Did you sleep tight? I bet many of you stayed up watching the outcome of COP16.
And there! We had an achievement, the Cancun Agreement!
Let me go through the whole day. I want to go into details for those who weren't here. If you are looking for fast facts, check the mailing lists from others or news from the media. Anyway I'll tell you about the results too.
At the beginning of the day, there were a lot of meetings scheduled, and then a lot of them canceled.
At around 16:00, there was a short CMP, everything was through with no objections, but since the AWG-LCA and KP haven't concluded, the CMP was suspended.
The informal stocktaking plenary was supposed to start at around 17:00 but Mrs. Patricia Espinosa came out and said they are working on it and will have a closed meeting. It was great that everybody was giving a loud applaud to encourage her rather than moaning for delays.
After that, at 21:00 the president re-entered the room. Everybody stood up to applause for the president again. What a touching sight!
And at last! The meeting was about to start, but, then..
BANG BANG BANG! HE~~~~~~~LP!! HE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~LP!!!
There were banging and screaming at the door by those who couldn't come in to the room by security reasons (the capacity of the room)(Before the meeting started, the room got full enough and the security were blocking people from coming in. I wanted to leave the room for a moment but the security told me you won't be able to come back to the room). Even some delegates weren't in the room. The president made decisions fast. She let the doors open soon and it stayed open through out the whole meeting.
21:30 The Informal stocktaking plenary started!
There were thanks from the president. And the opinions of the parties about the document were expressed.
I've took some memos. You can skip if you want, but read Bolivia’s, the first speaker.
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Bolivia: Bolivia didn't have chance to speak at the previous plenary. And today I had to suffer to come in to the room. Wish to have a clarification of the legal state of the document. Document does not bring together the national state of Bolivia. We want to get in discussion point by point. The 2nd period of KP is not guaranteed, and we fear about there is no commitment about the numbers, and Copenhagen Accord:13~16% to 1990 level will bring 4 degree increase, emission trades and CDM under KP should continue and be available. Bolivia is not ready to prepare the increase of temperature, and the document now does not guarantee the safety of people vulnerable.
Venezuela: We should not leave anybody out. We should listen to everyone. Want to suggest that all delegations not to give up and not be in such a hurry, we should go back to the working groups and let all parties let them be heard. This is not a one year process, so less not lose the fruit by hurrying.
REP. Korea: The negotiations were like roller coaster with steep slopes like Mexican mountains. At high level segment, many emphasized that if not balanced outcome in cancun we will be blamed by our children. The multilateralism and transparency brought up by the leadership of the president was like magic. We see we can have two balanced text under LCA and KP. Today's text made clear that we should aim a low carbon society.
And we are happy that the establishment of the long term climate fund, The Green climate fund was achieved.
Grenada: Though not perfect document, As Ban said, "Perfect should not be the enemies of the goods". We would encourage the acceptance of the text rather than negotiating about the details. Do have some concerns but we can wait because its getting late. Encourage all the parties to accept this text so we can go on.
Switzerland: Behalf of the Environment Integrity group that have members from Annex 1 and non-Annex 1 groups. We can accept the text. At Cancun, "Trust" was emphasized by the presidency so we were able to believe.
Nicaragua: Want flexibility from others and will compromise for the success of the conference.
Yemen: We will also accept it and will keep on cooperating.
Australia: Support the package. Want flexibility and compromise, and multilateralism. We had good outcome such as the Green climate fund, REDD, and technology mechanism.
Lesotho: On behalf of LDC's. Pleased with the package. Balanced and good foundation of 2011. Package included all elelments that builds blocks of the further negotiation like Adaptation committee, Green climate fund, etc. Grateful for the outcome.
Saudi Arabia: (booing a bit) we are close to reaching agreement that contains all countries interest. We need all parties to agree and be enthusiastic,
We want to go back to detail that wont take much time..(couldn't catch)
Cuba: Agree with Bolivia. We are talking about the survival of human race.
It deserves consideration of Bolivia. And are disappointed about the text, 3 things. 1. Not have clear GHG reduction goals. By worst scenario 6% increase (1990) and best scenario 16% decrease that are 4 to 5 degrees increase. 2. 2nd period of KP needed. 3. Differentiality of responsibilities. Concerned about financial agreements, funds.
Maldives: Country's survival depends on the outcome of the negotiations. We have 12 months more so we should move on to the next stage by accepting this package. (everybody applaused) It speaks for it self that we can move on to the next stage!
Singapore: Not perfect document for each. But we must compromise. We must not see this text as an end but as a start.
EU: Multilateralism has shown results. We have taken new steps. A way ahead of us is challenging.
Turkey: Thank you and look forward.
Uruguay: Agricultural country and concentrated on this sector on negotiation. We have lost consensus on language. But we see a progress made in technology transfer and.. So we accept the package.
Bangladesh: it is difficult to have an outcome without flexibility. Not many LDCs opinion are accepted but it is a good outcome. We still have time, we progressed a lot on the last 64 hours, so this is not the end. This is the issue of the survival of people of Bangladesh.
Guyana: Not perfect but can be the basis of consensus that can grow over time. We want all to accept understanding that we can work on for an year.
