30 nov. 2012

Kicked Out

As the negotiations surrounding the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol takes place, we are standing on the side. At no other moment more than now, I feel that this is true. I was just asked to leave the room in which the negotiations take place because countries are asking for closed doors. I can understand that in theory, this might lead to more efficient negotiations, but in practice I doubt the merit of this argument. The negotiations are not efficient. When the Christina Figueres, Executive Secretary of UNFCCC asked what our generation would have done differently if we were to conduct the negotiations, my answer is NO CLOSED NEGOTIATIONS. It might be one way to speed up the process. It is certainly an argument for transparence. It can recover some public trust in a process starved of trust. It would create a constituency of demand for climate change that former President of Ireland Mary Robinson hopes to see more of.

Following the issue of a second commitment period to the legally binding Kyoto Protocol, I am naturally interested in hearing the negotiations. How are the issues of reserve credits to be resolved? Are there any more pledges on the table for voluntary mitigation? Will we agree on a time frame for the second period? Who are the supporters of the five year period and how are the arguing for their proposition? Why is an eight year framework better? If we are to understand this process, it would certainly be helpful to hear the arguments from those who are truly convinced by them. Our working group on mitigation are grateful for the delegation from Zambia who explain their position yesterday during out meeting with them! Lets continue to build on this communication and openness!

 As a European citizen, I would like to follow the negotiations in this remote and rather obscure process. Thats why I am in Doha. As it is now, positions are locked, the process painfully slow and we can only guess from outside the negotiation room, the proposals of the countries and the relative support for the various propositions. Change is painfully slow in everything that we do. Openness could be one way to speed up this process.

1 kommentar:

Pauline Cherunya sa...

I certainly agree with you Sofia!

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