Wary Africa voices concern over alleged attempt to ‘kill’ Kyoto Protocol

By: Aregu Balleh on December 14th, 2009

As UN climate change negotiations in Copenhagen enter their second week, the African group of negotiators are expressing grave concern that the conference presidency is attempting to ‘kill’ the Kyoto Protocol – the only legal binding agreement that limits greenhouse gas emissions.

They fear that the two ongoing negotiating tracks – one under the Kyoto Protocol and one under its parent treaty, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change – could be merged into a weaker overall agreement.

Djemouai Kamel of Algeria, which chairs the African group, said the Danish conference presidency was picking elements from the Kyoto Protocol and linking them with sections of the draft text under the other negotiating track in an effort to empty the Kyoto Protocol track – which is meant to be agreeing new targets for industrialised nations to reduce their emissions.

“We are not going to accept the [death] of the only legally binding instrument that is functioning, and a risk of having a new treaty that will need a ratification process,” Kamel said.

The position of the African negotiating group was soon supported by parliamentarians and civil society groups from the continent, who showed their solidarity by staging demonstrations inside the conference centre.

In a statement issued here, the Pan African Parliament Network for Climate Change (PAPCC) demanded that industrialized nations must first deliver new Kyoto Protocol targets.

“We are outraged with the lack of transparency and democracy in the process. The [conference] president is not taking African position into account,” said Awudu Mbaya Cyprian, Executive President of the PAPCC.

“It is better not to sign anything at Copenhagen rather than signing the death warrant for African people,” he added. “The death of the Kyoto Protocol is a crude death to Africa.”

Representatives of civil society groups from Ethiopia also expressed their solidarity with the African common position group.

The African group gained support from the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and the wider G77/China group of 130 developing nations.

Meanwhile over 100 world leaders are expected to arrive in Copenhagen by the end of the week to strike the final deal.