United Nations climate chief says Danish presidency’s backing US also derailed Copenhagen negotiations
A leaked letter from United Nations’ climate chief suggests Copenhagen climate summit failed because of presence of 130 world leaders paralysed decision-making and Danish presidency backed US and other western nations over interests of poor.
The revelations – made as UN climate talks resume Bonn, Germany, tomorrow – come Yvo de Boer’s candid letter , written senior colleagues days after summit broke up acrimony December.
More than 130 world leaders had been persuaded Britain and other countries to go to Denmark, where they were expected to put the finishing touches to a historic global agreement to limit carbon emissions, protect forests and put in place a mechanism to transfer billions of dollars from rich to poor countries each year.
Instead, they arrived at a summit seething with mistrust and divided between rich and poor countries.
According De Boer, who will leave UN framework convention on climate change (Unfccc) in next few months, diplomatic debacle began unfold when Denmark presented one-sided draft agreement few select countries just before start meeting.
The UN, aware that it was unbalanced and favoured the US and other richer countries, tried – but failed – to stop it.
“[The Danish text] destroyed two years effort one fell swoop,” De Boer wrote. “All our attempts prevent the paper happening failed. The meeting at which it was presented was unannounced the paper unbalanced.”
The paper was leaked the Guardian, which had the effect polarising countries’ positions further, the Danish journalist and climate change expert Per Meilstrup, whose book the climate negotiations published Europe tomorrow, said.
The presence world leaders such Barack Obama, Gordon Brown Wen Jiabao further affected the talks, De Boer wrote.
They had been expected galvanise summit and steamroller opposition an agreement, in fact proved counterproductive.
“Inviting heads of state seemed like good idea. But it seriously backfired,” he wrote. “Their early arrival did not have the catalytic effect that was hoped for. The process became paralysed. Rumour and intrigue took over.”
Negotiators more than 180 countries resume the talks hoping to make progress key areas such as forests, finance and emission cuts.
But non-government groups warned that rich countries were already seeking offer loans instead grants adapt climate change.
“The $100bn year pledged rich nations to help fight climate change could fail the poorest people recent moves to deliver climate cash as loans continue,” Oxfam’s senior policy advisor, Antonio Hill, said.
“At time economic emergency, when several poor countries slashing critical health education budgets avoid debt crisis, rich countries considering saddling them with climate debt situation they did not cause.
“It’s like crashing your neighbour’s car and then offering loan cover the damages.”
Friends of Earth called for Europe to show global leadership by cutting its emissions by 40% by 2020.
“This the minimum level required we′re have any chance avoiding climate catastrophe save the lives the millions people who will suffer devastating effects like more frequent storms, droughts flooding,” spokesman said.
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar