- Title: ARGENTIAN: UNITED NATIONS OPENS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE
- Date: 6th December 2004
- Summary: (W8) BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (DECEMBER 6, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. CU OF CONFERENCE SIGN 0.03 2. SV CONFERENCE ATTENDEES 0.06 3. SV PANELISTS AT CONFERENCE 0.09 4. SV/MCU/CU OF U.S. DELEGATES AT CONFERENCE (4 SHOTS) 0.21 6. SV EXECUTIVE SECRETARY FOR THE U.N. FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE JOKE WALLER-HUNTER WALKING 0.32 7. MCU (English) EXECUTIVE SECRETARY FOR THE U.N. FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE JOKE WALLER-HUNTER, SAYING: "Climate change deals with everyday activities, deals with the use of energy, how we use energy and what type of energy we are using. Its so important that we use that type of energy that does not affect the climate system and I think this conference is going to build international momentum to make sure that climate change is being dealt with effectively through international cooperation." 1.01 8. SLV/SV OF PEOPLE ATTENDING CONFERENCE (5 SHOTS) 1.25 9. LV OF NEWS CONFERENCE 1.28 10. SV PANELISTS 1.31 11. MCU (Spanish) ARGENTINE HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT MINISTER GINES GONZALEZ GARCIA, SAYING: "More than whether or not Kyoto is ratified by the U.S. or not, clearly the U.S.' position this morning in the three items it discussed, clearly reaffirms all the Kyoto objectives and, in some points even surpasses it." 1.53 12. LV/SV VARIOUS OF GREENPEACE PROTEST (12 SHOTS) 2.40 13. MCU (Spanish) GREENPEACE PROTESTER FERNANDO FLORES SAYING: "We can see that glaciers disappear, climate changes, everyone's drowning, the sun, the heat is killing us. Something must be done." 2.50 14. MCU MAN COVERING HEAD WITH MAGAZINE 2.55 15. LV OF VEHICLES IN TRAFFIC (2 SHOTS) 3.06 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 21st December 2004 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- Country: Argentina
- Reuters ID: LVACG9DHYRQ30UGAW2H38CJIU8SZ
- Story Text: United Nations opens international conference on
climate change in Argentina as Greenpeace mounts a
demonstration.
A U.N. conference on climate change opened on Monday
(December 06) with delegates looking for any change in U.S.
opposition to the Kyoto protocol after President George W.
Bush's re-election and Russian ratification of the
agreement.
"More than whether or not Kyoto is ratified by the U.S.
or not, clearly the U.S.' position this morning in the
three items it discussed, clearly reaffirms all the Kyoto
objectives and, in some points even surpasses it," said
Argentine Health and Environment Minister Gines Gonzalez
Garcia at the conference.
Russia's ratification has created the most optimistic
mood in years among environmentalists.
But even with the Kyoto protocol going effect in
February after a seven-year delay, the United States'
refusal to sign hangs over the 12-day Buenos Aires meeting,
which has drawn 6,000 delegates from 194 countries.
In 2001 U.S. President George Bush withdrew from the
agreement to cut carbon dioxide emissions by five percent
from 1990 levels by 2012. He argued it was too expensive
and wrongly excluded developing nations.
For many, one of the most interesting facets of this
tenth convention of the parties, known as COP 10, will be
any hint of change in the U.S. position.
Of the large industrialized countries, only the United
States and Australia have refused to join the U.N. effort.
But they account for around one-third of global emissions.
U.S. officials have shown no signs of budging in recent
weeks and they question scientific estimates of a sharp
rise in temperatures if emissions are not curbed.
Scientists warn of melting glaciers and polar ice caps,
a rise in sea levels, extreme weather like heat waves, the
spread of tropical diseases and the collapse of forests,
coral reefs and farming.
To drive home the point, Greenpeace built a giant ark
on Buenos Aires' main avenue where some 2,000 people lined
up Monday to take temporary refuge.
But even backers of the Kyoto protocol say its
provisions are not enough to reverse global warming and it
is essential to get developing nations -- notably China,
India and Brazil -- on board.
The Buenos Aires talks will touch on the participation
of these countries in curbing emissions after the terms of
the Kyoto protocol run out in 2012. China, now an
industrial powerhouse, is the second biggest producer of
emissions behind the United States but is much lower on a
per capita basis.
No major targets are expected from Buenos Aires.
Rather, it is an opportunity for countries to begin
discussing a timetable to define how much climate change
the world can handle.
The European Union and some environmental groups want
to limit any global temperature rise to 2.0 Celsius (3.6F).
Temperatures have risen by 0.6 C since the late 1800s.
Environmental ministers from 80 countries will meet in
the final days of COP 10, from Dec. 15-17.
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