Brussels, 12/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - EU environment ministers were unanimous in Brussels on Friday 9 March in hailing the progress made in international climate negotiations in Durban. They agreed on how to implement the EU's obligations on two points: the end of the Kyoto Protocol second commitment period which is due to be settled at international level (Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol, 14-25 May) and restriction in the use of surplus “hot air” - assigned amount units (AAUs or UQAs) (see EUROPE 10570). Poland, which had two reservations, lifted them, to the great relief of all. There was the chance that it might have been impossible to adopt the conclusions, said Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard. The way is now clear for us to state our commitment on 1 May for an eight-year commitment period, she went on to say.
In the unanimous conclusions, then, the Council says that the second Kyoto Protocol commitment period, which will begin on 1 January 2013, should end on 31 December 2020. Another option, which was rejected, was for the expiry date to be 31 December 2017. The Council calls on the European Commission to submit a statement containing information on behalf of the EU and its member states on their quantified emission limitations or reduction objectives to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by 1 May. The conclusions state that these figures will be provisional and will not prejudice calculation of final burden sharing among member states, a demand very close to Warsaw's heart. Polish Environment Minister Marcin Korolec told press that a fine solution had been found on AAUs: they are to be fully transferred from the first to the second commitment period, with some restrictions on revenues. (AN/transl.rt)