Scramble to strike climate deal
KERRY CHALLENGES DELEGATES ON GLOBAL WARMING AS ALL-NIGHT TALKS RETURN TO DISPUTES THAT HAVE FESTERED FOR TWO DECADES
Kerry challenges delegates at Paris summit as all-night talks return to disputes that have festered for more than two decades
Weary ministers were locked yesterday in marathon UN talks aimed at braking the juggernaut of climate change, facing decisions on deal-breaking rows as a deadline loomed just over 24 hours away.
After 11 days’ wrangling, delegations grappled for a 195-nation pact to crimp climate-altering emissions from coal, oil and gas, sparing future generations from worsening drought, floods and storms, and island-engulfing seas.
As all-night talks returned to disputes that have festered for more than two decades, French President Francois Hollande stepped in, seeking to inject a sense of urgency.
“It is important in this last phase that we remind the negotiators why they are here,” Hollande said in Paris.
“They are not there simply in the name of their countries... they are there to sort out the issue of the future of the planet.”
French Foreign Minister and conference host Laurent Fabius said he planned to produce a new text, based on the overnight talks, and that it was still possible to forge the historic accord by today’s scheduled close. “I hope, I hope that tomorrow we will have finished,” Fabius said.
Setting the tone for the latenight haggle, a host of nations from all sides of the disputes voiced entrenched positions.
Delegates said, though, that the mood was still positive, and the toxic ambience of past climate talks had so far been absent.
Developing nations insist the United States and other established economic powerhouses must shoulder the lion’s share of responsibility as they have emitted most of the greenhouse gases since the Industrial Revolution.
Rich nations argue emerging giants must also do more. Developing countries now account for most of today’s emissions and thus will stoke tomorrow’s warming.
US Secretary of State John Kerry announced Wednesday that the United States will double its contribution to helping vulnerable nations adapt to climate change impacts, as he appealed for the world to take action to deal with the phenomenon.
Challenging participants to reach a new global climate agreement by today, Kerry said the US would increase the amount of money it provides for climate adaption grants to $860 million (Dh3.15 billion) from $430 million by 2020. Developing nations have been demanding more money for adaption as they struggle with increased extreme weather events, like hurricanes, heavy rains and floods.
The money will be part of an existing promise by wealthy countries to jointly mobilise $100 billion a year by 2020 in climate finance. It will help fund domestic weather services and tracking systems to better assist poorer nations in forecasting and coping with extreme weather.
Kerry made the announcement in a speech to the climate conference outside Paris.
‘Warning signs’
In it, he noted the increasing damage from increasingly frequent severe weather, such as the recent flooding in Chennai, India, and smog in China’s capital. Along with other events, “they are warning signs that no rational person should ignore,” Kerry said, adding that the meeting “may well be the best chance we have to correct the course our planet is on.”
“If we just continue down our current path, with too many people sitting on their hands and waiting for someone else to take responsibility, the damage is going to increase exponentially,” Kerry said. “To cut to the chase: Unless the global community takes bold steps now to transition away from a high-carbon economy, we are facing unthinkable harm.”