Progress slow, quarrels continue at climate talks

By: Neil Marks on December 14th, 2009

Progress has been slow, negotiators from rich and poor countries agree, but they are not done fighting yet on what should and should not come out of new global agreement to save the planet.

Case in point: common but differentiated responsibilities. Under the current United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the parties adopted a principle that puts the responsibility for most of the climate change problem on rich countries, whose industrial development spread harmful greenhouse gases.

Under the “common but differentiated responsibilities” principle, poor countries were not placed under pressure to cut emissions, because they were not major contributors of the problem.

China was one of those countries not under pressure 17 years ago when the global climate change treaty, the Kyoto protocol, was agreed to. Now, however, China is one of the world’s most rapidly developing countries. India is another.

Poor countries say developed nations have grown rich by fuelling their economies with coal, oil and gas and that they are most responsible for the bulk of the greenhouse gas pollution in the atmosphere.

Yet developing countries now emit more than half of mankind’s greenhouse gas emissions. The United Nations says all countries must play their part in breaking the rise of pollution.

Global leaders are ready for a new agreement here in Copenhagen that will either replace or expand the Kyoto Protocol. The rich countries think it’s time, therefore, that the developing countries begin to look more at the “c” in “common but differentiated responsibilities.”

One of those persons is Karl Falkenberg of the European Commission. Europe is willing to push 30% of a proposed US$10 billion a year plan to help developing countries cope with climate change. Falkenberg therefore thinks it’s time China and India own up to the “c.”

China doesn’t necessarily disagree, but it is not willing to be bullied into submission. India occupies the same stand and is not afraid to square off with Falkenberg and the rich countries which tail him.

Representatives from India and China have told developed country representatives like Falkenberg: “You messed up the world, but now you want us to clean it up. Fine, but pay us. We will allow you to monitor and check on what we’re doing. But if you’re not paying us, we will develop, even if that means putting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. We cannot be stuck in poverty.”

Or, as the deputy head of the Chinese delegation, Ambassador Yu Qing Tai put it: “For the developed countries, when it’s a matter of emission space it boils down to this: they say ‘What’s ours is ours, and what we’ve taken from you we’ll keep.’ For us, we say our emission space is under occupation, and we want it back.” Yu and Falkenberg were panellists at a press briefing when he made those comments.

Falkenberg argues that pollution is pollution and if rich countries must bring down theirs, so should the developing countries.

Yu, also wants international cooperation, despite his strong stand. But he says the rich world must own up to its promises; promises such as financial aid to poor countries and lowering emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which have not been fulfilled over the last 17 years.

Europe says whatever money they give, they will prioritise and give it to least developed countries, and maybe a small portion to emerging economies like China, India and Brazil.

EU leaders have promised to cut harmful carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent by 2020, compared with 1990 levels.

“The Union is ambitious in setting this objective and generous in the resources it is making available to the poorest countries to ensure that they also become climate friendly,” said new EU President Herman Van Rompuy Thursday. “But other countries must make comparable efforts,” he said.

While the rambling continues inside the negotiations, there is also noise outside the closed doors the clock ticks away.

“With millions of people already suffering from flash floods and withering droughts, we need a new legal deal, not more deliberation and delay,” Oxfam, a leading international Non-Governmental organisation said in a statement.

Yvo de Boer, the UNFCC executive Secretary gave some indication yesterday that things are starting to happen.

“Serious work has begun,” he said at his daily press briefing.