By Martin Banks - 18th December 2007
MEPs have criticised the lack of a direct reference to binding emission cuts by industrialised countries in the Bali roadmap.
During the UN climate change talks in Bali, the EU, China and most developing countries pressed strongly for rich countries to cut their emissions by between 25 and 40 per cent.
This was rejected by the US and the figures were relegated in the final text to a footnote.
The final text does however acknowledge that "deep cuts" in global emissions will be required.
The final outcome of last week's UN conference was debated by members of parliament’s temporary committee on climate change at a meeting on Monday.
Committee chairman, Italian Socialist deputy Guido Sacconi, who was part of a parliamentary delegation to Bali, generally welcomed the result.
He said, "The most important political result is that we have reached an agreement which includes a roadmap and a timetable for an international treaty by 2009.
“Although the text includes no direct reference to reduction targets all countries, developed and developing alike, are now called upon to take mitigation measures".
He said the final Bali text addresses many of parliament’s concerns, such as deforestation, technology transfer and aid for developing countries.
Another committee member, Swedish ALDE MEP Lena Ek, said, "We now have to see to it that developing countries can combine the fight against poverty with the fight against climate change".
Parliament’s rapporteur on the issue, German centre-right deputy Karl-Heinz Florenz, said, "The EU was able to set an example at Bali.
“Reaching consensus among 180-plus delegations is always difficult and things could have turned out much worse."
In a reference to the United States' much criticised negotiating position at Bali, he added: "Some elements of the US barricade are still there - but we've dismantled most of it".
Finnish Greens/EFA member, Satu Hassi, who was rapporteur for the assembly’s resolution ahead of the Bali conference, agreed.
She said, “The result of the negotiations is a very remarkable victory for EU diplomacy even if the destination is not as clear as we would have wished."
Further reaction came from Finnish Socialist committee member Riitta Myller, who said, “Although we didn't achieve our explicit aims what is important is that we have set the wheels in motion".
Irish EPP-ED deputy Avril Doyle agreed, adding, “We got all that was possible".
Parliament's president Hans-Gert Pöttering said, "The outcome of the negotiations in Bali represents a milestone on our common mission in the fight against climate change.
"Bali can only be successful if all the participants hold firm to their commitments, in particular in moving together towards a successor agreement to the Kyoto protocol whcih expires in 2012."
"The outcome of the negotiations in Bali represents a milestone on our common mission in the fight against climate change."
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