Bonn: The clock is ticking
14 May 2012
(Photo credit: Neil Palmer, CIAT)
The latest round of UN climate negotiations have officially started in Bonn and negotiators have two weeks to focus on moving the process forwards. Broadly speaking, it presents an opportunity for either two weeks of genuine progress on climate action or two weeks of frustration and disappointment. There will be five working groups running in parallel in 2012, and keeping them all on course will be no easy feat, but it’s vital that the process remains on course this year. We don’t want to see any backtracking on the good will and progress that was accomplished last year in Durban.
European politicians and the media seem more concerned with the changes in governments and power than with climate change as the Euro-crisis continues. Regardless of media interest, CAN Europe and many other groups representing civil society will be in Bonn pushing for progress on both the pledges made so far, while calling for countries to increase climate action between now and 2020 to match what the science calls for.
For this to occur, delegates in Bonn must deliver results in several areas:
Climate waits for no country or future international agreement.
12 December 2011
The Durban Platform is a step towards a global agreement, but the risk of exceeding 3°C warming remains and the clock is still ticking.
After two weeks of exhausting and often frustrating talks, there was finally some cause for optimism. The establishment of the Durban Platform to negotiate a new global legally binding agreement by 2015, with big emitters like the United States and China in support, is a far more positive outcome than what many were expecting. The door to keep global warming below at least 2 degrees is still open- just. But, there are several blockades that must be cleared if we are to avoid 3 or 4 degrees C temperature rises and scientists remain skeptical of the commitments made.
Is it a Polish Presidency or a Coal-ish Presidency of the EU at this COP!?
01 December 2011
Did you really believe that Poland supports a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol just because of its promises about climate protection? If you answered “yes,” you might feel disappointed today. If not, you won’t be surprised. Nice words were spoken in Durban about the future of Kyoto and the firm Polish stance on the need to have a global, legally binding agreement. However, their speech rang hollow with the news that the Polish EU Presidency decided to sponsor the “European Coal Days” in Brussels.
Q+A on the EU, Durban and the Kyoto Protocol -
