Progress slow in Bangkok

Parties remain stack on many fronts at the ongoing climate change negotiations in Bangkok, Thailand. At a stocktaking session of the Adhoc Working group on the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) convened by the chair, Madeleine Diouf, developing countries expressed frustration at the lack of progress. 

G-77 & China negotiators in a huddle

Developed countries were equally dismayed at developing country parties’ persistence that Annex I parties make deep cuts in their emissions as well as make available finance, technology for developing countries to adapt and pursue low carbon pathways.

Senegal said without any substantive progress on the Kyoto Protocol track, other tracks cannot make any meaningful progress. Senegal spoke for Least Developing Countries (LDC). 

St Lucia, speaking for the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) expressed concern over developed country parties’ lack of ambition, to cut more deeply their carbon emissions. For AOSIS, developed countries don’t seem to appreciate the consequences of a likely 3°C rise in global temperature. 

However, Russia like many of the parties that have withdrawn from the KP or simply do not subscribe to the rules-based, top-down multilateral system that the protocol represents, want to enjoy the rewards of the mechanism. 

Developing countries remain resolute that these rewards including New Market Mechanisms will be limited to parties that sign on to the second emissions commitment period of the KP. It remains to be seen how firmly these countries will stand their ground to defend their science-backed position.