COP21: 'Fireworks' expected as new climate text published

[muriel_volestrangler]

On the key issue of what the overall purpose of the document should be, there are now three options:

The first says that temperature rises should be kept below 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels

The third option says they should be kept below 1.5 degrees

But option two, the one which would seem to be the obvious compromise at present, says temperatures should be kept well below 2 degrees C while scaling up efforts to limit the rise to below 1.5, while recognising that in some parts of the world there are high risks projected even for warming at that level.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-35051487

Some initial reactions to the latest draft

Prof Alice Bows-Larkin, from the UK's Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, says those missing references to international shipping and aviation emissions (see previous post) are significant and may endanger the overall goal of limiting temperature rise to 2C:

Missing out two sectors that would constitute a ‘top 10 emitter’ essentially ignores what the ‘best available science’ is saying about urgent, deep and sustained mitigation commensurate with 2C. It also sends a signal to these industries that ongoing growth in international transport CO2 ‘fits’ within a scientific interpretation of the temperature goal... which is not the case.

Adriano Campolina, the chief executive of ActionAid International, said:

The draft agreement continues to leave developing nations hanging. There are just two days to reach a deal that is fair and just for the world's poorest. With what's currently on the table, rich nations are still holding the purse strings, unwilling to commit to their fair share of acting to save the people and their planet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/science-environment-34922775

The sticking points that remain include the issue of "differentiation."

This term refers to a principle embedded in the UN Climate Change Convention assigning "common but differentiated responsibilities" to industrialized and developing nations.

Throughout the negotiations, industrialized countries have been adamant that in the future, donors should include rich developing nations like the oil-exporting countries.

Nations like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela have opposed any such moves.

http://www.dw.com/en/new-draft-accord-pushes-paris-climate-conference-into-decisive-phase/a-18907779

Draft Text: http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2015/cop21/eng/da01.pdf

[yeoman6987]

1. When you have so many countries involved in negotiations,

Nobody will be happy. It's impossible to make everyone happy. You negotiate what you can and get to work. Crying about it does nothing. Heck I was in charge of 20 people and could not get a consensus on anything but you try and go on.