Climate Change Talks May Achieve Result For Gas In 2001

摘要

The chorus of political recrimination that followed the Nov.25 break-up of climate change talks in the Dutch capital largely overshadowed their real success in finding the beginnings of a compromise to narrow what was a chasm between the US and European Union positions. Negotiations to establish mechanisms for the implementation of the greenhouse gas emission cuts agreed in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, that started with no real hoe of success, ended on the brink of a breakthrough. Indeed last month's meeting in The Hague potentially established the groundwork for a deal when the parities meet again in Germany in May. Most of the basic elements for a workable compromise are now in place, though. No one doubted the science of climate change and the US accepted the need for significant domestic action. It's now hoped that the loose ends that couldn' t be ironed out in the time available at The Hague can be pulled together over the next few months. Indeed, citing the example of the Cartagena protocol on biodiversity that succeeded only on the second attempt , EU environment commissioner Margot Wallstrom said that such "temporary" setbacks could actually prove constructive as it gives time to facilitate the developmemt of a broad consensus