Thailand leads Asean drive to keep Kyoto Protocal alive

Thailand and Asean this month will affirm their opposition to phasing out the Kyoto Protocol after 2012 and creating new commitments to replace the existing accord on greenhouse gas emission reductions.

At the same time, Thailand does not want to set emission reduction targets despite calls from industrialised countries for developing nations to make such commitment, says the Office of Climate Change Co-ordination.

"Thailand, as the leader of Southeast Asian nations, will make our stance clear that we are against the phasing out of Kyoto Protocol once it expires in 2012. And we do not want to see any new commitment be created to replace the Kyoto," said Areewattana Tummakird, the director of the office at the National Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning.

"There are attempts from developed countries to see developing countries share the commitment. But Thailand and our peers in Asean - like other developing nations - do not want to have that legally binding."

The Kyoto Protocol, which took effect in 2005, was ratified by industrialised countries to cut their collective greenhouse gas emissions by 5.2% from 1990 levels, with varied national limitations.

Thailand will host the Bangkok Climate Change Talks from Sept 28 to Oct 9 as the last major global negotiations before the Copenhagen talks to be held in December.

Thailand emits an estimated 344 million tonnes of greenhouse gases a year.

Mrs Areewattana said Thailand also had yet to decide whether to support a sectoral approach to emissions reduction, which is expected to be a major topic in Copenhagen.

The sectoral approach involves organised action by key producers in specific industry sectors and their host governments to address emissions from their products and processes.

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Source: Bangkok Post