tiative. Five Southern countries (Tunisia,
Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Libya)
and five Northern countries (France,
Italy, Spain, Portugal, Malta) were repre-
sented, as well as the top representatives
of the European Union (Messrs Romano
Prodi, Javier Solana and Chris Patten).
December 2 and 3, 2003, Germany,
Cyprus, Spain, France, the United
Kingdom, Greece, Malta, Poland and
Portugal appealed to restart the Euro-
Mediterranean partnership.
from December 1 to 12, 2003. On
review ran as a headline:
"Same song, ninth
verse". We set out here-
under the disappointing -
although expected - atti-
tudes of the USA and of
the Federation of Russia.
Nevertheless, several
measures were taken, which are likely to
have an impact on some institutions of
the MEDIAS network.
Two funds were thus created to help
developing the nations that undergo the
effects of climate change, i.e. the Special
Climate Change Fund and the Least
Developed Countries Fund. Twenty
developed nations will provide 410 mil-
lion US$ per year to developing countries
through these funds and/other mecha-
nisms. The European Union will con-
tribute up to 369 million US$.
pared with 2001, and by 10.9% in
proposed by the american administration
were set out in the "News" of our last
Newsletter. During the UNFCCC COP-9,
State for Global Affairs, called the Kyoto
Protocol "an unrealistic and ever-tighte-
ning regulatory straightjacket curtailing
energy consumption".
Stewardship Act, which would
have reduced US GHG emissions
platform for national emissions, was
defeated by 43 votes against 55 on
October 30, 2003. Six republican sena-
tors crossed their party lines.
Actually, the US have adopted a plan of
their own. In February 2002, President
George W. Bush announced the forma-
tion of the Climate Change Science
Program (CCSP), in order to co-ordinate
and direct US research efforts, including
the US Global Change Research
Programme (USGCRP) and the Climate
Change Research Initiative (CCRI),
launched by the President in June 2001.
The CCSP aims to balance the near-term
focus of the CCRI with the breadth of the
USGCRP. Some 250 scientists participa-
ted in redacting both the Discussion
Draft Strategic Plan (November 2002)
and the final document, now available
since July 2003. A prominent Web link
for receiving and displaying comments
has been made available (www.climate-
science.gov). This plan is based upon the
following key scientific issues:
- atmospheric composition,
- climate variability and change,
- water cycle,
- land-use/ land-cover change,
- ecosystems,
- human contributions and responses to
environmental change,
- modelling strategy,
- development of decision support
resources,
- observing and monitoring the climate
system,
- data management and information.
research, while a communication plan
allows to advertise the results.
International research and co-operation
are also encouraged since "the United
States are ... a leader in climate change
science". US scientists have been part of
should reinforce exchanges.
in Marrakech, when at last an
agreement on the Kyoto Protocol
Australian hostility, significant conces-
sions were made to Japan and Russia.
But the latter, signatory on March 11,
1999, is still most reluctant to ratify it.
held in Moscow from September 29 to
October 3, 2003, he mentioned that the
problem of climate had not only a scien-
tific but also a practical sense. Russia is a
Northern country, so possibly climate
change could even be beneficial for it
from some point of view. But Russia
should also consider the consequences
which could lead to disasters such as
floods or droughts in some regions. All
the negative and perhaps even positive
impacts of global climate change should
be taken into account on the long run. On
the second day of the Conference, Prof.
Andrei Illarionov, economic advisor to
President Putin, addressed 10 important
questions to the Conference. They gene-
rated answers from participants involved
in the IPCC work, that were presented by
Prof. emeritus Bert Bolin, IPCC
Chairman. Nevertheless, Mr Illarionov's
conclusion was that Russia is not ready
yet to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, arguing
this statement with scientific uncertain-
ties and some possible economic irra-
tionality.
Kyoto Protocol made by Mr Illarionov
during the UNFCCC COP-9 on
December 3, came as no surprise. The
negative attitude from the USA (that re-
present 36.1% of CO
(17.1% of same) is liable to bring its
coming into force to a standstill,
although the Protocol has been ratified
by 120 Parties, including Japan that had
signed it on April 28, 1998, and has rati-
fied it on June 4, 2002.