We’re moving slower than we thought

The UN Climate negotiations have been moving along slowly this week, and many of the countries here have been asking that we take stock of this lack of action.

That’s why day 3 of the negotiations in Bonn ended with a “stocktaking” where negotiators collectively signalled their desire to move into what they call “real substance”.

As the negotiator from Australia commented, while there have been some small progressive moments in the last week, “key issues are falling between gaps and cross-cutting issues not being addressed”.

This, believe it or not, was widely supported by almost everyone in the room. And all except Switzerland placed the blame for this in the hands of the UN facilitators.

Guatemala for example wanted to use their chance to speak to “encourage facilitators to enhance efforts and identify key elements missing from agreement and accompanying decisions for Paris”.

This was reiterated a number of times, but it was Switzerland’s Franz Perez who asked negotiators to reflect on their own actions, and in a statement that definitely won at least one fan (this Tracker) said that:

“We should blame ourselves as we have wasted time arguing over process and not substance”.

Lets hope in day 3, negotiators remember that these last 2 days in Bonn are an opportunity to get over their own ego’s and dive into the deep end.

After all, they’re the one’s swimming in the shallows right now.