Joint Assembly of the Convention concluded between the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union (ACP-EU) - Resolutions adopted on the action to be taken on the Third Conference of Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (Kyoto, 1997) (ACP-EU/2064/97/fin.)

The ACP-EU Joint Assembly,

- meeting in Brussels from 17 to 20 March 1997,

A. recalling the first Conference of Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Berlin from 28 March to 7 April 1995, at which the parties agreed to negotiate a protocol or other legal instrument for reduction objectives within specified time frames, such as 2005, 2010 and 2020, concerning emissions of greenhouse gases from Annex 1 countries to be ready for agreement by the Third Conference of Parties in December 1997 (Kyoto),

B. in view of the Special Session of the UN General Assembly (June 1997) on Agenda 21,

C. also recalling the proposals for a Protocol made by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) to have 1990 level CO2 emissions reduced by 20 % in the year 2005, which the ACP-EU Joint Assembly supported in a resolution at its meeting in Dakar (January/February 1995),

D. welcoming the efforts of the Dutch Presidency in advancing the climate change debate and considers the outcome of the March 1997 meeting of the Environmental Council of the European Union as a step in the right direction, but stresses that the Council conclusions are still inadequate because:

- no reduction targets have been established for 2005

- no specific reduction target has been set for CO2 (a 'basket` approach was used)

- HFCs, PFCs and SF6 have been excluded

- the reduction targets are conditional on the adoption of legally binding policies and measures at Kyoto,

E. noting that there is a considerable difference between this target and the AOSIS proposals, and that therefore the March 1997 Environmental Council conclusions must be seen as an absolute minimum,

F. drawing attention to the special vulnerability to climate change of ACP countries in general and Small Island States in particular,

1. Calls on the Council and the Commission to take every possible step to get the 15 % reduction of 1990 level greenhouse gas emissions accepted by the signatories to the Framework Convention on Climate Change at the Third Conference of Parties in Kyoto (December 1997);

2. Urges the Council to acknowledge that this reduction is an absolute minimum and to strive for 20 % reduction of 1990 levels of CO2 emissions by 2005;

3. Calls upon the Council to adopt the targets proposed as negotiating positions in the Climate Convention process as firm EU emission reduction commitments;

4. Urges the Member States of the European Union and the ACP countries to do everything possible at the UN General Assembly Special Session in June 1997 to ensure that the political Declaration resulting from the UNGASS meeting will emphasise the importance of achieving a binding Protocol with high emission reduction targets, clear time limits and measures to achieve these reduction targets at the Third Conference of Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change;

5. Calls on the Council to take concrete measures to achieve greenhouse gas reductions, including a CO2 energy tax;

6. Instructs its Co-Presidents to forward this resolution to the ACP-EU Council and to the Commission.