From: <larris>
Subject: ECO GENEVA (INC) #1 June 18, 1991

AFRICAN IMPACT

Kenya's tourism, dams and farming may suffer as a result of
climate change, says a new study reported in the first issue of
Impact, the new magazine of Climate Network Africa. Studies show
that over the last 25 years rainfall has increased in Kenya's
humid highlands, while in drier areas it has decreased. In the
last 15 years the mean temperature has increased 0.45 degrees C.

Tourism is Kenya's most important source of foreign exchange.
Nairobi-based ACTS researchers Wilbur K Ottichilo, Joseph H
Kinuthia, Phares Ratego and Geoffrey Nasubo point out that
"climate change may not only affect tourism by damaging wildlife
populations but could also submerge coastal areas together with
all the existing investments in tourist facilities".

Higher temperatures and CO2 levels could raise crop yields but "
changed climate conditions would favour rapid weed growth" and
"multiplication of pests and diseases," and increased soil
erosion and flooding may wipe out any benefits, warns the study.
The sub-humid areas which cover most of Kenya are especially at
risk. These areas, the authors point out, are those currently
targeted by the government for crop and livestock production.
Other unwelcome impacts may include a reduction in tree growth in
areas important for producing fuelwood. More rain could raise
water levels in dams allowing greater hydro-electric production
but this too may be offset by higher rates of erosion and
silting, shortening the useful life of the dams themselves.

The ACTS research Weathering the Storm, was funded by the
Stockholm Environment Institute and is one of the first of its
kind in Africa.

Impact's first issue also contains a report from the Kenya
Meteorological Department that the hot and dry season of 1991 was
one of the hottest in the history on meteorological record. The
meteorologists write that compared with records stretching back
as much as 52 years, "the highest temperatures for the season
occurred in the decade 1981-1990".

The country's Meteorological Department is undertaking a detailed
study to compare temperature trends in Kenya to global climate
models. The report's authors warn that "it is too early to say
whether these unusually high temperatures are part of a long-term
trend which could be ascribed to an increase in greenhouse gases
or global warming".

Weathering the Storm: Climatic Change and Investment Policy by
Acts Press, ACTS, PO BOX 45917, Nairobi, Kenya.

J H Kinuthia, Kenya Meteorological Dept, PO Box 30259, Kenya.

In September Kenya is due to host the next session of the
international negotiations on climate change.

From: <larris>
Subject: ECO GENEVA (INC) #1 June 18, 1991

/* Written  7:49 pm  Jun 18, 1991 by larris in cdp:climate.news */
/* ---------- "ECO GENEVA (INC) #1 June 18, 1991" ---------- */

                          ECO NEWSLETTER

               CLIMATE CHANGE NEGOTIATIONS - GENEVA

                             Issue #1
                          June 18, 1991

                        TABLE OF CONTENTS

Response      Title
------------------------------------------------------------------
.1            US Rejects UK Compromise Plan
.2            Impacts of Climate Change on Africa
.3            Publication Review: "Impact"
.4            Editorial: Atlantic Widens
.5            NGO Profile: Climate Action Network - UK
.6            Contacts for more information

From: <larris>
Subject: ECO GENEVA (INC) #1 June 18, 1991

Atlantic Widens

The unequivocal message recently delivered to British Environment
Minister Michael Heseltine was that the US will not consider
targets and timetables in a climate convention, and that no
movement on this point will come within in the next year. This is
indeed sobering confirmation of US intransigence on climate, all
the more so, having been delivered to that country's longtime
ally (and, some might add, apologist) in international
environmental negotiations. The inability of Britain's highest
environmental representative to find any receptiveness for
compromise despite extensive consultation, points up the futility
of seeking to accommodate the US in the remaining months of
climate negotiations.

This simplifies the task facing the other developed countries of
the world, who must now find agreement only among themselves.
Common positions reached within the EC and EFTA last October go a
long way toward an OECD consensus, minus the US. This can form
the basis of C02 limits to be incorporated into a convention
text. When the United Nations Conference on Environment and
Development (Earth Summit) takes place in June next year, US
press interest will be focussed on the American Presidential
Elections. Maybe President Bush will then rediscover the
greenhouse problem. Maybe he won't. The world can't wait around
to find out.

