CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS CANCUN, MEXICO NOV-DEC 2010 NGO NEWSLETTER ECO has been published by Non-Governmental Environme ntal Groups at major internaonal conferences since the Stockholm EnvironmentConference in 1972. ECO is produced co-operavely by the Climate Acon Network at the UNFCCC meengs in Cancun in November-Decembe r 2010. ECO email: [email protected] – ECO website: hp://climatenetwork.org/eco- newsleers – Editorial/Producon: Fred Heue I S S U E N O 9 VO LU M E CX X V II DECEMBER 8 LA NIÑA ISSUE FREE OF CHARGE Guideposts for these Days of Decision Ministers, it’ s ECO again. May we have a few moments with you? Yes, you guessed it – right here in your hands is our clean and manageable list of key decisions forthe remainder of the week. We’ve heard that you feel there are too many choices and papering over the differences in the negotiations might be the best achievable for the moment. But remember, that trick only works once. A high level political statement by itselfwill not cut it. We need a real agreement in Cancun, not a repeat of Copenhagen’s climate shame. No magic moment is go- ing to arrive when the hard choices be- come easy. But the path to achievement is just steps away. ECO is wondering what is going on in the Shared Vision negotiations. We heard whispers of much needed improve- ments, such as the recognition of the need to reduce atmospheric concentrations ofCO2 to no more than 350 ppm and limit global temperature rise to 1.5° C, as well as the acknowledgement of historical re- sponsibility and the link between human rights and climate change related actions. All these elements must be included fora clear and robust shared vision that re- ects our collective intention to ensure a liveable planet for us and for future gen- erations. But Ministers, ECO is going blue in the face! How many more times do we have to say ‘Gigatonne Gap’ before it nally sinks in? As UNEP afrmed in its authoritative report, there is a signi- cant gap between the emissions pledges set forth in Copenhagen and the reduc- tions the planet actually needs by 2020 to limit warming to 2° C, much less the 1.5° needed to avoid severe and even cat- astrophic impacts. Yet the latest version of the Mitigationtext contains no acknowledgement ofthe Gigatonne Gap, nor does it set forth a timely process to close it. A legitimate outcome in Cancun must explicitly pro- vide the pathway to increased ambition. ECO also calls on parties to anchor the pledges currently on the table so that com- mitments and actions can be strengthened over the next year before inscribing them in legally binding form in South Africa. ECO is pleased that the MRV text has evolved in the past week from an empty 36-word shell to a real basis for negotia- tion. But there’s a long way to go. The tables have turned here in Cancun and we’re nally hearing more about the need forenhanced MRV provisions for Annex I countries, including common accounting rules, as well as MRV of nance using a common reporting format. This is only right – the United States and other developed countries have been calling for increased transparency fordeveloping countries but have been shy about improving their own. – Days of Decision, continued on page 2 Establishing a Technology Mechanism and creating an operational Technol- ogy Executive Committee (TEC) is well within the remit here. Unfortuna tely, the USA has been block- ing progress on the TEC and CTCN dis- cussions and negotiators are planning to kick many elements into the long grass, such as reporting lines and the link to the nancial mechanism. This would be dan - gerous as it would leave too many issues to be dealt with during 2011. The draft text is virtually content free when it comes to creating an operational framework for new, radically scaled- up, focused and integrated Capacity Building. The stocktaking needs to clarify wheth- er developed countries intend to take capacity building seriously (that is, on parwith nance and technology), or whetherthey are happy enough just to leave it be- hind as crumbs in the corner. On International Transport, the COP must guide ICAO and IMO in taking ef- fective action to reduce emissions quick- ly , create a framework for these sectors to fairly contribute funds to mitigation and adaptation in developing countries, and ensure no net incidence of impacts on de- veloping countries. On Adaptation, a Cancun decision must launch the committee to oversee technical and coordinating provisions for
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Guideposts for these Days of DecisionMinisters, it’s ECO again. May we have afew moments with you? Yes, you guessedit – right here in your hands is our cleanand manageable list of key decisions for the remainder of the week.
We’ve heard that you feel there aretoo many choices and papering over thedifferences in the negotiations might bethe best achievable for the moment. Butremember, that trick only works once.
A high level political statement by itself will not cut it. We need a real agreement
in Cancun, not a repeat of Copenhagen’sclimate shame. No magic moment is go-ing to arrive when the hard choices be-come easy. But the path to achievementis just steps away.
ECO is wondering what is going onin the Shared Vision negotiations. We
heard whispers of much needed improve-ments, such as the recognition of the needto reduce atmospheric concentrations of CO2 to no more than 350 ppm and limitglobal temperature rise to 1.5° C, as well
as the acknowledgement of historical re-sponsibility and the link between humanrights and climate change related actions.
All these elements must be included for a clear and robust shared vision that re-ects our collective intention to ensure aliveable planet for us and for future gen-erations.
But Ministers, ECO is going blue inthe face! How many more times do wehave to say ‘Gigatonne Gap’ before it
nally sinks in? As UNEP afrmed inits authoritative report, there is a signi-cant gap between the emissions pledgesset forth in Copenhagen and the reduc-tions the planet actually needs by 2020to limit warming to 2° C, much less the1.5° needed to avoid severe and even cat-astrophic impacts.
Yet the latest version of the Mitigation text contains no acknowledgement of
the Gigatonne Gap, nor does it set fortha timely process to close it. A legitimate
outcome in Cancun must explicitly pro-vide the pathway to increased ambition.
