Hope and Despair at Copenhagen

Good news and not-so-good news has come out of the Copenhagen climate talks in the last few days as some wealthy nations have pledged to give large amounts to assist developing countries and some developing-nation negotiators despair of a just deal ultimately being reached.

The talks heard today, for instance, that EU leaders at a summit in Brussels have agreed to give US$3 billion a year (for three years) to help poorer countries combat global warming. The amount, meant as a short-term assistance, will be used to help poorer countries, particularly in Africa, to help them start cutting emissions and ‘shoring up against the effects of global warming.’

Developed nations are also being asked, if a draft version of the final Copenhagen agreement released today is to be believed, to make cuts of 25%-40% of their 1990 carbon emission levels by 2020. Their current pledges currently stand at 18%, however – a disappointing amount for many campaigners.

Disappointment in developed nations’ positions has not been limited to their emissions-commitments, however. Pressure on wealthy nations from developing countries in the G-77 (a group of 130 less developed nations) has been growing on the subject of financing a response to climate change. The G-77 is asking for US$200 billion from wealthy nations to help them tackle the effects of global warming, and their chief negotiator has been unexpectedly blunt in public statements on the subject..

Clearly referring to rich countries’ willingness to prop up failing financial institutions, Lumumba Stanislaus Di-Aiping made a direct appeal to US politicians to ‘reapportion cash currently set aside for global financial emergencies’ according to the COP15 website. Mr Di-Aiping reportedly said: “The American Congress has to be asked: you approve billions of dollars in defence budgets. Can’t you approve $200bn to save the world?”

The G-77 chief apparently expressed his frustration with some groups at the conference by walking out of one of the discussions in anger. “This conference will probably be wrecked by the bad intentions of some people,” he said, expressing the worst fears of many in the campaigning community.

Jonathan Langley, 11/12/2009