that the rest of the world needs to put more pressure on the U.S..

Climate policy director of Greenpeace International Bill Hare, said: "It is crystal clear now that U.S. needs to come under enormous pressure.

"We will be working like hell to make sure that happens. We will revive and redouble our efforts."

Hare said Washington had tried to railroad a deal at the two-week talks and its negotiators were astounded when the 15-nation EU stood firm.

"The Americans were bullheaded. They just don't understand the public pressure for action in Europe and the rest of the world," he said.

Failure at the talks has dashed business hopes for clear rules over potentially lucrative technology transfer to the developing world and the emerging market of trading greenhouse gas emissions.

"Business is disappointed with the outcome," said Nick Campbell, chairman of the Climate Change Working Group at the International Chamber of Commerce.

"We came here expecting a decision which would have clarified the rules and guidelines of the Kyoto Protocol. We now walk away as empty handed as everyone else and leave as confused as when we arrived about the role we might play in contributing to solutions."

Many companies say the international fight against global warming will provide big growth opportunities to build clean power stations in developing countries, especially in Asia and Latin America, where electricity demand is soaring.

At stake are investments worth billions of dollars, but companies are reluctant to invest in new schemes until they know how the terms of the Kyoto protocol will be implemented, executives say.

Emissions trading allows countries whose emissions are below their Kyoto targets to sell carbon credits to countries whose emissions are above their agreed pollution limits.

Reuters contributed to this report.

No deal on global warming as climate talks collapse
November 25, 2000
Progress made in knife-edge climate negotiations
November 25, 2000
Time running out for climate deal
November 25, 2000
EU rejects compromise climate deal
November 24, 2000

Greenpeace International
Sierra Club Global Warming
UN Convention on Climate Change

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.