From: <larris>
Subject: ECO GENEVA (INC) #1 June 18, 1991

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

For enquiries and response to ECO:
ECO Editorial Staff
Tivoli Room, Intercontinental Hotel, Geneva
Telephone: (+41) 22 740 0541 / 734 6574
FAX:       (+41) 22 734 8425
E-mail:    gn:wwfgland, gn:swcc

For Press enquiries to particular NGO spokespersons:
The Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) Room
Persan Room, Intercontinental Hotel, Geneva
Telephone: (+41) 22 740 0536 / 734 5243
FAX:       (+41) 22 734 6442

For information about fax distribution of ECO (FAX numbers):
Australian Cons. Foundation:     Bill Hare         61-3-416-241
Belgium: CAN - Europe            Tasmin Rose      32-2-512-6673
Brazil: CEDI                     Tony Gross      55-11-825-7861
Eastern Europe:                  to be confirmed
Kenya Consumer Org.              to be confirmed
USA: Center for Global Change    Pam Wexler      1-301-403-4292
UK: Media Natura                 Sally Cavanagh  44-71-240-2291

Every issue of ECO will be posted in full to the en.climate and
climate.news conferences on EcoNet (APC) and the sci.environment
conference on Usenet.

For information about electronic mail and conference distribution
of ECO, contact:
E-mail coordinator: Lelani Arris
APC Networks - igc:larris


Telephone -    1-403-852-4057 (Canada)
FAX -          1-403-852-3215 (Canada)

Or contact support staff at one of the following APC Networks:

Network                Telephone                    E-mail
---------------------------------------------------------------
GreenNet (Europe)      (44) 71 923 2624             gn:support
EcoNet (US)            (1) 415 442 0220             igc:support
Pegasus (Australia)    (61) 66 856 789              peg:support
Alternex (Brazil)      (55) 21 286 0348             ax:support
Nicarao (Nicaragua)    (505) 2 26  228              ni:ayuda
WEB (Canada)           (1) 416 596 0212             web:spider
Peacenet (Scandinavia) (46)  8 72 00001             pns:support

For information about Media Natura:
Media Natura Project Manager : Chris Bligh
Telephone (+44) 71 240 2936/ 71 497 2673/ 71 497 2712
FAX: (+44) 71 240 2291
E-mail : gn:medianatura

To find out more about Media Natura please write to Media
Natura, 21 Tower Street, London WC2H 9NS, United Kingdom

CREDITS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

ECO wishes to acknowledge the generous support of the following:
Apple Computer - Industrade AG, Wallisellen
AVEC INFORMATIQUE SA, Route des Acacias, 47 Geneva
Intercontinental Hotel, Wagons Lits

ECO (name as in 'SWCC') has been produced for EDF and others as a
Media Natura project with the generous support of the Apple
Computer Division, Industrade AG, Wallisellen and Avec
Informatique SA, Geneva.

Software support has been donated by Aldus, Applelink, Computers
Unlimited, Microsoft, Sitka. (any others).

Design by Akel Minott, London; Production Editors Alister
Sieghart, Shades & Characters and Malcolm Sutherland, Recruit
Media.

Electronic mail distribution coordinator Lelani Arris, EcoNet
Energy and Climate Information Exchange (US), supported by a
grant from the Joyce Mertz-Gilmore Foundation.

Project Management Chris Bligh , Media Natura, 21 Tower Street,
London WC2H 9NS Tel (+44) 71 240 2936 Fax (+44) 71 240 2291.

******************************************************************
PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER!!

We are interested in tracking ECO electronic distribution.  We
hope to keep improving our service as we approach UNCED 1992.  If
you find this newsletter of value, please return the following
report.  Thank you for your help!!

******************************************************************
ECO NEWSLETTER - GENEVA - ISSUE #1

How did you get the newsletter?

_________e-mail _________________________________address
_________conference or list _____________________name

Have you used the information in reports or newsletters? (please
specify)

Did you distribute it to others? (please list)

Return to:

******************************************************************
Lelani Arris                           * Project Director
EcoNet:    larris                      * EcoNet Energy & Climate


Telephone: 403-852-4057                * Jasper, Alberta T0E 1E0
Fax:       403-852-3215                * Canada
******************************************************************

From: <larris>
Subject: ECO GENEVA (INC) #1 June 18, 1991

IMPACT

The Kenya Consumers Organisation is producing Impact: Newsletter
of the Climate Network Africa. The first issue contains articles
on unusually high temperatures and potential impacts of climate
change (see previous page), the politics of climate change and
African adherence to the Montreal Protocol. Impact reports that
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Kenya, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Libya,
Malawi, Nigeria, South Africa, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia
have all ratified or acceded to the Montreal protocol. Impact:
KCO/Climate Network Africa, PO Box 21136, Nairobi, Kenya.

