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Climate Change: Montréal and beyond - Speech by EU Commissioner Dimas

Speech by Stavros Dimas, Member of the European Commission, Responsible for Environment, European Parliament Debate, Strasbourg

Climate Change: Montréal and beyond

Thank you for the opportunity to discuss with you the outcome of the Montreal Climate Change Conference that was held in December as the 11th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 1st UN Climate Conference after the Kyoto Protocol entered into force.

I was very pleased with the presence of 10 Members of the European Parliament at COP-11. It underlines the importance that both of our institutions attach to addressing the challenge of climate change and the role of the multilateral process in doing so. Our frequent contacts and cooperation in Montreal proved fruitful - it is important that we continue this at future meetings.

The outcome of Montreal Conference is a significant step forward for the multilateral climate negotiations. The Kyoto Protocol is now fully functional and the agreement on the "Montreal Action Plan" opens a gateway for discussing the future international cooperation on climate change. This will provide more certainty for the European carbon market and for the private sector.

The outcome of COP-11 / MOP1

Indeed, the list of political achievements from Montreal is impressive:

Firstly, we have agreed to launch two tracks of official dialogue on the future scheme to tackle climate change.

1) The Convention Track including all Parties: A thorough forward-looking dialogue under the Convention will be conducted in up to four Workshops to be held over the next two years. The results of this dialogue will be reported back to the Conference of Parties in 2007. This Convention track includes also United States and Australia, that have not ratified Kyoto and of course all the major developing countries.

2) The Kyoto Track: This "track" will discuss further emission reductions for developed countries under the Kyoto Protocol for the period after 2012. An UN ad-hoc working group under the Kyoto Protocol was set up. It will complete its work as early as possible and in time to ensure that there is no gap between the first and the second Kyoto commitment period.

Secondly, Montreal took all the necessary decision to make Kyoto fully operation. This covers: Thirdly, Montreal went further and made the Kyoto Protocol a stronger and more efficient instrument. Lastly, the European Union has also used COP-11 to demonstrate the significant progress it has made in implementing the Kyoto Protocol. The many positive reactions I received strengthen my belief that the EU's response to the climate challenge can be cost-effective and even give European companies a competitive edge. The strong interest in our trading scheme made it clear that we are setting an example for the world to follow.

The EU debate on post-2012

The EU has asserted international leadership in the fight against climate change. It maintained its support for the Kyoto Protocol in times when the latter's entry into force was cast under considerable doubt. However, we have to stay aware that, domestically, more needs to be done: most Member States need to implement additional measures to reach the Kyoto target. Also further common measures at the EU level will be needed. The ongoing 2nd phase of the European Climate Change Programme will help to identify the best of these.

Let me also address the internal EU debate on climate change. I believe the agreement to open an international dialogue in Montreal is also an important stimulus for the EU. The EU strategy to complement the UN process with bilateral engagement and to focus on confidence building and listening to other Parties has paid off. The Montreal Conference validates this approach. The EU should now work with all parties, in particular major emitters such as the US and emerging economies, to engage constructively in a debate on broadening participation in the future international climate change regime.

I believe Montreal marks a new stage in international climate change co-operation. We have left the pioneering years behind us. We now have an international system, with all the necessary mechanisms. Our focus therefore turns to consolidating this system and making sure that it functions.

But equally, we cannot rest on our laurels. Climate change requires urgent action and concerns us all. Deep emission cuts will be necessary if we are to stabilise the concentration of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.

This year, the 2nd phase of the European Climate Change Programme will discuss new initiatives to strengthen our climate policy. This ECCP II will include a comprehensive review of the first phase ECCP policies including EU emission trading, action on carbon sequestration aviation and other forms of transport - I am looking forward to the recommendations and will put forward new initiatives to strengthen our climate policy based on the results of this stakeholder based process. I know that I am able to count on Parliament's support for this work

Closing statement

The "Montreal Action Plan" agreed at the UN climate Conference delivered a big step forward in relation to the discussions on the future international climate change regime.

Under the framework of the UN Convention on Climate Change, the Montreal Conference agreed on a thorough forward-looking dialogue on long-term actions to tackle climate change. All parties to the UN Convention, including the US, will take part in this dialogue.

While this dialogue yet falls short of formal negotiations, it can provide valuable input on future action and the views of all relevant parties which can then serve as a basis for negotiations on the future international climate change regime. The international debate on future targets and contributions has to evolve now over the coming month.

The EU's first priority however, must remain to build broad international support for further action. Russia has ratified the Kyoto Protocol that allowed its entry into force. The G8 has concluded its Plan of Action. The Commission has launched new cooperation initiatives on climate change with Russia, Ukraine, India and China. These initiatives have built confidence and trust and this has been paying off in Montreal.

I welcome also the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate which held it's inaugural meeting in Sydney on 11 and 12 January 2006. The Partnership will complement other technology initiatives seeking to help address the problem of climate change. Just over the last year, the like the Gleneagles Plan of Action or the EU-China Partnership on Climate Change and EU-India Initiative on Clean Development and Climate Change.

The Commission is determined to help ensure that the EU maintains its leadership position in these new discussions on the future climate change regime and I count on your support for this. Each individual is important for this. Therefore we will for instance invest 4.7 million Euro in an mass-media awareness raising campaign in the EU, highlighting the role that each citizen can play in fighting climate change.

The EU is also the major contributor to the 2001 Bonn Political Declaration, which pledges 410 million USD per year in climate change funding for developing countries, starting this year. The EU is also the main contributor to the Least Developed Countries Fund, which will provide funding for the implementation of specific adaptation activities. We are only at the start of the debate on post-2012 climate change policies. The EU's leadership on climate change will be crucial in ensuring that this debate continues and comes to a fruitful end.

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