US: Lets get this field done and move forward for the sustainable future. (Applaud!)
U. Arab Emirates: We run a great risk today, important points that are critical to some countries like us are not fully considered. We welcome the CDM, CCS... This is not ideal but a deal that works for us.
Senegal: It is not perfect but have good elements and good for next stage.
Philippines: We made progress though not in all. We don't want to wait another 16 years for deciding about finance.
Kenya: Text on adaptation reflects many of the opinions by developed countries like Green climate fund. Long term finance should come before COP18...
China: China will act truly responsible for the people of China and the world for sustainable development and climate change.
Japan: Accept the package at it is, though it is not all that the Japanese government wants.
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There were many others speaking but I'll skip it.
By all, as you can see, most countries except Bolivia accepted the package. Especially, developing countries were not all satisfied about the package, but they saw this as a start, and having a year ahead, would like to compromise and make an agreement here to move on.
So, upon this cooperative atmosphere, moved on to the KP first, which was amazing because, though many of countries were listed up to speak, but most of them said, "I have nothing to say", "I never asked for the floor". It was only Bolivia that was saying again and again, that they would like to see a new text made. The same sight was repeated at the LCA. If it wasn’t Bolivia, the meetings would have been progressing much faster. Even after the KP and LCA were adapted, Bolivia said “Though it is adapted, it doesn’t mean that there was consensus”. Oh, come on!
However, the room was filled with a sense of expectation and hopes that there could be an agreement, and no party was standing with Bolivia. At COP/CMP, Bolivia listed again some concerns and argued that consensus is lacked. Mrs. Espinosa gave a great comment to this: “Consensus requires that everyone is given the right to be heard and have their views given due consideration and Bolivia has been given this opportunity. Consensus does not mean that one country has the right of veto, and can prevent 193 others from moving forward after years of negotiations on something that our societies and future generations expect.”
The meetings ended around 6 in the next morning, but parties and observers seemed rather than tired, happy every moment there was an adoption and agreement. At the end, 193 countries adopted the package, so called the Cancun Agreement.
Still feeling the thrilling moments of the negotiation, I recalled that before coming to Cancun I didn’t think there would be an agreement. Nobody around me saw an agreement coming. I wondered if the parties were planning to make an agreement this year. What I can say is that, President Espinosa was very wise and powerful. She gave a lot of effort to keep transparency and let everybody know. She listened to the voices, caught the atmosphere of what many want and was soft in listening but strong and stiff in responding to bring an agreement. I felt that most parties trusted her because they knew nothing was going behind, so they could agree to the package and work together for another year. I was also impressed that she didn’t change her face impression through out the meetings even though there were great compliments or argues, except at the first standing ovation and last moments.
So, what is the results of COP16?
Below is a brief from the press release of UNFCCC.
Elements of the Cancún Agreements include:
• Industrialised country targets are officially recognised under the multilateral process and these countries are to develop low-carbon development plans and strategies and assess how best to meet them, including through market mechanisms, and to report their inventories annually.
• Developing country actions to reduce emissions are officially recognised under the multilateral process. A registry is to be set up to record and match developing country mitigation actions to finance and technology support from by industrialised countries. Developing countries are to publish progress reports every two years.
• Parties meeting under the Kyoto Protocol agree to continue negotiations with the aim of completing their work and ensuring there is no gap between the first and second commitment periods of the treaty.
• The Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanisms has been strengthened to drive more major investments and technology into environmentally sound and sustainable emission reduction projects in the developing world.
• Parties launched a set of initiatives and institutions to protect the vulnerable from climate change and to deploy the money and technology that developing countries need to plan and build their own sustainable futures.
• A total of $30 billion in fast start finance from industrialised countries to support climate action in the developing world up to 2012 and the intention to raise $100 billion in long-term funds by 2020 is included in the decisions.
• In the field of climate finance, a process to design a Green Climate Fund under the Conference of the Parties, with a board with equal representation from developed and developing countries, is established.
• A new “Cancún Adaptation Framework” is established to allow better planning and implementation of adaptation projects in developing countries through increased financial and technical support, including a clear process for continuing work on loss and damage.
• Governments agree to boost action to curb emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries with technological and financial support.
• Parties have established a technology mechanism with a Technology Executive Committee and Climate Technology Centre and Network to increase technology cooperation to support action on adaptation and mitigation.
The Agreements include decisions under both the Convention and Protocol negotiating tracks, and contain provisions on adaptation, REDD+, technology, mitigation and finance, but not much actual progress can be seen from Copenhagen Accord. It might be extremely expressed as, “At Copenhagen, it was agreed not to agree, and at Cancun, it was agreed but to nothing.” But there was important achievement this year, that there was cooperation and harmonization of 193 countries towards next year and that brings hope. We agreed once, why not next year?
I’d love to keep on dreaming, but when we get to reality and details…
Finally, the negotiations of COP/CMP will not be postponed till next year’s COP17/CMP7. They will be constantly negotiated through out the year.
Thanks for reading, and let’s keep on eye on the negotiations.
(From the front, Shinichi, Yumiko, Haru, Ellen, Elin, Tam and Kiyo though hidden. Ogi is not here because she didn’t have pass for week 2.)
