Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 15, 1990 TAG: 9005150651
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A/2 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BERGEN, NORWAY LENGTH: Medium
The United States came under sharp criticism Monday at the U.N.-sponsored meeting for opposing a new environmental aid fund for developing countries, and for refusing to endorse stricter anti-pollution measures.
"We are a country with a thick skin," said John Knauss, the chief U.S. delegate, in response to the criticism.
Delegates at the 34-nation conference were discussing the text of a final conference declaration to be issued Wednesday. The debate found the United States at odds with many of its Western European allies.
"I think we'll find a wording that is acceptable to all," said Knauss, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Another U.S. delegate, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington opposed the proposal for a Third World environmental aid fund because it did not want to create a new bureaucracy to perform a task that could be handled by the World Bank.
The first day of the ministerial-level talks on Monday was marked by discord. Environmentalists protesting outside the conference hotel in this Norwegian port city voiced fears that the final declaration might end up being too vague.
Carlo Rita Di Meana, the environment commissioner for the European Community, expressed concern about the U.S. stance.
He said "the United States appears to be deserting us" at a time when industrial nations are acting together to protect the environment and developing countries are starting to become aware of environmental concerns.
The main point of contention in the draft declaration is a proposal by European nations that calls for stabilizing emissions of carbon dioxide by the year 2000. Carbon dioxide is among the so-called "greenhouse" gases believed to contribute to global warming.
The United States has objected to imposing expensive requirements on industry to combat what it considers unproven environmental hazards. Only Britain and the Soviet Union have given unofficial support to U.S. efforts to move back the timetable for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
The United States is also objecting to another provision in the draft declaration that says precautionary preventative action should be taken to protect the Earth, even if scientists disagree on its value.
A U.S. delegate, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington did not object so much to the contents of the draft declaration proposals, but rather to their timing.
The delegate said the United States wants first to study a U.N. report on climatic change due out this fall before entering in any new environmental agreements. He added that the United States was willing to compromise on any proposal, except for one calling for new funds for environmental research. Washington expects to spend about $1 billion on climate research in 1991, he said.
Knauss refused during a news conference to be drawn out on specific issues under negotiation. But he said evidence is still lacking on how the emission of carbon monoxide and other "greenhouse" gases will affect global temperatures.
by CNB