Climate Change - A Happy End in Cancun

The climate change conference in Cancun, Mexico, will end after long negotiations with a positive compromise, declared Karl-Heinz Florenz, Vice-Chair of the Delegation of the European Parliament. "Cancun was a litmus test for the UN process. We have shown that we can achieve anything if only we are willing."

Karl-Heinz Florenz described the delicate balance arrived at in the two main documents of the Conference: "The result is not a great record on climate change, but a further important step in the right direction - a compromise between the binding Kyoto Protocol and the non-binding Climate Change plans for other countries," declared Florenz. The the climate negotiations since 1992 under the direction of the UN "is a process of small steps - but step by step we reach the destinations more safely. If you jump, you never know quite where you might land."

Karl-Heinz Florenz continued: "With this result, we may hope again - we now know where the journey leads. I am optimistic that we can in Durban, at the climate summit in 2011 in South Africa, reach an international agreement. Cancun is the impetus for further negotiations, it is a kind of "early Christmas present which we have given ourselves.

The EPP Group Environment spokesperson said: "Before we came here many warned us of the spirit of Copenhagen and predicted the failure of these negotiations. It is then but turned out differently - and I hope we can preserve some of the "Spirit of Cancun". The atmosphere here was very open, constructive and based on mutual respect. Although Bolivia at the end, unfortunately, could not agree, and this is nevertheless a foundation on which we can build."

The Kyoto countries are put together in one pot. The United States and the developing countries are put on another list. The Kyoto countries have their greenhouse gas reduction targets on a list, on which also the U.S. goal is noted. The US are allowed to reach their goals in different ways. Developing countries have their voluntary targets of a separate list. Although the targets are not legally binding. In Cancun we adopted no binding text but we have prepared the way for an agreement next year in South Africa.