Praising the protocol
THE Non Aligned Movement summit, held recently in South Africa, debated the Kyoto Protocol which requires industrialised nations to cut down on their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 5.2 per cent between 2008-2012.
The NAM members, comprising 113 nations across Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe, called on the developed countries to undertake urgent and effective steps to implement these commitments through domestic action.
Commenting on a few industrialised countries' eagerness in getting into emissions trading with countries with unused quotas, the communique of the coordinating bureau of the NAM said, "Emission trading for implementation of such commitments can only commence after issues relating to the principles and modalities of such trading, including the initial allocations of emissions entitlements on an equitable basis to all countries, has been agreed upon by the parties to the United Nations' Framework Convention on Climate Change (UN FCCC)."
The ministers categorically rejected all attempts by some developed countries to link their ratification of the Kyoto Protocol with the question of "meaningful participation" by developing countries in the reduction of GHG emissions. They also called for immediate measures to provide developing countries with necessary financial resources and environmental-friendly technology "to enable them to meet their existing commitments under the UN FCCC, including inter alia inventorisation of national emissions and dissemination of knowledge of climate change".