Subsidiary COP7 bodies begin talks on forest industry
Copyright 2001 Kyodo News
October 31, 2001
MARRAKECH, Morocco, Oct. 31 - Subsidiary bodies taking part in the seventh session of the Conference of the Parties (COP7) to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change began deliberations Tuesday on unresolved issues of wood and forestry products in relation to greenhouse gas emissions.
Their talks run concurrently with the ongoing 12-day COP7 meeting, which began Monday in Marrakech. COP7 is aimed at reaching an accord to pave the way for bringing the 1997 Kyoto Protocol into force by 2002.
The protocol stipulates that emissions and absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) based on reforestation, as well as deforestation, should be accounted for.
However, New Zealand and other timber exporting countries claim carbon contained in wood-based products such as houses and household items is not necessarily released in the air in the form of CO2, which is among the greenhouse gases thought to contribute to global warming.
During the talks, participants are also deliberating which country should be responsible for emissions generated by fuel burnt during international flights and shipping operations, and from the export of electricity generated from fossil fuel.
The Kyoto Protocol would require industrialized countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by an average of 5.2% between 2008 and 2012.
To date, the United States, the world's largest producer of CO2, has not changed its decision to remain outside the Kyoto framework, a policy announced by President George W. Bush in March.
Even without U.S. participation, however, the accord could be brought into force with ratification by other industrialized countries, such as Japan, Russia and European nations.