Updates from Bonn Germany
Bernarditas Muller, a seasoned member of the Philippines negotiating team, is among the rare few who call a spade a spade. Speaking to Indrajit Bose during the ongoing climate talks at Bonn, she outlined the importance of the UN Framework Convention and provided insight into how the developed world represents the epitome of inaction and how some developing countries are still so naïve. Edited excerpts
Developing countries dismiss appeal, say fulfill technology transfer commitment first By: Indrajit Bose, Bonn
New deal must not attempt to rewrite or reinterpret the Convention, say developing countries By: Indrajit Bose, Bonn The second session of the ADP, acronym for Ad hoc Working Group on Durban Platform, began in Bonn on April 29, 2013. At the opening session, countries outlined their positions on what they expect of the global deal on climate change, to be decided in 2015 and which will be implemented from 2020 (see box: Country positions).
CSE's experience-sharing workshop on climate change, brought together about 20 ngo's, practitioners and implementers from across India and other South Asian countries who work at the ground level with communities directly impacted by the effects of climate change.
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore November 3-4, 2012
Sunita Narain on the Doha outcome It was a nail-biting end that came in a no-ball game. For the past 20 years, the world has been haggling about who will cut greenhouse gas emissions and how much. In the same 20 years, the science of climate change has become more certain. The world is beginning to witness what the future will look like – more extreme events like the typhoon Bopha and the tropical storm Sandy are expected to cripple life and livelihoods across the world. In fact, as the leader of the Philippine delegation emotionally pointed out, the world is running out of time -- his ocean nation has seen 17 killer typhoons in the past year.
Indrajit Bose, Doha Two weeks of intense climate negotiations ended rather dramatically at Doha on December 8, 2012. The countries gathered made sure they achieved the minimum required to let Qatar claim the meeting was not an abject failure. The long-term cooperative action or LCA track was closed. A second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol was agreed upon. And, a plan of work was laid out for the post 2020 agreement under the Durban Platform. Doha, however, with these three decisions, failed to do more than give the world a fig leaf to hide the fact that the environmental imperative of ambitious and quick action to reduce emissions had not been met.
Draft texts made, remade and re-remade: No consensus in sight COP President We can see the contours of a balanced package. It is clearly within reach. I understand every party may not be fully satisfied with the outcome. But I'd like you to not see things in isolation. Please consider for overall balance. Facilitators/Ministers/Co-chairs speak
Dec 5, 2012 Thank you chair, We need to see and ambitious results under the Kyoto Protocol(KP) as well as LCA track to inspire increased global efforts in future. Currently, there is a crisis of confidence. Despite Cancun pledges and KP commitments, we are yet to reach there. Not that we do not have a framework for it, it exists. Unfortunately, we have not implemented it. The central problem is not therefore of enhancing ambition at the global level, but of implementing commitments as per agreed principles. Availability of technologies and financial resources iskey to these commitments as far as developing countries are concerned.