The Major Emitters Meeting
in Washington DC surprised by a total lack
of new US proposals on how to tackle climate
change, said WWF today.
The White House conference of major carbon
emitting economies was held in Washington,
DC on 27 and 28 September, with President
Bush inviting senior officials from 16 industrialized
and developing countries. President Bush’s
speech today did not meet the more optimistic
expectations and failed to show any new
initiatives or commitment from the United
States government.
Carbon markets and regulations that put
a cap on emissions, like those created under
the Kyoto Protocol in Europe, are directing
billions of investment to clean efficient
and renewable technologies. But the proposals
of the US President for introducing clean
technologies lack clear structures to stimulate
markets and guarantee investment.
"The energy future is here, the clean
technologies are available. A clean technology
fund, like the one proposed by the White
House, could complement global carbon markets
if it comes as integral part of the multilateral
UN framework,” said Hans Verolme, Director
of WWF International’s Climate Change Programme.
“But President Bush’s proposals are unconvincing
because they fail to take money and markets
into account."
While explicitly confirming the importance
of the UN negotiations, President Bush proposed
an additional Heads of State Summit next
year to discuss long-term global targets
and a framework to track progress.
"American leadership on climate change
should not begin by the President creating
a rival to the UN agreement. His support
of the UN process is clearly only lip service,"
says Hans Verolme. “If the Bush Administration
wanted to do the planet a favor it should
announce a strong national program to cut
carbon pollution instead of holding more
conferences.”
The meeting came just days after the United
Nations’ Climate Change Summit at which
leaders from more than 80 nations committed
to launching formal negotiations for a global
climate agreement in December 2007 in Bali,
Indonesia. This comprehensive agreement
is expected to build on the Kyoto Protocol,
which expires in 2012, by broadening carbon
markets, mobilizing investments in clean
technology, and funding adaptation programs
for the poorest and most vulnerable countries.
