Daily Tck - December 7th
Posted on 08. Dec, 2010 by adoptanegotiator in Daily Tck
Every day during the Cancun climate talks, The TckTckTck campaign hosts an open meeting for people to discuss areas of concern and opportunity, and for people & organizations to collaborate on taking action. The following is based on that meeting.
by Paul Horsman, Global Campaign for Climate Action
Summary of the Current status/situation
Blackberries were buzzing last night with a media report which quoted China’s Foreign Ministry official Huang Huikang saying that “we can create a resolution and that resolution can be binding on China. Under the Convention we can even have a legally binding decision.” China is referencing their voluntary target of course but if true this could be a game changer. At a minimum it sets the right tone for negotiations; it could open up dialogue if other countries including Japan and the US ratchet down the rhetoric and ratchet up the political will to leave Cancun with a comprehensive package.
On Finance, there is concern that the US, UK, Canada and Australia are backing away from supporting the establishment of a fund to finance adaptation and mitigation in developing countries. Civil society is trying to get to the bottom of these objections. However, all these countries associated with the Copenhagen Accord that commits to the establishment of a fund. Financing for developing countries remains a critical issue of both need and in building trust in the talks.
On forestry, the logging loopholes found in the draft text don’t appear to be going anywhere as countries find themselves without any text that they can agree upon as a basis for negotiation – maybe the pressure is working – see below. But on measures to reduce deforestation in developing countries (REDD) one party appears to be blocking consensus – the US.
What is happening?
For the ‘Negotiator Trackers’, the highlight thus far was a conversation with UNFCCCC Executive Secretary, Christiana Figueres about her inspiration, the stakes, and the state of play. Christiana Figueres on hope and necessity: http://adoptanegotiator.org/2010/12/06/christiana-figueres-on-hope-and-necessity/
UK Tracker, Anna Collins, reflects on the meaning of youth successes on Article 6.
Yes we Can(c)un: http://adoptanegotiator.org/2010/12/07/yes-we-cancun/
As high-level talks get underway, Indian Tracker, Leela Raina, had a chat with her Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh and a number of other UN Negotiation ‘A-listers’. Monday Blues turn Pink:
http://adoptanegotiator.org/2010/12/07/monday-blues-turn-pink/
About 3000 people from labour, development organizations, farmers from all over Mexico, waste pickers from Mexico and India, and organizations participated in a rally and march today in central Cancun. TckTckTck, Greenpeace,350.org and Oxfam participated as well. The march’s last stop - La Plaza de la Reforma - just in front of the Municipal Palace of Cancun greeted participants on arrival with two photo exhibits and music provided by Jareneros Estanzuela from Veracruz.
Message for the day
Ministers arriving in Cancun must build on some of the positive spirit of the first week rather than replacing it with rumour and confusion. While not perfect, the texts from the end of the first week offer a solid basis for moving forward that puts us on track for a strong deal in Durban next year. A debate about bringing back old texts, as proposed by some parties, is a retrograde step and would further delay the global response to climate change.
Ministers must not waste the good work done by negotiators so far or get lost in procedural discussions. Instead, they need to find compromise formulas between the options outlined in the latest texts on some of the key building blocks. Countries like China are making the right noises by signalling flexibility in order to move the talks forward.
Success in Cancun is definitely a possibility, but the US, the UK, Canada and Australia need to stop blocking the fair climate fund, and Japan, Canada and Russia need to show more flexibility in the debate about the future of the Kyoto Protocol. The public mandate for action is strong, as thousands of farmers, indigenous people, rural villagers and urbanites took to the streets of Cancun today to show their support for a low-carbon future and to urge negotiators in Cancun and Heads of States back home to get back in sync with public opinion.
What you can do today?
Many of you have been building on the activities here on “I love KP” and gearing up to put more pressure on Japan. We now need to up the pressure and so we want you to send a message to Japanese authorities, in any of many creative ways that are available not to let the Kyoto Protocol down.
Please e-mail, tweet or blog – or do an action to deliver the message in person to the relevant authorities in your reach: ambassadors, UN representatives, consulates, delegates in Cancun and the Japanese Government directly: https://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/forms/comment_ssl.html
Key Messages/ Talking Points:
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Why would the country that gave birth to the Kyoto Protocol, the only international climate treaty, want to leave a legacy of its demise.
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Japan says that it wants a global deal. We believe them. We have every confidence they understand the seriousness and urgency of the situation facing their citizens, their Pacific Island Nation neighbours and the entire planet. Hence remove this redline and pave the way the 2nd commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.
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The stakes could not be higher. Japan has put its self in the position of leading either a race to the bottom or a race to the future.
Please let Julia Sanchez ([email protected]) know about your actions and any reactions
On the forest loopholes: Avaaz is pushing Sweden, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, Austria http://www.avaaz.org/en/austria_trees_not_tricks/?cl=847940930&v=7694
Sample tweets:
China commits to voluntary targets @ #COP16 in #Cancun http://ow.ly/3ljAv #climate via Reuters
Links to Reuters posts:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6B55H720101206?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+reuters/USgreenbusinessNews+(News+/+US+/+Green+Business)
http://redgreenandblue.org/2010/12/07/china-makes-game-changing-carbon-offer-at-cancun-climate-talks/
Other materials:
Latest from negotiator tracker video updates: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPJsEWdZVKo
Spanish; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4ypMurP3xU;
French; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQl7eN7oez0;
English http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSyb89AfKOg