Lima, Ekuatorial – A few days left for UN Climate Change Conference, COP20, in Lima, Peru, most of participants have started to criticize that negotiation is moving too slow. Two days before the end of the conference, no deal has been reached for any proposals.
At the press conference in Lima, Todd Stern, US Special Envoy for COP and head of US delegation, said that the negotiation was moving pretty slow, on Wednesday (10/12). “Each nations read sentence per sentence and propose for changes,” Stern said. “But, the crucial part is to finish element draft at the new protocol text and for INDC, I think most of them was completed.”
Intended Nationally Determined Contributions or INDC is a negotiation to determine nations’ commitment to reduce their emission post-2020, when the new protocol would take effect. INDC result will determine new protocol designs or similar documents to be agreed on COP21, in Paris, in 2015. The target for the draft is the first three months of 2015.
Aside from being optimistic about the conference, Stern also repeat US’ commitment which had been delivered by US Secretary of State John Kerry earlier than US would accept legally binding agreement at COP21.
However, not all agree with Stern, for instance Nigeria which had rejected to include their reduction emission commitment in INDC discussion. “INDC target should apply to developed countries not developing countries, like us. And, this target made our ‘hands tied’ and threatening our development,” said Nigeria’s Minister of Envrionment, Laurencia Mallam as quoted by The Guardian Nigeria.
European Union (EU), comprise of 28 nations, also stated their concerns. The negotiation was moving slow and there were six different document versions of Annex 1 and non-Annex 1 countries adding to complication.
To speed up negotiation process related to text element on new protocol draft, early this weekend, EU had submitted proposal text to UNFCCC. The proposal, categorized as non-paper, included new design for new protocol.
Non-paper is a term use for unofficial proposal submitted by parties or nation blocs to facilitate the negotiation with the aim to speed things up. Non-paper does not use UNFCCC logo and just mention its initiators or which session it was being proposed.
European Union is known as the most ambitious country in relation to carbon emission reduction as they have announced to reduce 40 percent by 2030 on October 2013, the largest commitment compare to other parties or blocks.
IPCC President Rajendra Panchauri welcomed European Union target in relation to revolution steps needed to respond climate change impacts as concluded at the Fifth IPCC Report. The last report was dubbed as ‘point of no return’ because if failed in reducing emission, then temperature rise could not be stopped.
If text elements in the new protocol were completed, then all nations under UNFCCC could start to give comments and inputs on the draft starting next year. In the hopes that all would agree on the new protocol on COP21, which will be held in Bourget, Paris, France, on December 2015.
European Union Commission representative for COP20, Elina Bardram, said that they were hoping to take roles in setting up the protocol draft that will have legally binding agreement to be adopted in Paris, next year.
John Kerry’s arrival on December 11 is expected to speed up the agreement and COP result as strong foundation for next year. IGG Maha Adi (Lima, Peru)
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