US HOLDS U.N. CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS HOSTAGE
Rich industrialised Countries Offer Little Hope for Just Climate Agreement
in Copenhagen
BONN, GERMANY, June 12, 2009 --Throughout the United Nations climate talks
due to end today in Bonn, the United States administration blocked
progress to move negotiations forward, according to Friends of the Earth
International.
Rather than show global leadership, the Obama Administration failed to
live up to its responsibility as the world's largest historical greenhouse
gas polluter. This strategy damages the prospects for a just, equitable,
and effective outcome at the key UN conference planned in Copenhagen,
Denmark, in December this year.
"The election of President Obama created tremendous hope worldwide that
the U.S. would finally play a leadership role in solving the climate
crisis that - more than any other nation on Earth - it is responsible for
causing. Unfortunately for the survival of people and the planet, the
Obama Administration's position at these UN negotiations sounds
frighteningly similar to that of George Bush," said Karen Orenstein of
Friends of the Earth U.S.
Domestic greenhouse gas emission reductions by industrialised countries of
at least 40% by 2020 on 1990 levels - with no offsetting - are needed for
a reasonable chance of avoiding catastrophic global climate change.
The US administration, however, is still talking about zero per cent
reductions by 2020 on 1990 levels. Japan tabled a dangerously low
emissions reduction target during the talks of 8% below 1990 levels. The
EU remained unimpressive with their inadequate 2020 target of 20 % (30% if
other industrialised countries commit to similar efforts). Considering
that the EU is set to offset over half of its commitments, already weak EU
targets will be even further watered down.
Delegations from around the world repeatedly warned developed countries
that their refusal to set their own adequate targets is preventing any
progress in other aspects of the negotiations under the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The Alliance of Small Island States called on developed countries to
commit to higher greenhouse gas reduction targets so that global
temperature rise stays below 1.5ºC. Bolivia demanded repayment of the
developed world's climate debt. El Salvador and Paraguay stood strong to
protect Indigenous Peoples rights.
Alarmingly, industrialised countries failed in Bonn to agree to the
substantial transfer of money and technology cooperation needed to enable
developing countries to tackle climate change.
"Industrialised countries need to assume their historical responsibility
and pay back their climate debt. Developing countries must stay strong in
calling for climate justice. By ignoring calls to repay their climate debt
and hindering progress in these talks, rich countries are jeopardising the
lives and livelihoods of millions of people." said Meena Raman, Honorary
Secretary of Friends of the Earth Malaysia.
Industrialised nations owe developing countries a 'climate debt' for both
excessive greenhouse gas pollution over the past 200 years and to
compensate for the damage that pollution has and will cause. [1] Rich,
industrialised countries account for some twenty percent of the world's
population but are responsible for around three-quarters of historical
greenhouse gas emissions. But developed countries have so far refused to
repay this debt and continued to block progress in the negotiations.
For more information, contact in Bonn:
Meena Raman, Honorary Secretary of Friends of the Earth Malaysia: Tel: +
60 12 43 00 042 (Malaysian mobile number)
Karen Orenstein, Friends of the Earth US: Tel: +1-202-640 8679 (US mobile
number)
Sonja Meister, Friends of the Earth Europe (English, German): Tel:
+49-176-64 60 85 15 (German mobile number)
Asad Rehman, Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland:
Tel: +44 77201 47280 (UK mobile number)
Comments
US Climate Policy
It doesn't surprise me one bit. If I had actually looked into Obama's voting record and bills he sponsored or co-sponsored I would never have voted for him. He supports nuclear and fossil fuels (primarily natural gas and coal). Forget about his rhetoric of 'clean coal' and 'safe nuclear'. When he made those statements many thought that since there was no way to produce clean coal or safe nuclear, that he was just saying these things to get votes from the right, with no intention of moving forward with them. But now sequestration and capture are getting the bulk of the new energy money supposedly going towards alternative energy. And nuclear has been given new life. And mountaintop removal. We got real change alright. But its a change from bad to worse. Soon there will be drilling in the once moratoria area, and new nuclear plants will be built, and lots of mountaintop removal, and new coal plants, and etc ad infinitum. "Change we can believe in". Not even close. We've been fooled again.
Blame Game Begins
Rich countries are launching a blame game to avoid their obligations and undermine the UN climate negotiations, according to members of the Climate Justice Now! coalition of civil society organisations. Their assessment comes at the end of the UN climate talks in Bonn, Germany.
"It looks like the US has a deliberate strategy to leave the UN talks stalled in arguments over brackets and commas, while it seeks to isolate China from the rest of the global South" said Meena Raman of Friends of the Earth International. "The Major Economies Forum is another example of how the industrialised countries are shifting the discussion in order to sidestep the more ambitious demands made by developing countries."
The US has so far offered no reduction in its emissions compared to 1990 levels, while Japan announced a target that is just 8 per cent below 1990 levels. Such targets fall a long way short of the action needed to tackle dangerous climate change, and are further undermined by the use of carbon offsets which allow industrialised countries to avoid reducing their domestic greenhouse gas emissions.
"The industrialised countries portray the developing world as potential deal breakers, but the real roadblock remains their failure to address their historical and current responsibility for climate change on anything like the scale needed" says Chee Yoke Ling of Third World Network. "In fact, the developed countries are systematically trying to dismantle the Convention and wind back their Kyoto commitments.s
"We find that the illiterates of our century are not those who cannot read or write but those who do not want to learn, un-learn and re-learn. And the champion of them all is Prime Minister Aso of Japan who cannot even read the science,s says Habtemariam Abate of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance. " Colonising the remaining atmospheric space is no basis for a just deal."
In stark contrast developing countries tabled a number of positive proposals. The Alliance of Small Island States called on developed countries to commit to higher greenhouse gas reduction targets so that global temperature rise stays below 1.5ºC. Bolivia demanded repayment of the developed world's climate debt. El Salvador and Paraguay were strong advocates for the protection of Indigenous PeoplesZ rights.
Climate Justice Now! is an international alliance of over 200 organisations and movements.
Contact for Bonn: Chee Yoke Ling, Third World Network, +49 1520 6326564
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