The Third Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will take place in Kyoto, from 1 to 10 December. The main objective of the Conference is the negotiation and the adoption of a new international agreement aiming at ensuring the reduction of the emissions of greenhouse gases and thus to avoid the warming of the Earth. The impact that the phenomenon of global warming can have on life in the planet, in case the measures needed to avoid it are not taken now, justifies the great interest on the Conference throughout the world.

In searching for solutions to an environmental problem of an essentially global nature, the Kyoto Conference represents a challenge to the international community in the construction of sustainable development based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, established at the Rio Conference.

The international community expects from Kyoto a firm commitment towards the protection of the climate system of the planet and, therefore, towards the quality of life and the very survival of future generations. In the Kyoto negotiations, the developed countries, responsible for the majority of the greenhouse gas emissions in the planet, must face up unequivocally to their responsibility to reduce their emissions by an amount appropriate to avoid the grave consequences of climate change. It is expected, in this regard, that the developed countries must respect the international commitment adopted two years ago in Berlin and exert the leadership in solving an environmental problem caused mostly by their unsustainable patterns of consumption and of production.

Thanks mostly to its essentially clean energy matrix, based on the use of its hydroelectric potential and of renewable fuels, Brazil has contributed little to the world scenario of greenhouse gas emissions. Brazil is, incidentally, the country whose emissions have been mostly reduced in relative terms, in the entire world. We are conscious, however, that the consequences of the increase of the greenhouse effect for the world and for our country in particular can be particularly serious. In this context, Brazil has followed with special interest the international debate on climate change and has tried to act constructively in the complex negotiations on the future international agreement to be adopted at the Kyoto Conference.

With a view to contributing to the successful result of the negotiations, the Brazilian Government has presented its own proposal to the Conference. Among its central elements are the establishment of a direct connection between the emissions of greenhouse gases and the increase in global mean temperature. Brazil also proposes the establishment of a "Clean Development Fund", based on the polluter pays principle, whose resources will allow for the balanced and voluntary participation of developing countries in the international efforts to combat the causes of the increase in the greenhouse effect. I note with satisfaction that the Brazilian proposal has produced great interest in the other countries involved in the Kyoto negotiations.

I wish, finally, to express my wishes of success for the Kyoto Conference. I have no doubt that the negotiators will make their utmost efforts to attain a solution compatible with the challenge of global warming, so that we may leave for the future generations a planet free of such threat.