Cancun pact no proxy for Bali roadmap: Basic nations
After a step forward at Cancun, the global climate talks is heading backwards with the environment ministers from Basic group agreeing that Cancun Agreements cannot be a "substitute" for the Bali Road Map. Chetan Chauhan reports.
After a step forward at Cancun, the global climate talks is heading backwards with the environment ministers from Basic group (India, China, Brazil and South Africa) agreeing on Saturday that Cancun Agreements cannot be a “substitute” for the Bali Road Map.
“There are number of issues not addressed in the Cancun agreements which needs to be brought back on the table,” environment minister Jairam Ramesh said, after holding talks for two days with the ministers from other Basic countries in New Delhi.
A joint statement issued afterwards, reflected the concern, saying: “The Bali Road Map must, therefore, continue to be the template for future work of the parties”.
The issues - equity, intellectual property rights and trade - were what Basic ministers want back on the negotiating table before the next climate conference in Durban, South Africa, in December 2011.
The group felt these issues have not been suitably addressed in the Cancun Agreements and revised text for the meeting of negotiators in Bangkok this April should reflect them. “There are also some contradictions in the draft on LCA (Long Term Cooperative Action on climate change) for Bangkok meeting which needs to be corrected,” Ramesh said.
The ministers also pointed out that atmosphere at Durban would be clouded if the least development countries and island nations do get money through fast track finance as promised at the Copehnagen climate conference in 2009.
“Only negligible amount of money has come,” said Brazilian environment minister IMV Teixeira.
What has peeved the Basic nations is three billion US dollars that United States and Europe has shown as bilateral flow of funds to India and Brazil, respectively as part of fast track finance.
The ministers said second commitment period for Kyoto Protocol, commitment review mechanism for developed and developing countries and strong emission reduction targets for the developed world were also key for any agreement at Durban.
Agreeing that there were differing views on many issues, Ramesh said it was because of different perspective of each of the Basic nations on per capita income, sources of green house gases and level of economic development.
South Africa wants 2025 as a peaking year for emissions, which is opposed by India and China. Brazil has been seeking funds to reduce deforestation whereas other Basic countries want money for protecting forests.
There are also differing views on aspirational goal of limiting the temperature rise with South Africa backing African demand of restricting temperature rise to 2 degree Celsius whereas others want it to be two degrees by 2050.
The ministers agreed that non-government experts from Basic countries would work on a synthesis paper on equity for sustainable development.