Paris, Tuesday, November 14, 2000 At UN Conference, U.S. Takes Heat on Pollution Rules Compiled by Our Staff From Dispatches
THE HAGUE - Environmental groups accused the United States on Monday of seeking loopholes to avoid cutting pollution, as a UN conference opened to set rules for reducing harmful gases released into the atmosphere. In a year of devastating floods in Asia, Africa and northern Europe, the weather experts began talks on how to check global warming and enforce a landmark 1997 deal to cut emissions of greenhouse gases.
Delegates from 180 countries heard grim predictions of rising seas, hurricanes and typhoons that could wipe some of the world's small islands - Samoa, the Maldives and Mauritius - off the map if developed countries failed to act.
Underlining the passions stirred by the debate, 20 environmental protesters were arrested for trying to stage a demonstration near the UN-sponsored conference.
One major issue revolved around how much countries could trade off against their commitments to roll back their own pollution by helping other countries reduce theirs or by planting new forests to absorb greenhouse gases.
The question pits the United States, which advocates unlimited emissions trading, against the European Union and some developing countries, which fear it will defeat the effort to force the biggest polluters to change their ways.
''Significant loopholes and accounting tricks are being proposed by the U.S. delegation,'' a coalition of environmental groups said.
''The oil industry certainly wants to exploit every loophole, which will be the noose around nature's neck,'' said Jennifer Morgan of the World Wildlife Fund.
The United States argues that emissions trading is the most cost-effective way to meet the global target of reducing greenhouse gases by 5.2 percent from 1990 levels, and would give a breathing space for the transition to cleaner energy and expensive new technologies.
Developing countries want guarantees to transfer clean technology and a fund to help them adapt to changes that could threaten their economic and physical survival. Saudi Arabia said a shift from petroleum fuels would cost it $25 billion a year.