From: <larris>
Subject: ECO GENEVA (INC) #1 June 18, 1991

/* Written  7:51 pm  Jun 18, 1991 by larris in cdp:climate.news */
/* ---------- "ECO GENEVA (INC) #1 June 18, 1991" ---------- */

US Rejects Compromise Plan

By Our Washington Correspondent

By rejecting a British reformulation of the comprehensive
approach to reducing greenhouse gases, together with a more
far-reaching European proposal, the White House has increased the
distance between its own no action policy and those of other
leading industrial nations, US sources said last night.

UK Environment Secretary Michael Heseltine travelled to
Washington to present the US with the plan two weeks ago. "If our
Administration had accepted it", said one Washington observer
yesterday, "the US could have returned to the negotiating table
along with the Europeans, Japanese, Australians and others. But
the White House said no way. Climate negotiations can now proceed
more simply without us", he added. If next years UN Earth Summit
yields a substantive convention, President Bush may find he has
to back down and sign, or walk away from the issue altogether.

The more ambitious European Community proposal was circulated as
a non-paper in an attempt to build support prior to the climate
talks about to begin in Geneva but it was not even given serious
consideration by the US.

It is understood that British Environment Secretary Heseltine
sought to win American backing for a version of the comprehensive
approach which would also command support from the Europeans who
are committed to more stringent and wide-ranging controls over
the main greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide. The comprehensive policy
allows all greenhouse gases, and the balance of their sources and
sinks, to be considered together. The version unveiled as US
policy at talks held near Washington in February involved
counting-in cuts in the greenhouse gas CFCs, even though relevant
countries had already agreed to their phase-out under the
Montreal Protocol because CFCs deplete stratospheric ozone.

Heseltine is believed to have met White House Chief-of-Staff John
Sununu, White House Counsel Boyden Gray, Richard Darman of the
Office of Management and Budget and Lawrence Eagleburger of the
Department of State.

He argued unsuccessfully for the US to adopt a version of the
comprehensive approach which set aside those cuts in CFCs
required under the Protocol, although it would allow new,
additional or faster cutting to be counted in. It also identified
CO2 and methane as priorities, although without the specific
targets sought by countries such as Germany and the Netherlands.
Prepared by UK Department of Environment officials, the British
document construed comprehensive action as phased, and called for
near-term controls on C02 together with methane from the energy
and waste sectors.

Climate negotiators about to reconvene for their second round of
talks in Geneva are under pressure to come up with a workable
treaty to reduce the human-made greenhouse effect by June 1991,
the time of the United Nations Earth Summit to be held in Rio de
Janeiro. They must now decide whether to effectively ignore the
US, the world's top greenhouse polluter, or to produce an outline
measure only.

From: <larris>
Subject: ECO GENEVA (INC) #1 June 18, 1991

CAN UK Returns

Climate Action Networks UK office is back in business after a six
month period when services were suspended due to lack of funds.
With backing of L30,000 from WWF and a London-based charitable
trust CAN UK is now a project of media charity and consultancy
Media Natura, with a part-time Information Officer Sally Cavanagh.

CAN UK will focus on mobilising three key constituencies in that
country, where public interest in the climate issue has waned
somewhat as international negotiations have dragged on and in the
absence of Margaret Thatcher, a Prime Minister who did little but
talked a great deal about greenhouse pollution. CAN UK will
concentrate on communities likely to be affected by sea-level
rise; the market opportunities for renewable energy in the UK (a
windy island surrounded by vigorous seas but with almost no wave
or wind energy), and the likely impacts of climate on nature
conservation interests (the UK has some 3 million paid up members
of conservation groups). Contact: Sally Cavanagh or Chris Rose,
CAN UK, Media Natura, 21 Tower Street, London, WC2H 9NS. Tel +44
71 497 2712 Fax + 44 71 240 2291 E-mail gn:medianatura.