§ Malcolm BruceTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she proposes an early ratification of the Kyoto protocol by the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement. [27837]
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§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 16 January 2002]: For legal and presentational reasons, the UK will ratify the Kyoto protocol at the same time as the European Community and other member states. At the European Council on 31 October 2001, the EU stressed
the Community's and its member states' resolve to complete their ratification procedures in time for timely ratification with a view to entry into force of the Kyoto protocol by the World Summit on Sustainable Developmentin 2002.The first step in the process is for the EC to ratify the protocol through the adoption of a Council Decision that will include further clarification on the arrangements for implementing the agreement between the EC and its member states in 1998 on sharing out the EC's-8 percent. target. A Council Decision dealing with these issues is currently under discussion and is expected to be adopted at the next Environment Council on 4 March 2002.