§ Lord Juddasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they are taking to persuade the United States and the European Union member states to ratify the Kyoto Protocol of the Climate Change Convention by the time of the Earth Summit in 2002. [HL1225]
§ Lord WhittyIn his speech on the environment at Chatham House (6 March), the Prime Minister described the Kyoto process as the first real step down the road of collective action to meet our collective responsibility. We remain committed to securing an international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The next round of international negotiations on the Kyoto Protocol will take place between 16 and 27 July in Bonn. We will do everything we can to promote an agreement at these talks. In the meantime, we will raise the issue of climate in every relevant forum with the US, and continue to discuss the way forward with other countries. Indeed, the Foreign Secretary raised climate change with Colin Powell when he met him in February.
The EU is continuing to prepare for ratification and entry into force of the protocol by 2002, and to put in place the policies and measures needed to enable the Community and its member states to meet their Kyoto targets.