Positions Taken in Durban on Kyoto Protocol

Durban, South Africa, Dec 7. -Developing countries and industrialized nations on Wednesday confronted their positions regarding the second period of commitment of the Kyoto Protocol, one of the thorny issues of the 17th UN Climate Change Conference."CO2 global emissions are still increasing and 19 countries of the planet emit 80 percent of them," Iranian Vice President Mohammad Java Mohammadi said during the forum´s high level segment, advocating for a second charter of Kyoto.

At the current rhythm of emissions of greenhouse gases, Mohammadi stated that in less than 15 years, the world will face a rise in temperature of 1.5 degrees that represents the threshold.

"The Annex 1 countries of the Kyoto Protocol have not fulfilled the first period of commitments and do not want a second," said the vice president, who was concerned with the current state of negotiations.

In his opinion, the bilateral agreements that could be reached on mitigation matters should not replace a multilateral treaty such as that signed in Kyoto.

Tuvalu´s Foreign Minister Apisai Ielemia talked of the urgency to achieve an accord on the second period of commitment of the Protocol, and his country, a Pacific island that was practically without drinking water, is a witness of that.

Representatives from Niue, Comoros Islands and Belize, among other heads of delegations, also talked in tune with the position of the Group of 77 plus China.

Canada reaffirmed its decision to follow the United States in its rejection of the emissions reduction pact signed in the Japanese city.

Japan, whose country was paradoxically the cradle of the Protocol, also said it will not participate in a second period of commitments or other arrangements equivalent to that document, because "it does not contribute to establish an exhaustive framework for the future."  (Prensa Latina)