Saturday, December 3, 2011

Day 5: Week 1 Summary and Success in Durban

I offer you here two things:

1)   UNFCCC executive secretary’s summary of week 1 (Very short statement) http://unfccc4.meta-fusion.com/kongresse/cop17/templ/play.php?id_kongresssession=4347&theme=unfccc

Christina Figueres’s provided a very quick summary of the main issues that were discussed in the first week of COP17, and what is expected for next week.

The EU has highlighted that a 2nd commitment period is an option with some adjustments. Adaptation is also likely to have a significant role in the next text. The green climate fund has been a main issue of discussion, and there is a strong possibility that the world will see the beginning of adaptation fund being initiated after Durban.

Along with this, the draft Durban text will circulate amongst Parties throughout the weekend to be analysed and communicated to ministers. This text is to be debated next week and presented to the world at the end of the conference.


The second article states that we should see Durban as an opportunity to build and expand from the legally binding documents we already have. Annual climate meetings are about re-enforcing the commitments we have already made (in the KP) and building trust between parties. The authors note that the 2nd commitment period of the KP is as pressing issue, and that due to the current political and economic climate it may be difficult for the world to see any solid developments.

COP17, however, should not be judge against creating a new document. Rather, maintaining climate change as an imperative agenda for the future rather than creating enemies over a 2nd commitment period would mean success. Ensuring that bottom up, country specific climate change mitigation actions are still being considered and pushed by parties will mean that climate change is still being addressed, but from a bilateral and regional level rather than internationally.


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