While other countries are joining their efforts to bring the Kyoto Protocol into force as early as possible, the US Government has declared that it would refuse to send the Kyoto protocol to the Congress for ratification. This has raised serious concerns in the international community. The US Government’s refusal reflects its irresponsibility towards the global environment.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) spells out clearly that the largest share of historical and current emissions of green house gases (GHGs) has originated in developed countries.
The energy consumption and GHGs emissions originated in developing countries will still be increasing to meet their social and development needs. For these reasons , the UNFCCC provides that developed and developing countries should take the lead in combating climate change.
The Kyoto Protocol is an embodiment of these UNFCCC principles. In fact, China and other developing countries have been making great contributions to combat climate change to the utmost of their capacity. The US’ rejection, on the excuse that developing countries have not undertaken emission reduction commitments, runs counter to the UNFCCC provisions.
The Kyoto Protocol is a hard-won result. It is the first step the international community has taken in cooperation to address climate chage.
China strongly opposes any attempt to infringe the basic principles of UNFCCC and to abandon the Protocol so as to start something new.
China will continue to work untiringly, together with the rest of the international community within the framework of UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol, for the success of the COP6bis and to bring the Kyoto protocol into force as early as possible.
(Foreign Ministry of PRC 04/23/2001)
