When the leader of the American delegation, Paula Dobriansky, declared that the U.S. was taking the problem of climate change seriously, there was a mixture of applause, shouting and loud disapproval. At the start of the Bonn
talks, Ms Dobriansky again reiterated the position of President Bush that the U.S. would not ratify the Kyoto Agreement.
After four years of negotiating, the parties who, in 1997, had been at the conference table in Kyoto, agreed in Bonn, more or less clearly, on the limitation of greenhouse gases and on ways of mathematically balancing the results.
The U.S., however, the world’s largest polluter, withdrew from the Agreement. Pronk dealt with that difficult situation, after Bush’s decision, with the utmost finesse.
After four years of negotiating, the parties who, in 1997, had been at the conference table in Kyoto, agreed in Bonn, more or less clearly, on the limitation of greenhouse gases and on ways of mathematically balancing the results.
The U.S., however, the world’s largest polluter, withdrew from the Agreement. Pronk dealt with that difficult situation, after Bush’s decision, with the utmost finesse.
Developing Countries
Even in Kyoto, the U.S. had been difficult. Up to the last night, the U.S. kept to the position that one way or another, the developing countries had to contribute to the limitation of greenhouse gas emissions.
"A meaningful participation" was often quoted as an American demand.
The other parties were highly astonished when the U.S. dropped this demand in the early morning of December 11, in Kyoto. It was mainly this breakthrough that had paved the way for the Kyoto Agreement.
Even in Kyoto, the U.S. had been difficult. Up to the last night, the U.S. kept to the position that one way or another, the developing countries had to contribute to the limitation of greenhouse gas emissions.
"A meaningful participation" was often quoted as an American demand.
The other parties were highly astonished when the U.S. dropped this demand in the early morning of December 11, in Kyoto. It was mainly this breakthrough that had paved the way for the Kyoto Agreement.