"Developed countries should reduce emissions by 213%" says Martin Khor

Leader of the Third World Network (TWN) and Director of the South Centre Martin Khore demands that "Developed countries should reduce emissions by 213%" and also "Rejects the notion that the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012".

Addressing an Asian preparatory meeting of COP15 in Colombo, the leader of the Third World Network (TWN) Martin Khor says that if the climate crisis is to be correctly addressed, then developed should reduce their emissions by 213%. Explaining how these countries could practically reduce their emissions over 100%, he argues that they can physically reduce up to 80% from the 1990 levels by 2050, but the balance should be paid to a global fund to sponsor climate change mitigation and adaptation in developing countries.

Martin Khor strongly advisors developing country negotiators to demand for substantial financial and technological support to climate change activities in their countries during the upcoming COP15. Any climate change agreement in Copenhagen should reflect the responsibilities and commitments by the developed countries (annex-1 countries) as the main contributors to the climate crisis.

Matin Khor also rejects the notion that the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. He says that the misleading talk about a "post-Kyoto" regime should be corrected, especially by the UNFCCC secretariat. The talk of "post-Kyoto" gives the wrong impression that there is an in-built mechanism for the expiry of the protocol, or that there has been a new agreement to close it after 2012 and to create a new protocol. He strongly advises developing countries to reject notions of a new convention o a new protocol, and instead accept the built-in agenda of negotiating a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

Martin Khor refers to the developing country Group of 77 (G77) and China statement in Bali, which points out the weakness in the convention and protocol is the lack of implementation of the existing commitments under both. The focus should be to ensure the implementation of commitments of developed countries (Phase 1 reduction and commitments on finance and technology), and to build the capacity of developing countries to better deal with mitigation and adaptation, while retaining their development objectives. The developed countries may want to establish linkage between their commitments and the actions of developing countries. The fulfillment of the their commitments should not be linked to an attempt to get developing countries to make new commitments.

(Gloss Media – 12/5/2009)