Dear Readers,
We are after another UNFCCC meeting of ad-hoc working groups this year. The summit in Bonn started at 1st of June and ended on 12th of June. In experts opinions it brought some progress i.e. the negotiation documents papers were generally welcomed and they will be discussed in Copenhagen in December this year during climate conference COP15. Discussed and hopefully it will come up with a final version of post-Kyoto agreement. However on the other side specialists said poor countries where to “calm” at attacking rich countries regarding their reduction targets commitment, so the didn’t show us any individual and binding targets of most polluting countries.
The time will show if the Bonn meeting was a key meeting on the road to achieve the global agreement focusing on the fight with climate changes. In Bonn there were some interesting statements and announcements that I would like to share with you.
United States representatives highlighted amongst others that financing of greenhouse gases reduction measures should be covered in the biggest part by private sector not governments. In my opinion it’s a good approach, we need to improve the awareness of companies that fighting with climate changes doesn’t mean only costs but in longer-period it could bring profits not only for the environment but also for their wallets. It also means private investments in developing countries in for instance JI (Joint Implementation) and CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) projects. This case was strongly advocated by European Union as a good example of practices helping to fight with climate changes.
Yvo de Boer, the chief of the UNFCCC Secretariat, was very happy about the opinions of UNFCCC parties about the negotiation documents. He expressed that these papers opened the discussion. However developing countries indicated that developed countries should present more ambitious target that are generally mentioned in UNFCCC talks and other summits.
During Bonn meeting China was one of the countries that was strongly calling for big cuts in greenhouse gases emissions in developed countries. Together with other developing countries they propose a 40% decrease in GHG emissions in 2020 below the 1990 levels. In their opinion it will save world from negative consequence of global warming such as droughts, floods and increase of sea levels.
It is worth mentioning that according to the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research the current propositions in greenhouse gases emissions mitigation targets in developed countries are representing the scope of 8 to 14% comparing to year 1990.
Well…still the Bonn meeting was a small step towards post-Kyoto agreement. I think bookmakers should place a new bet in their offer: post-Kyoto agreement – signed in Copenhagen, not signed in Copenhagen.
Next UNFCCC meeting is planed in August this year.
Regards,
Anthony
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