Copenhagen Draft Fails On Financing and Agreeing Specific Emission Cuts
We've had a week of leaked papers emerging here in Copenhagen, as nations and groups of nations sound out their ambitions in draft agreements hidden from public view. The 'Danish text' leaked, revealing unambitious plans from developed nations, and a general reluctance to make a meaningful agreement. The text set unfair per-capita emissions limits; it would "allow poor countries to emit more than 1.44 tonnes of carbon per person by 2050, while allowing rich countries to emit 2.67 tonnes," the Guardian found. Then came the BASIC text, a 'Copenhagen Accord' put together by Brazil, South Africa, India, and China. China Dialogue explain that it demands the Kyoto protocol be extended — many who have weighed through it call it a defensive reaction to the Danish text.
Now, after many rumors, we finally have a public draft agreement, but indications are that it doesn't go far enough, and that developed countries aren't willing to commit. ABC report that the new draft leaves 'gaping holes' in terms of provisions for financing and cutting emissions, though the accord does suggest that emissions by 2020 be cut by 25-50 per cent from a 1990 baseline — fairly ambitious but not specific enough. And giving money is essential if global emissions are going to be reduced — in the next twenty years 97 per cent of emissions growth will come from the developing world (more on financing tomorrow). Specific reduction targets and financing plans will be thrashed out when world leaders begin to arrive next week.
The draft paper was developed by the chairman of conference's largest committee, Michael Zammit Cutajar. It further explains that emissions reductions should be a subordinate concern to developing poor economies and ending global poverty. The fact that climate change will exacerbate poverty, and hit the poorest hardest is ignored. Hopefully world leaders will rally their underlings next week to make an ambitious agreement.
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