An extraordinary document leaked to Greenpeace in Bali this evening reveals that the United States is trying to destroy international efforts to tackle climate change.

The Bush Administration is trying to insert text into the Bali agreement that would make the next phase of Kyoto a voluntary – as opposed to legally binding - agreement. At present Kyoto signatories are subject to mandatory emissions cuts.

If the United States succeeds tonight, the post-2012 agreement will allow any nation to opt out and continue to pollute with abandon. This would take efforts to defeat climate change back to where they were in 1994, after which it was accepted that only mandatory cuts would work.

Greenpeace UK executive director John Sauven said:

"This is an extraordinary attempt by the Bush administration to kill off the international fight against climate change. If they get this text through the conference then the next treaty won’t be worth the paper it’s written on because it will give a free pass to any nation that wants to keep polluting. History will not forgive the Bush Administration for what it has tried to do in Bali. Gordon Brown should get on the phone to the White House and say enough’s enough, the world will not stand for this."

The proposed U.S. text includes the words 'as appropriate' 'depending' and 'may' in reference to emissions cuts, making any agreement voluntary. If accepted by other nations these words would make the post-2012 agreement a toothless treaty which could be legally ignored by all signatories.

The leaked text, currently being presented to a meeting of the Friends of the President (including the UK delegation) in Bali, reads as follows (voluntary language in bold):

THE TEXT

(b) enhanced action on mitigation of climate change, and the means to recognise such action, in the context of sustainable development, including, inter alia, consideration of:

(i) effective, measurable and reportable domestic mitigation actions,

[DEPENDING on the level of economic development and significance] [DEPENDING on the level of economic development and GHG contributions][ DEPENDING on the level of economic development and energy utilisation][in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and responsive capabilities]:

(a) including, AS APPROPRIATE, quantified national emission limitation and reduction objectives, taking into account national circumstances and relative level of efforts;

(b) including, AS APPROPRIATE, domestic plans and measures that MAY include binding, market-based and sectoral programs; and

(c) supported, AS APPROPRIATE, by external technology, financing and capacity building.

For more information, contact Greenpeace on 07801 212967.

Responding to George Bush's speech at the Major Economies Meeting on Energy Security and Climate Change in Washington today (28th September), John Sauven, Executive director of Greenpeace UK said:

"We have 100 months for global CO2 emissions to peak and then start declining rapidly. Bush's attempt to derail the UN process must not be allowed to succeed. Voluntary goals set on a national basis are absolutely useless at delivering the kind of global emissions cuts needed to tackle climate change. George Bush has been forced to accept that climate change is the biggest issue in town – but we've yet to see any action from the US that matches the either scale of the threat or the obese size of their own CO2 emissions."

For more information please contact the Greenpeace Press Office on 0207 865 8255.

President George Bush has today invited representatives of major industrialised and developing countries to a 'climate change summit' in September. Reacting to the news, Greenpeace's senior climate campaigner Robin Oakley said:

"It's a step forward that Bush no longer denies man-made global warming, but there has to be a concern that this is yet another attempt to derail the UN climate change negotiations set for December in Indonesia. Bush speaks about aspirational goals and voluntary targets. That's his vision and it's just not serious.

"Gordon Brown must not allow Bush to distract the UN from December's meeting, where the goal must be the kind of deep binding emissions cuts that Bush still strongly opposes. That's the only way we'll keep temperature rises below two degrees centigrade, beyond which we face dangerous climate change.

"If Gordon Brown goes to Washington he should tell the president that the UN is the only place to agree a successor to Kyoto, and that the UN process will go ahead with or without this lame duck White House. As it is, Brown could more productively use his time there meeting Bush's likely successors, all of whom are serious about fighting climate change."

At the 2007 G8 meeting in Germany, Bush agreed that his conference would contribute to the wider UN effort, but this is not credible while he still opposes binding international targets.

The president, who plans to address the conference on September 27 and 28, sent invitations to the European Union, the European Commission, France, Germany, Italy, Britain, Japan, China, Canada, India, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Australia, Indonesia, South Africa and the United Nations.

ENDS

Greenpeace press office: 020 7865 8255

Reacting to today's G8 agreement on climate change, Greenpeace UK director John Sauven said:

"George Bush's final gift to Blair falls short of what was needed to protect the climate. An agreement without targets is barely worth the paper it's written on."

He continued: "Bush says the US will 'seriously consider' substantial long term cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, but that's like saying aid to Africa is a good thing then refusing to actually commit to donating a single dollar."

He added:

"Scientists tell us we need to slash emissions over the next decade if we're to have a chance of preventing dangerous climate change. This document acknowledges the seriousness of the situation then ducks reality by offering weasel words like 'seriously considering', as if this was an after dinner discussion rather than the most important issue facing the world."

The document can be read here (pdf). 

For more information, contact the Greenpeace press office – 0207 865 8255