ECO also calls on parties to anchor the pledges currently on the table so that com-mitments and actions can be strengthenedover the next year before inscribing themin legally binding form in South Africa.
ECO is pleased that the MRV text hasevolved in the past week from an empty36-word shell to a real basis for negotia-tion.
But there’s a long way to go. The tables
have turned here in Cancun and we’renally hearing more about the need for enhanced MRV provisions for Annex I
countries, including common accountingrules, as well as MRV of nance using acommon reporting format.
This is only right – the United Statesand other developed countries have beencalling for increased transparency for developing countries but have been shyabout improving their own. – Days of Decision, continued on pa
Establishing a Technology Mechanand creating an operational Technogy Executive Committee (TEC) is wwithin the remit here.
Unfortunately, the USA has been bloing progress on the TEC and CTCN dcussions and negotiators are planningkick many elements into the long grsuch as reporting lines and the link tonancial mechanism. This would be d
gerous as it would leave too many issto be dealt with during 2011.
The draft text is virtually content fwhen it comes to creating an operatioframework for new, radically scalup, focused and integrated Capa
Building.The stocktaking needs to clarify whe
er developed countries intend to t
capacity building seriously (that is, onwith nance and technology), or whetthey are happy enough just to leave it hind as crumbs in the corner.
On International Transport, the C
must guide ICAO and IMO in takingfective action to reduce emissions quily, create a framework for these sector
fairly contribute funds to mitigation adaptation in developing countries, ensure no net incidence of impacts on veloping countries.
On Adaptation, a Cancun decismust launch the committee to overtechnical and coordinating provisions
I S S U E N O 9 V O L U M E C X X V I I F R E E O F C H A R G E
– Days of Decision, continued from page 1
adaptation under the Convention. Fur-ther, response measures does not have aplace under the adaptation agenda. Theresources available for adaptation shouldnot be use as compensation for the loss
on oil revenue as a result of mitigation
action.By the end the week decisions onFinancing must be taken to establisha climate fund under the guidance andauthority of the COP, along with a proc-ess to clarify the scale of this fund andguarantee sufcient resources for adap-tation, along with the mechanisms and
instruments to generate the required rev-enue ows.
We have heard that some developedcountries are raising doubts about their ability to contribute to a fund under theUNFCCC due to constitutional or other legal impediments. These are simplytactical maneuvers to delay a decision,using the fund as a bargaining chip to get
concessions from developing countrieson other issues such as international con-sultations and analysis.
Negotiations on the Flexible Mecha-
nisms are (unsurprisingly) facing dif-culty, including even which text shouldbe used.
However, at least two things should
be done. First, the loopholes in exist-ing mechanisms must be closed now. A
primary example is surplus AAUs. Sec-ond, relevant principles should be set for further negotiations in LCA. If any newmechanisms are to be discussed goingforward, they must go beyond offsetting.
And they have to close the Gigaton gap,not widen it. Other important principlesshould also be set such as preventingdouble counting, supplementarity andcontribution to sustainable development.
A very disturbing development is thatthe option for keeping CCS out of theClean Development Mechanism has van-ished from the draft text being forwarded
to the CMP. At the very least, SBSTA
must address the creation of perverseincentives for increased dependence on
What do negotiators do when somethingis agreed? They leave it out of the text!
It might seem weird but it just keepshappening in the shared vision discus-sion.
Calling for a low emission economy
which ensures a just transition and thecreation of good quality, decent jobs was
long ago agreed as part of the text alsoreferring to gender, indigenous peoples’rights and other important elements of anoverarching climate effort.
Yet this essential reference has mysteri-ously vanished from the new shared vi-sion text. And this despite support fromArgentina to the United States and allother parts of the alphabet as well.
What is going on? The reference to‘just transition’ is aimed at gaining thesupport of the world’s workers for thesenegotiations.
This international process must inspire people, give hope on our capacity to
improve peoples’ life and and show thatanother world is possible.
The negotiations rightly focus on ‘howfar’ we have to go on emissions reduc-tions, nancing, technology and capacity building.
‘Just transition’ sets forth the equitable pathway for ‘how’ to get there. The worldneeds a sustainable climate and economy,and that requires a bridge to a future withgood, decent jobs.
‘Just Transion’ – Making a New World Possible
ECO is concerned that the small adapta
nance cake that is currently on offer lea
developing countries ghting over crum
Consider, however, that the best strat
against starvation is to increase the fsupply.
Countries regarding themselves particu
ly vulnerable should be clear and rm: ad
tation nance must not be a small propor
of total ows compared to mitigation.
At least 50% of the new climate fun
resources should be reserved for adaptat
ECO remains optimistic that Parties w
agree to establish the fund here and cla
the sources to feed it.
fossil fuels.On land and forests, the message
simple but let’s say it again: Close loopholes!
With respect to legal form, ECO c
on Parties to establish open and transpent processes to discuss their propos both now and after Cancun. Likew just as the Berlin Mandate provided city on legal form to the negotiating press that resulted in the Kyoto ProtocParties should agree mandates at Canto conrm the second commitment riod of the Kyoto Protocol as well a
legally binding outcome in the LCA
set them up for adoption at COP 17South Africa.
Thousands of demonstrators rallied in Cancún on Tuesday for a fair deal against climate change.Photo credit: Oxf