<p>Liu refuted Friday the argument that the Kyoto protocol will expire in 2012 and that is why people have gathered in Copenhagen to negotiate a new agreement, Xinhua news agency reported. <br /><br />"That's the wrong interpretation, to be frank," Liu said. "The Kyoto protocol will be effective after 2012." </p>.<p>"The Kyoto Protocol sets targets for developed countries to quantify their (emission) targets between 2008 until 2012," he said. "It's true. That's why we need a continuation of negotiations beyond 2012. But at the same time, Kyoto Protocol also has some other provisions and the other mechanisms." <br /><br />"So as a legally binding document, the Kyoto Protocol will continue to be effective," Liu said. "That's why we don't (stand) in favor of the view that Copenhagen will negotiate a legally binding document to replace Kyoto protocol. It's a kind of a follow-up. It's an update, a continuation of the Kyoto process." </p>.<p>"Climate change negotiations started over 20 years ago," he said. "This is an incremental, progressive process so if you take the UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) as a first milestone in the negotiating process, the Kyoto Protocol as the second milestone, I think that Copenhagen ought to be the third. Efforts for human kind to respond to climate change will not end in Copenhagen. They will continue. They need to continue." </p>
<p>Liu refuted Friday the argument that the Kyoto protocol will expire in 2012 and that is why people have gathered in Copenhagen to negotiate a new agreement, Xinhua news agency reported. <br /><br />"That's the wrong interpretation, to be frank," Liu said. "The Kyoto protocol will be effective after 2012." </p>.<p>"The Kyoto Protocol sets targets for developed countries to quantify their (emission) targets between 2008 until 2012," he said. "It's true. That's why we need a continuation of negotiations beyond 2012. But at the same time, Kyoto Protocol also has some other provisions and the other mechanisms." <br /><br />"So as a legally binding document, the Kyoto Protocol will continue to be effective," Liu said. "That's why we don't (stand) in favor of the view that Copenhagen will negotiate a legally binding document to replace Kyoto protocol. It's a kind of a follow-up. It's an update, a continuation of the Kyoto process." </p>.<p>"Climate change negotiations started over 20 years ago," he said. "This is an incremental, progressive process so if you take the UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) as a first milestone in the negotiating process, the Kyoto Protocol as the second milestone, I think that Copenhagen ought to be the third. Efforts for human kind to respond to climate change will not end in Copenhagen. They will continue. They need to continue." </p>
