Durban talks

 

            
I am at Durban witnessing the UNFCCC COP17. Two days left for negotiations and things are getting hot here. Politics have begun in the negotiations. Battlelines are drawn, stances will get harder, and swords will be drawn out. My serious concern is about the wrong messaging that is coming out in the media. Indian negotiators are going great job and I am glad to see India bringing equity back on the agenda.

Well, I am holding two documents in my hand, one is the AWG LCA amalgamation text and another is the concept note of UNCSD Education Working Group called “Framing Policy Dialogues: A Well Prepared Society”.  The AWG LCA amalgamation text is basically the compilation of parties submission to AGW LCA Chair which on first look seems to have many loopholes but I need to closely review the documents.

At the UNCSD Education Working Group meeting, the members discussed the education part of the AWG LCA amalgamation text under the Agenda item 3.2.6 on economic and social consequences of response measures. The UNCSD Education Working Group is chaired by Dr. P J Puntenney believes that the part under education needs to be revised. The group is now trying to meet various countries’ negotiators and convince them to suggest the changes in the text. But right now, the major focus of all is the future of Kyoto Protocol and work on the LCA track, source of finance and mitigation commitments.

It is overwhelming to see youth wearing T-shirts saying “I love KP, true love needs commitment”. Kyoto Protocol is a very important instrument and there are high expectations raised by South African delegation that they won’t let KP being murdered at Durban. It is neither a secret nor a myth that South Africa is one of the vulnerable countries to be affected by climate change. But this also leads to a question of ethics. KP for me is a great instrument because it has principles such as common but differentiate responsibility and polluter pays. We must see climate change as an ethical problem because:

(a) it is a problem caused by some people in one part of the world that puts others and the natural resources on which they depend at great risk,

(b) the harms to these other people are not mere inconveniences but in some cases catastrophic losses of life or the ability to sustain life, and

Climate change raises civilization challenging ethical questions thus any proposed climate change regime must be examined through an ethical lens. We must also understand that climate change is a global challenge and everyone living in this world should contribute to safeguard the environment. No national government, even that of a super power, no group of countries, even the richest ones, can meet these challenges alone.

I would like to end by quoting few lines from Earth Charter Preamble for you to ponder over,

“We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future.

As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise.

To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms

we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny.”