Day 11: Report from Reed Smith Delegates in Copenhagen at the United Nations Climate Change Conference
This post was written by Larry Demase.
Prior to being replaced, Connie Hedegaard analogized the last minute nature of the COP to procrastinating elementary school students, stating, “It’s just like schoolchildren. If they have a very long deadline to deliver an exercise they will wait for the last moment…. It’s basically as simple as that.” With one full day left, COP-15 is in countdown mode and we’ll see if the parties finish their homework on time.
Underscoring the urgency, political heavyweights are here and making the rounds, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore, and Senator John Kerry. In a plenary session, Prime Minister Brown stated that there was no insurmountable obstacle to an agreement in Copenhagen which could be turned into a binding treaty in 6-12 months. He called for (a) long term goal of 2 degree temperature increase; (b) immediate (ok, year 2012) aid of $10 billion to developing countries; (c) $100 billion in long term financing to developing countries; and (d) a commitment by all countries to reduce emissions to a degree consistent with their “highest ambition”.
The headline from Secretary of State Clinton’s remarks is that the United States would contribute to a $100 billion fund to help developing countries cope with climate change. Japan and the European Union have already committed to building such a fund by 2020, and it was viewed as providing new hope to an agreement in Copenhagen. She said United States was ready to enter into a partnership with the world under the following conditions:
- that there would exist a strong operational accord which binds nations to their commitments (and emphasized that there would be no deal for developing countries without a strong operational accord)
- that the accord would include transparency in tracking emissions reductions with regard to national efforts (read: China needs to open up)
- that financial aid has to go to the “poorest and most vulnerable nations” (read: not China)
- that the US preferred reforestation and adaptation projects in developing countries.
The Secretary of State added that the Obama Administration was also ready to move forward (with Congress) on a 30% reduction in GHG emissions in 2025, a 42% reduction in 2030 and an 80% reduction in 2050. She also lamented the disruption in talks and stressed that all counties had to now work together. On the last point, I saw some sarcasm in her voice when she quoted a Chinese philosopher: “When you are in a common boat you must cross the river peacefully together”.
Her remarks underscore the challenge of reducing GHG emissions while maintaining US companies’ competitiveness and ensuring that countries, especially China, carry out their commitments. The Obama Administration and the US Congress do not want any emissions reductions actions or outgoing foreign assistance to hurt US industry and lead to the loss of domestic jobs. In the last day of COP-15 negotiations, look for increased pressure on China to agree to transparent MRV: monitoring, reporting and verification of GHG emission reductions.
