New draft of climate accord leaves big issues unresolved

Seven of the 10 richest countries measured in GDP per capita identified by the World Bank are considered developing countries in the United Nations climate negotiations and would not have an obligation to provide climate aid to poorer countries.

The world’s highest-ranking diplomats are meeting in Paris this week to complete the final version of a new United Nations agreement on climate change.

It comes amid fears that some countries are using the negotiations process to slow down progress so an unambitious deal is finalised in the last hours of the conference. It also wants to “promote” gender equality and the “empowerment of women”, and take into account “the needs of local communities, intergenerational equity concerns, and the integrity of ecosystems and of Mother Earth, when taking action to address climate change”.

More than 180 countries have already presented national pledges for reining in carbon emissions after 2020, when the Paris deal would take effect.

Rich countries say they are on track to fulfill that pledge, pointing to an OECD report this year which said climate finance for developing countries reached $62 billion last year.

The draft text that is being negotiated seeks to emphasise the importance of promoting, protecting and respecting “all human rights, the right to development, the right to health, and the rights of indigenous peoples, migrants, children, persons with disabilities and people in vulnerable climate situations”.

The developing countries don’t see it that way. “If we save Tuvalu, we save the world”. We urge other countries to join us.

“The EU stands shoulder to shoulder with its long term partners in the African, Caribbean and Pacific regions”.

“Both leaders emphasised their personal commitment to secure a strong climate change agreement this week and their interest in our countries’ working together to achieve a successful outcome”, it said.

The U.S. now spends about $400 million on climate change mitigation efforts for developing countries, funding that goes toward infrastructure improvements, agriculture and health and water programs. “This is now the largest coalition of businesses actively engaging on climate”, he explained, adding that one hundred companies are setting ambitious emissions reduction goals through the science-based targets initiative.

The second calls for long-term low global emissions over the course of the century, which is considered less ambitious.

But it is thought to be getting heavy resistance from some of the big players.

“These EPA rules affect jobs, and they affect the amount of money in the pockets of moms and dads all across this great country”, said South Carolina Republican Jeff Duncan.

Nations remain divided over how to finance the costly effort by developing countries to cope with the catastrophic impacts of global warming and what target to set for planetary overheating. “It will not be stable without a firm commitment to fair shares, justice and common but differentiated responsibility”.

“But that doesn’t change anything if you don’t have a map and a auto to get to that destination”.

One observer warned that there could be “fireworks” if countries are unhappy with the compromises proposed.

“Otherwise we are going to lock in absolutely low levels of emission (cuts) and what you’ll see is an orgy of coal burning and fossil fuel expansion between now and 2030”.

There is capacity within the draft deal for reviewing the climate action plans as early as 2018 or 2019, Michael Jacobs, senior adviser to the New Climate Economy project and formerly Gordon Brown’s climate adviser, said.

“BASIC countries leadership is important for an equitable, comprehensive and ambitious deal at Paris”.