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Japan rejects 2009 deadline in post-Kyoto talks

HAMBURG, Germany (Reuters) - Japan blocked European Union efforts on Tuesday to set a 2009 deadline for agreement on an international pact to battle climate change once the Kyoto Protocol on reducing carbon emissions expires in 2012.

Germany, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, said in a statement at a meeting of EU and Asian foreign ministers in Hamburg that negotiations to establish a new framework for tackling climate change should be completed by 2009.

But Japan said big polluters such as the United States, China and India should sign up before any target was set.

"Japan cannot agree with this (2009 target) because we should think about how we can invite non-Kyoto members such as the U.S., China and India and others," Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mitsui Sakaba told reporters.
"We should work first for the inclusion of those countries. Fixing the target should come much later."

Germany is leading a drive to persuade the United States to follow Europe's lead on climate change before a June 6-8 summit of the Group of Eight industrial nations.

Chancellor Angela Merkel wants the G8 to agree concrete steps that would prepare the ground for an extension of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which commits signatories to reducing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
"We need the Asians as well," said a spokeswoman for EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

"Global warming is something that is global and we need all continents participating in the post-Kyoto plan."

The EU has agreed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 percent by 2020 compared to 1990 levels, challenging industrial and developing countries to go further with a 30 percent cut that the EU would then match.

The Hamburg meeting brought together the 27 EU states with the 10 countries in the Association of South East Asian Nations, as well as China, Japan, South Korea, India and Pakistan.

The German statement underlined the need for "a global and comprehensive post-2012 climate regime" but indicated that not all countries would be expected to move at the same pace.

After talks with EU ministers in Hamburg on Monday, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said climate change had not been created by developing countries and a balance had to be struck between the right to develop and the environment.

He said China had set targets for reducing emissions and introduced laws to encourage energy-saving and efficiency and would welcome more transfer of clean technology from the developed world.

The Association of South East Asian Nations said its 10 members needed time but action was required.

source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryId=78911