The summit in Copenhagen in 2009 was approached by all – governments, NGO’s and the media – with huge optimism. Unfortunately it was an unmitigated disaster, severely hampered by political stubbornness and logistical woes. It was a final hour intervention that produced the Copenhagen Accord, a political agreement designed to help developed and developing countries undertake steps to reduce carbon emissions that is a long way from a global environmental deal. Worse, the last-minute objection of a handful of countries kept it from earning official status from the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), although more than 180 nations have approved it.
Now following a hard financial year, a poor show in the US mid-terms for President Obama and a far more understated lead-up, the climate summit in Cancun began this week (29th – 10th Dec), with no major world figures, or in some cases even senior environmental officials attending. Now personally I believe and at worst hope, that some agreements will be made for true environmental reasons and a strong message of awareness and ethical balance will be promoted. However there is a part of me that remains horribly sceptical, questioning the environmental management aims of the countries involved. The apparently unknown teams of negotiators (the UK have sent a 40 strong contingent) have unclear targets and the only noises that are arising are from Heads of State that are not even attending. With negotiators labouring to unblock a complex process, Brazilian President Lula da Silva, who himself decided not to attend, has predicted the 12-day meeting “won’t result in anything.”
“No big leader is going, only environment ministers at best. We don’t even know if foreign ministers are going. So there won’t be any progress.”
There has also been the stated withdrawal by Japan from the Kyoto Protocol at the end of this agreement period, 2012. Now this is not a new stance, the political world has been aware of Japan’s issue for nearly a year however it is the timing of the official statement that further undermines proceedings. Some environmental training about the schemes that work – not the surely doomed cap-and-trade system which is now totally dead in the US – would be prudent and perhaps allay Japans fears.
So what will be achieved? It is generally agreed that a global deal to cut emissions is unlikely. I however hope that the talks could make progress towards an encompassing deal. For example the processes; how emissions will be monitored, reported and verified will have to be decided before any country is happy to sign up to targets.
By Tim Davies | Righttrack’s Environmental Advisor