Senior G77 members walked out of a meeting discussing the future of the Kyoto Protocol as friction mounted as a result of increased accusations that rich nations are trying to discontinue the pact as fears grow that emission targets will not be met. The protocol binds 37 industrialized nations to emission targets during its 2008-2012 first commitment period. If the Kyoto Protocol is not renewed, the current pact will then be null, which negates the purpose altogether.

 

Among those to abruptly leave were South Africa’s lead negotiator, China, and OPEC countries. The main question grappling negotiators is whether to extend the pact into a second commitment period from 2013, amend, or create a new one – the latter unwanted by most developing nations.

 

"The G77 is extremely concerned with the notion that there is a clear intention being shown that developed countries, who are party to the Kyoto Protocol, of not agreeing to new targets for the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol," said Alf Wills, spokesman and lead negotiator for South Africa in the G77 of developing nations.

 

"The G77 rejects the notion and proposal to collapse or 'cut and paste the good parts of the Kyoto Protocol' (one wonders what the bad parts are) into a new single legal instrument under the Convention," Wills said in an email to Reuters, referring to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The Kyoto Protocol falls under the convention.

 

Negotiators in Bangkok are trying to find a formula that will bring the United States and developing nations into a framework that commits all nations to curb their emissions to prevent dangerous climate change. "When looking at Kyoto, it has all the signs of being legally binding internationally but unfortunately the outcome is that since its entry into force we have seen emissions increase," senior European Commission delegate Karl Falkenberg said.