Interesting political news from Barcelona

From ENB:

AWG-KP CONTACT GROUP ON POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES: The Gambia, on behalf of the AFRICAN GROUP, supported by ALGERIA, EGYPT, BOLIVIA and VENEZUELA called for all contact groups under the AWG-KP to be suspended until conclusion of work by the contact group on Annex I emission reductions. The EU expressed regret with the African Group’s proposal, highlighting that it is not realistic for one contact group to work faster than another. Co-Chair Ure suspended the meeting until further notice. In the afternoon, many delegates found their schedule to be much lighter than expected: suspension of the contact groups and informal consultations scheduled under the AWG-KP at the request of the African Group took many developed and developing countries by surprise.

The African Group insisted that the contact group on “numbers” conclude its work before the other groups proceed. According to rumors circulating in the corridors, informal consultations held in the afternoon did not resolve the issue. Reactions to this development were mixed. According to a developing country delegate, the cancellation of informal groups should not have been necessary and was not a good start to the meeting. Many developed country delegates in particular saw the move as a “poor tactic” and speculated on motivations behind it. Others, however, supported the position, calling it “necessary and quite timely,” and a developing country delegate said, “this demonstrates that if no agreement is reached in Copenhagen, it is because Annex I countries have refused to make necessary commitments.” One veteran commented: “I thought I knew this process, but this just shows that unexpected things can happen – I hope this also applies to unexpectedly good progress in Copenhagen.”

Climate Change and Nepal: Youth in Climate Action

Dipesh Chapagain blogging

With the objectives of updating Constitutional Assembly (CA) members on South Asian Youth Summit on Climate Change, its declaration and linking it to the new constitution, Nepalese Youth for Climate Action (NYCA) in collaboration with Centre for Constitutional Dialogue (CCD) organized “Climate Change and Nepal: Youth in Action” an interaction program with CA Members on 23rd October, 09 at CCD, Baneshwor.

Total of 50 participants including 6 CA members representing the committee on fundamental rights and directive principles, committee on natural resources, economic power and allocation of revenue and committee on protection of the rights of minorities and marginalized community were participated in the interaction.

In the program, Ms. Sangita Bista made presentation on ‘Climate Change and South Asian Declaration’ and Mr. Rishikesh Ram Bhandary on ‘Climate Change politics, Nepal’s position and New Constitution’. Both of the presenters represent NYCA.

Mr. Deepak K.C from CCD appeals for the inclusion of suggestions submitted by the environmental issue suggestion task force in the constitution and also handover it to the CA members.

In his remarks, CA member Lokendra Bista blamed developed countries for the causes of climate change and he added that “there is injustice to us from the developed world”. Another CA member Hem Raj Bhandari inform that, rights of living in the clean and healthy environment is included as a fundamental rights and other climate change issues under the directive principles in the constitution draft. Aang Dawa Sherpa states that “I am witnessing the glacier retreat in Solukhumbu”. She also share that she is working with a special team of concern CA members.

Agreeing on the urgency of climate change, other CA members are also very positive for the action. They appreciate the youth movement and express their solidarity to it. The program was started at 2 PM and run for 3 hours. A short documentary “Impact of Climate Change in the Himalayas” was also screened in the program.

Bangkok Talks: A Summary of the Negotiations

 

The Bangkok talks started after leaders expressed firm support of taking action on climate change at the high level climate change summit in New York. This raised the expectations of a major breakthrough in Bangkok. One of the primary tasks at hand was to streamline the negotiating text that had been compiled so far and make it more manageable. The 181 page document was a challenge to streamline and consolidate as new elements were introduced and existing ones were elaborated. Major progress was made on technology transfer and development, capacity building and REDD plus. However, major fissures emerged in the areas known to be controversial like mitigation and adaptation. Consensus looks very distant for financing adaptation in developing countries.

 

Developing countries have been arguing that any agreement must be in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and actions based on capacity. They have posited that the creation of national schedules for mitigation, proposed by the Australians, blurs the distinction between developed and developing countries. Though Norway agreed to cut emissions by 40% to 1990 levels, exactly what fraction of this emission reduction will take place internally is not known. The Annex 1 countries, in the Kyoto track, have been lobbying for a much more expanded role of carbon markets. As targets have not been ambitious, developing countries have balked at the idea of using offsets to meet weak domestic obligations.
The US and EU have been trying to bring the two negotiation tracks under one agreement. Though this would bring the UN on board, countries like China and India have vehemently opposed any such attempt as they argue the new agreement will not be ambitious enough to tackle climate change.

 

The major achievement of Bangkok was the clear delineation of boundaries. Though this will make negotiations more manageable as the dividing lines are easier to see, leaders must bring enough political capital with them to make sure there is a fair deal in Copenhagen.

 

Look out for a more personal take on the talks soon.

