Minister of the Environment Jaanus Tamkivi emphasised the inevitability of international cooperation in resolving climate problems during his speech at the high-level event. He also stressed the importance of involving business circles and civic groups in this cooperation. Tamkivi confirmed at the meeting that Estonia would fulfil all of its obligations both within the existing framework and in the development and implementation of the follow-up agreement to the Kyoto protocol.Tamkivi says that the national representatives at the summit agreed that climate change is inevitable, as a result of which it is necessary to achieve political agreements in terms of the action to take upon the expiry of the Kyoto protocol. “It was a difficult and complex negotiating experience, from prickly speeches through to threats to boycott,” Tamkivi revealed. “The pressure put on them by many of the representatives saw the United States drop their initial position and agree to go ahead with the action plan. The significance of the problem was underscored for the whole world when the UN’s chief secretary and the Indonesian president flew back to Bali on Sunday to promote the international negotiations.” In short, the parties to the convention at the meeting agreed on the main priorities of the new agreement, which are reducing the amounts of greenhouse gases, dealing with the consequences of climate change, developing environmentally friendly technology and making it available to everybody, and organising the funding required for the implementation of all necessary activities. The Bali plan includes detailed subjects and the timeframe in which the agreements should be achieved, the aim of which is to enter into the new agreement at the 15th meeting of the parties to the convention in Copenhagen in 2009. Estonia has to date reduced its emissions of greenhouse gases by 50%. At the same time, the European Union has set the goal of reducing such emissions by 20% overall. How this 20% is to be divided between EU member states shall become clear in the proposal made by the European Commission in January 2008. “Estonia will have to be prepared to financially support especially sensitive developing nations in terms of climate change,” the minister explained, adding that in the national context the country will also have to be ready to adapt to and cope with climate change – whose effects are already being seen in the likes of more frequent flooding and droughts. Dealing with these new situations must also take into account the effect of the potential changes on different areas of life, such as agriculture and energy. Potential threats to people’s health, especially that of children and the elderly (allergens, UV radiation and the more frequent spread of illnesses) must be dealt with separately, and the health care system must be reviewed. 192 signatory countries to the UN climate change convention took part in the 13th conference and 176 in the meeting of parties to the Kyoto protocol. The total number of people attending them was 11,000, making the Bali events the largest ever climate change UN meeting. For more on the UN climate change conference, go to http://unfccc.int/meetings/cop_13/items/4049.php. For further information please contact: Brita Merisalu |
