No. 357/04
Berlin, 19.12.2004

Juergen Trittin: further efforts are needed

Federal Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin has made the following statement on the outcome of the Climate Protection Conference (COP 10) in Buenos Aires:

"The result of the discussions is a compromise that shows concrete progress in the field of adaptation. For less developed countries in particular, funds of 400 million euros per year are to be made available by the EU alone in order to provide them with better protection against flooding, storms and other climate damage. The agreement reached on the meeting in Bonn in May 2005 is also a first step in the right direction towards further reductions in greenhouse gases after 2012.

The Kyoto Protocol will enter into force on 16 February. Now it is important to make the most of the coming year and to work towards adopting a mandate at the end of 2005 for negotiations on continuing the Kyoto process after 2012. Advancing climate change makes it essential to reach agreement on further mitigation measures.

However, the determination with which some countries - namely the USA together, of all things, with OPEC - attempted to block talks on further reductions shows that new climate protection endeavours are required. Over 100 Kyoto countries must not be held back by individual non-Kyoto countries.

At the same time we must not release these countries from their obligation to contribute to preventing an increase in global warming of 2°C. I therefore welcome the fact that the USA will be faced with this discussion under British G8 Presidency in the coming year. And tomorrow's EU Environment Council in Brussels will also address the issues of the further consequences to be drawn from the USA's clearly tougher stance."