International Youth Press Release in Bangkok

 

International Youth Press Conference at the Bangkok Climate Talks

For immediate release
Contact: Joshua Kahn Russell +66 (0)8 90 414 451
7 October 2009

 

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SOUND THE ALARM:
WE ARE ON ROAD TO FAILURE!
International Youth have declared “No Confidence” in the road to Copenhagen.

Bangkok – A declaration of “No Confidence in the Road to Copenhagen” was announced today by the International Youth Delegation attending the UN climate change talks. The delegation cited the failure of reaching a commitment from developed countries on strong targets, a growing concern that a second commitment period in the Kyoto Protocol will not be secured, and a lack of guarantees for protection of Indigenous peoples’ rights and interests, in its Declaration. The current text of the draft climate deal is so weak and so full of “false solutions” – measures like offsetting that actually make the problem worse – it is currently unacceptable.
“Youth are sounding the alarm. These talks have been polluted by self-interested corporations and countries looking to profit off of our crisis,” said Joshua Kahn Russell from the U.S. and Rainforest Action Network. “We cannot allow rich countries to use U.S. inaction as an excuse to kill the Kyoto Protocol. Our future cannot be held hostage to the politics and interests of the United States or any other single country. We see Copenhagen as a beginning, not an ending. We will not accept a dirty deal.”
One young person from each continent, organizers from an international youth climate movement of hundreds of thousands, addressed those attending the negotiations today.
“My people are experiencing the severe effects of climate change,” said Anil Rimal from Nepalese Youth Climate Action. “This is happening now, not in 2050, and people are losing their lives, homes and livelihoods. We can not afford to delay global action.”
“The youth have been looking to the rich developed countries like in the EU to take a leading role to secure an ambitious climate change deal in Copenhagen,” said Anna Collins from the U.K. Youth Climate Coalition, “They are failing us.”
With less than two weeks of negotiations remaining before the Copenhagen meeting, the pressure is on developed countries to commit to providing finance and at least a 40% reduction in emissions by 2020. “If they do not, we will witness the derailment of this climate deal in Copenhagen,” said Grace Mwarua from Kenya.
Paulina Monforte from the Youth Environmental Network of Yucatan, Mexico continued by saying “any agreement in Copenhagen must include the numbers 1.5 degrees and 350 ppm order to safeguard the survival of all nations peoples.”
“Young people all around the world are working locally and internationally for genuine solutions.” Concluded Gemma Tillack from the Australian Wilderness Society. “We are building a strong civil society and working in our communities and will not give up on a strong and fair climate agreement. We will never give up, because it is our future at risk.”
###

International Youth Intervention at the Kyoto Protocol Plenary

 

Read by Anna Collins and Rishikesh R Bhandary on behalf of international youth

Delegates, you will remember 6 months ago we asked you how old you will be in 2050?

You seemed to notice, you responded, you bought the t shirt. But this did not translate into action

My name is Rishi and I hope to be 64 In the year 2050.

Earlier this week, we declared “no confidence” on the road to Copenhagen.

The process has been hijacked by carbon cowboys looking to profit from this crisis;

our future is being held hostage to the self-interested dirty delaying tactics of Annex 1 countries.

We have seen the arrogant betrayal of the commitments made under the Kyoto Protocol, with the perverse idea that developing countries should or can somehow act first.

History will judge you.

We witness the US deliberately undermine the negotiations by introducing language to merge the Kyoto Protocol and convention processes, tearing out compliance and top-down target setting.

Other Annex 1 countries hide behind the US to avoid their responsibilities; setting disgracefully low targets; with deceptive offset measures that amount to no real emissions cuts at all.

We will not accept a dirty deal.

Our stand is clear. Let Norway’s commitment of 40% on 1990 levels by 2020 be the minimum benchmark for real emission cuts,but with no offsets, Indigenous rights based language secured before any discussion of REDD, recognition of climate debt,
and targets of 350 ppm and 1.5 degrees Celsius.

History will judge you.

While governments are cautiously calculating their commitments based on what they believe is possible, the youth respectfully remind them that throughout history, political forces can shift rapidly when people rally together for change.

As one of the youngest people in this room, I will have to spend my life with the decisions you make today.

We have an opportunity to make some of the most profound and positive changes in the history of mankind.

Lets start acting like it.

Young people around the world are doing just that, organizing in our communities locally, nationally, and internationally, and we find our hope for the future in our movements.

We ask, will you join us? It is not too late to do your part.

The youth are leading..please follow.

History will judge this.

————————

 

Note:

We, international youth, were prompted to make an intervention in the Kyoto Protocol Plenary (the closing session of one of the two negotiating tracks) as we are deeply concerned by the lack of commitments from Annex I countries. In Bangkok, we saw Annex I countries trying to shift mitigation responsibilities to developing countries completely against the principle of historical responsibility.

There have been conceptual attempts to merge the two negotiating tracks thereby coming up with a weak climate change protocol. Calling this out, youth made a particularly strongly worded intervention to not just preserve KP but to deepen and strengthen commitments.