Europe Threatens Boycott
The European countries of Germany, France and Portugal (EU president) plan to boycott a meeting between 17 major economics initiated by U.S. President George Bush. The boycott is based on the lack of agreement reached at the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Bali.
The Major Economies Meeting (MEM) is scheduled to be held in Hawaii in January. It has been dubbed the Major Emitters Meeting by critics.
What Europe is seeking is a quantitative target in emissions reductions. The target range is 25-40% reduction by developed countries by 2020.
While there was almost universal agreement on this target range, the U.S. wanted to avoid setting mandatory emissions targets during the 13th Conference of Parties (COP-13) of the UNFCCC.
Critics, including Antonio Hill from Oxfam, said that the U.S. hardline, was a major disruptive force at the conference. What US delegates proposed in effect, created a 15 year setback by opposing an emissions target range, and adaptation fund and technology transfer options after 2012, when the current Kyoto Protocol expires.
Indonesian activist Abetnego Tarigan from the Civil Society Forum (CSF) called for the halt of so-called technologies to fight climate change, such as transgenic seedling technology, nuclear power, biofuels and carbon sequestration from coal power plants. Abetnego says these will threaten the environmental stability of developing nations.
Last night, organizations representing Small Island Developing States (SIDS) hosted a party just outside the hall where delegates finalized their agreement. It was a farewell party.
As passersby stopped to sip a glass of wine, join in singing or conversations, a sign above the bottles of wine read: Come help us drown our sorrows before we all drown.