WRITTEN QUESTION E-3907/00

by Isidoro Sánchez García (ELDR) to the Commission

(13 December 2000)

Subject: Assessment of the 6th summit on climate change

What is the Commission's assessment of the 6th summit on climate change held in The Hague (Netherlands) by comparison with the commitments arising from the Kyoto Protocol, in particular as regards the key role which forests are considered to play in the carbon cycle?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(7 February 2001)

The Commission regrets that it was not possible to reach agreement at the Conference in The Hague. A subsequent meeting between officials of major Parties in Ottawa, in which the Commission participated, clarified the issues but did not bridge the gaps. A further follow-up meeting between the Umbrella Group and the Community, planned for the week before Christmas 2000 in Oslo, did not take place, in spite of the Communitys declared willingness to participate. In the view of the negotiation partners, particularly the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan, positions were not close enough for the moment to guarantee a successful meeting.

Carbon sinkse, in particular forests, with their important role in the terrestrial carbon cycle, proved to be one of the most contentious issues in The Hague and subsequent discussions. The Kyoto Protocol allows Parties to complement reduced fossil fuel emissions with carbon removals through afforestation, reforestation since 1990, and through additional human-induced activities in agricultural soils and land-use change and forestry. For the first commitment period, these additional activities may count, provided they have taken place since 1990.

Major industrial countries, particularly the United States, Canada and Japan, encounter great difficulties in fulfilling the reduction commitments from Kyoto as their emissions have actually increased substantially. These Parties now seek to fulfil all or at least major parts of their reduction commitments through the use of sinks.

In the view of the Commission and the Community, tapping pre-1990 forests represents rewards for business-as-usual, and will in no way mitigate climate change and would do nothing to enhance sustainable forest management. The Forest Strategy for the Community of 16 December 1998 states that the role of forests as carbon sinks can be achieved through enhancement of existing carbon stocks, establishment of new carbon stocks and encouraging the use of biomass and wood based products.

The Protocol is ambiguous as to whether sinks can be part of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). In the Commission's view, many questions remain to be answered, before sinks in the CDM can contribute in a credible way to climate change mitigation and, as stipulated in the Protocol, to sustainable development.

In spite of these concerns, the Community realises the difficult situation of many Partner countries, seeks entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol in 2002 at the latest, and thus might consider a limited opening for credits from sinks for the first commitment period. The Community has shown flexibility. Agreement was not reached in The Hague, but this does not mean a failure as the sixth conference of the parties (COP6-bis) will build on experiences and insights gained there. The Community will continue to work together with other Parties, particularly with the developing countries, China, and the candidate countries, in view of reaching an agreement as quickly as possible.