STATEMENT BY KLAUS TOEPFER, UNEP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AT CONCLUSION OF UN CLIMATE TALKS IN BONN

STATEMENT BY KLAUS TOEPFER, UNEP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,

AT CONCLUSION OF UN CLIMATE TALKS IN BONN

BONN/NAIROBI, 23 July -- The United Nations senior environment official welcomed the compromise agreement reached here today at the Bonn climate talks.

"The compromise paper which was achieved after intensive and difficult negotiations could provide the basis for a broad ratification of the Kyoto Protocol", Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said.

"It was extremely important to get a common agreement here in Bonn so as to advance the Kyoto mechanisms and keep the process alive", he added.

"There is still much hard work to do in finalizing the details surrounding implementation.  But the important thing is that we now have the political will to move forward.  UNEP stands ready to support this ongoing process and especially the preparation of the next round of climate talks, COP 7, scheduled to start in Marrakesh in October", said Mr. Toepfer.

"Today's agreement means it is still possible that the Kyoto Protocol will come into force by the time the World Summit on Sustainable Development convenes in Johannesburg next year.  This was a key goal set down by world leaders in last year's UN Millennium Declaration", he said.

Mr. Toepfer added that the positive signal from Bonn "is especially important for the developing world as it is the poor countries that will suffer most from the consequences of climate change".  He drew attention to the important and constructive role played during the talks by the non-industrialized countries, known collectively as the "Group of 77" developing countries and China.

Mr. Toepfer also paid tribute to the meeting's President, Netherlands Environment Minister Jan Pronk:  "His strong dedication to a transparent process and his creativity in finding new solutions to difficult problems helped create the positive atmosphere and growing trust between the negotiating partners that brought about the final result."

For more information, please contact:  Tore Brevik UNEP Spokesman/Director, Communications and Public Information, Nairobi, tel: +254-2-62-3292, fax: +254-2-62-3927, e-mail: tore.brevik@unep.org.

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