Posted on September, 28 2007

The Major Emitters Meeting in Washington DC surprised by a total lack of new US proposals on how to tackle climate change, said WWF today.

The White House conference of major carbon emitting economies was held in Washington, DC on 27 and 28 September, with President Bush inviting senior officials from 16 industrialized and developing countries. President Bush’s speech today did not meet the more optimistic expectations and failed to show any new initiatives or commitment from the United States government.

Carbon markets and regulations that put a cap on emissions, like those created under the Kyoto Protocol in Europe, are directing billions of investment to clean efficient and renewable technologies. But the proposals of the US President for introducing clean technologies lack clear structures to stimulate markets and guarantee investment.

"The energy future is here, the clean technologies are available. A clean technology fund, like the one proposed by the White House, could complement global carbon markets if it comes as integral part of the multilateral UN framework,” said Hans Verolme, Director of WWF International’s Climate Change Programme. “But President Bush’s proposals are unconvincing because they fail to take money and markets into account."

While explicitly confirming the importance of the UN negotiations, President Bush proposed an additional Heads of State Summit next year to discuss long-term global targets and a framework to track progress.

"American leadership on climate change should not begin by the President creating a rival to the UN agreement. His support of the UN process is clearly only lip service," says Hans Verolme. “If the Bush Administration wanted to do the planet a favor it should announce a strong national program to cut carbon pollution instead of holding more conferences.”

The meeting came just days after the United Nations’ Climate Change Summit at which leaders from more than 80 nations committed to launching formal negotiations for a global climate agreement in December 2007 in Bali, Indonesia. This comprehensive agreement is expected to build on the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012, by broadening carbon markets, mobilizing investments in clean technology, and funding adaptation programs for the poorest and most vulnerable countries.


Spokesperson:
Hans Verolme, Director, WWF’s Global Climate Change Programme, e hans.verolme@wwfus.org, t +1 202 492 7358

Media contact:
Martin Hiller, Climate Change Communications, WWF International, e mhiller@wwfint.org, t +41 79 347 2256