WWF-UK: Final stages of Montreal climate talks
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Final stages of Montreal climate talks
Friday 9 December 2005
The United Nations climate change talks in Montreal reach their final stages with discussions expected to go into the early hours of Saturday morning.
Close to 200 nations from around the world are meeting to discuss how they tackle climate change. Government ministers flew to Canada earlier in the week to take negotiations to the top level.
WWF has been lobbying governments to agree to the next round of targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol.
The UK is amongst 157 countries which have signed up to the first phase of Kyoto, which ends in 2012. The US, the biggest emitter of CO2 emissions, is not part of the Protocol. So far discussions have gone well but some crucial issues remain to be resolved. WWF has been urging the EU, and the UK, as president of the EU, to work with developing countries to agree a strong process for the second phase of Kyoto.
Countries have been discussing what action on climate change could also take place under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Any action taken under the Convention is likely to be weak because the US has consistently refused to set targets to reduce its own emissions.
In a more lighthearted twist to proceedings UK environment minister Elliot Morley wielded a giant hammer to strike WWF's Kyoto-meter yesterday to show his support for Kyoto.
In the first week of negotiations delegates finalized the rule book of the Kyoto Protocol, which means it will now come officially into force.
WWF has been lobbying governments to agree to the next round of targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol.
The UK is amongst 157 countries which have signed up to the first phase of Kyoto, which ends in 2012. The US, the biggest emitter of CO2 emissions, is not part of the Protocol. So far discussions have gone well but some crucial issues remain to be resolved. WWF has been urging the EU, and the UK, as president of the EU, to work with developing countries to agree a strong process for the second phase of Kyoto.
Countries have been discussing what action on climate change could also take place under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Any action taken under the Convention is likely to be weak because the US has consistently refused to set targets to reduce its own emissions.
In a more lighthearted twist to proceedings UK environment minister Elliot Morley wielded a giant hammer to strike WWF's Kyoto-meter yesterday to show his support for Kyoto.
In the first week of negotiations delegates finalized the rule book of the Kyoto Protocol, which means it will now come officially into force.
Elliot Morley wielding a giant hammer to strike WWF's Kyoto-meter
Further information
Find out more about the threats of climate change and what we are doing to tackle these by visiting our Climate Change Campaign website