Deal on Kyoto Leaves U.S. Isolated

B O N N, Germany, July 23, 2001 -- Negotiators from around the world clearedthe way today for the first treaty to combat global warming,challenging the United States to join the worldwide effort to curbpolluting gases.

"We understand it is not a perfect protocol, but it is moreimperfect with the withdrawal of the United States," said EUEnvironment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom.

Though the U.S. withdrawal in March punched a big hole in thetreaty, the Europeans were determined to finally launch a climatechange pact in the works for seven years, and they said Washingtonwould be welcome to join.

Without the United States, which emits one-quarter of globalgreenhouse gases, the treaty loses considerable force. President Bush rejected the Kyoto Protocol as harmful toU.S. business and because it only applies to developed countries,omitting major polluters like China and India.

"It's a first step," EU chief negotiator Olivier Deleuze said."To bring the United States on board, we first needed a boat. Nowwe have a boat."

Bush has promised his own proposals, but his delegation showedup in Bonn empty-handed.

At issue in the talks were rules to govern the Kyoto pact, whichpledges industrialized nations to cut emissions of greenhousegases, chiefly carbon dioxide from cars, power plants andfactories.

All-Night Negotiations

During two sleepless nights of bargaining and phone callsbetween the Bonn delegates and their capitals, Japan emerged as thekey holdout because of misgivings about the enforcement provisions.

Conference chairman Jan Pronk and key delegates holed up throughthe night and into this morning, bargaining over a draft accordhe crafted to avoid a failure like at the last conference inNovember.

The breakthrough came at about 10 a.m. when Japanese EnvironmentMinister Yuriko Kawaguchi looked at the latest compromise proposal"and said, basically, 'We can accept everything here,"'conference spokesman Michael Williams said.

Two hours later, Pronk signaled adoption of the draft with therap of a gavel before the full conference. He was greeted by astanding ovation.

"It is very important to show that global developments can bemet and addressed by globally responsible decision-making," Pronk,the Dutch environment minister, said, echoing a sense amongdelegates that globalization — vilified by demonstrators — can alsobe a force for progress.

The final deal included core agreements on enforcement, emissioncredits for forests that soak up carbon, aid to promote cleanenergy in poorer nations, and emissions trading — buying andselling the right to pollute.

Japan's last objection was against making penalties forcountries that fail to meet their Kyoto targets legally binding. Inthe end, Tokyo agreed to have the dispute reconsidered later.

But with the United States standing aside, Japan remains theswing country in bringing the pact into force. The treaty must beratified by 55 nations responsible for 55 percent of greenhouse gasemissions to take force.

Japan has refused to commit to ratification while tries topersuade the United States to join the pact.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who broke thedeadlock in telephone contacts with his minister in Bonn, insistedthat U.S. participation was key.

"It is important that all countries act under one singlerule," Koizumi said in a statement today.

U.S. Delegate Booed

Illustrating U.S. isolation at the talks, chief delegate PaulaDobriansky drew boos from the gallery today when she insitedWashington is committed to tackling climate change.

"Although the United States does not intend to ratify thatagreement, we have not sought to stop others from moving ahead, solong as legitimate U.S. interests were protected," she said.

"This does not change our view the Kyoto Protocol is not soundpolicy."

Dobriansky noted that the deal does not require the UnitedStates to fund any part of the treaty, one of Washington's chiefconcerns.

U.S. officials also said the emissions trading system is toorestrictive and that industrial countries should have been givenmore voting power in the pact's enforcement bodies.

The EU offered a major concession by softening limits on howcountries can offset obligations to cut pollution by counting theproper management of forests and farmlands, which absorb carbondioxide.

To help developing nations trying to clean up emissions so theycan one day join the treaty, the EU announced a $410 million fund.