Bridges Weekly Trade News Digest • Volume 9 • Number 5 • 16th February 2005
African, World Leaders Discuss Southern Perspectives On Agriculture Trade
EUROPE LOOKING BEYOND KYOTO AS PROTOCOL ENTERS INTO FORCE
On 16 February, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change entered into force following Russia’s ratification in November 2004 (see BRIDGES Trade BioRes, 19 November 2004). The event was celebrated around the world both by governments and civil society groups, despite the fact that some significant polluters — such as the US — have chosen to stay outside the treaty. Environmental groups also stressed that although the Kyoto Protocol is important, and its entry into force signals a commitment among parties to move towards a low-carbon economy, it only represents a first step. Friends of Earth’s Catherine Pearce commented that "The world around us is already changing, in dramatic and life threatening ways. It is time for rich countries to act now, before it becomes too late… With concerted action, industrialised countries, led by the European Union, can be delivering cuts in emissions and set us on the path to 80 percent reductions by 2050 — to the benefit of our economies and the well-being of our citizens".
A week earlier, on 9 February, the European Commission released a communication on its strategy beyond 2012, when the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol ends. Negotiations on the next phase are to begin by 2006 at the latest. In its preparations for these talks, the EU identified as a priority to get other major emitters on board, including developing countries with rapidly growing emissions. Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas commented, "We will continue to lead by example, but we will also continue to pressure hard for all of our international partners to come on board." Among measures for future EU climate policy, the Commission proposed: including new sectors, such as aviation, maritime transport and forestry; supporting innovation and research on new climate-friendly technologies; continuing the use of flexible market-based instruments such as emissions trading both in the EU and internationally; and focusing on adaptation policy. These policies are intended to go hand in hand with job creation and economic growth.
To access the Commission documents, visit http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/climat/future_action.htm.
"Climate Change Treaty Goes Live But Battle On Emissions Has Only Just Begun," FOEI RELEASE, 14 February 2005; "EU Climate Policy Aims for Wider International Involvement," ENS, 10 February 2005; "EU Climate Policy Aims for Wider International Involvement," EC RELEASE, 9 February 2005.
African presidents, other world leaders and over five hundred representatives from a variety of international organisations, farmers organisations, and the private sector met in a multi-stakeholder conference on agriculture in Dakar, Senegal, from 4-5 February. The "Dakar Agricole" forum was convened by Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, and aimed to launch discussions on how to fill the void between developing and developed countries on the subject of agricultural trade, to ensure that the liberalisation of agricultural trade reflects the interests of the South, to address the maintenance of agricultural subsidies by developed countries, and to explore ways of narrowing the scientific and technological divide in the area of agriculture between rich and poor countries among other issues.
French President Jacques Chirac, also present at the conference, cautioned that trade liberalisation should not only benefit developed and Cairns group countries. He also highlighted the link between food sovereignty and agricultural trade. Also speaking on the issue of food sovereignty, Nigerian president Olesegun Obasanjo pointed out that agricultural subsidies granted to farmers in the North were responsible for distorting global trade in agriculture and blocking the efforts of developing countries to attain food sovereignty.
This meeting marked the first in a series of "Dakar Agricole" fora modelled on the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Future fora will focus on a "Southern agenda" on agricultural trade reform, and building common cause between Southern and Northern producers. Other presidents who attended the conference included Amadou Toumani Touré of Mali, Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso, Mamadou Tanja of Niger, and Ould Taya of Mauritania.
ICTSD reporting; Enda-Tiers Monde; "Dakar Agricole 2005 : six chefs d’Etat dans le champ de Wade," allAfrica.com, 7 February 2005; "Rencontre internationale sur la "fracture agricole" à Dakar," Panapress, 26 January 2005.