Developing countries express mixed feelings over Warsaw outcomes

While developing countries welcomed the establishment of a international mechanism on loss and damage caused by climate change, they were disappointed with the failure to agree on a roadmap on long-term finance.

Hilary Chiew and Meena Raman

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AT the closing of the Warsaw climate talks that ended in the evening of 23 November, one day later than scheduled, country groupings delivered statements reflecting their views on the outcome of the talks.

While developing countries in general welcomed the decision to establish an international mechanism on loss and damage, disappointment was expressed over the lack of clear targets and a roadmap on long-term finance.

Concerns were also raised by developing countries on the inability of Parties to advance decisions on the Technology Mechanism and rules related to the second commitment period (CP2) of the Kyoto Protocol.

Developed countries were opposed to the Technology Executive Committee (TEC) having observer status at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and this issue will continue to be considered by the Subsidiary Bodies in 2014.

The European Union was pleased with movement forward with a decision under the Durban Platform that paves the way for the new agreement expected to be concluded in 2015 in Paris.

India, represented by its Minister of Environment Jayanthi Natarajan, said that she had come to participate in this COP with expectations that it would indeed be an 'implementing' COP.

However, her expectations seemed to be belied. 'This COP has become a "holding" COP where commitments from developed country Parties have been put on hold or, even worse, there has been backsliding. This is a most unfortunate situation,' added the Minister.

Equity

Referring to negotiations under the Durban Platform, Natarajan said that 'many countries talk of fairness but equity is something more than fairness and we must accept equity in all its manifestations'.

A joint plenary of the UNFCCC's 19th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 19) and the 9th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 9) was convened by the COP/CMP President Marcin Korolec (Poland) on 23 November in the evening.

Korolec, referring to the talks as a marathon run, expressed satisfaction at having reached the finish line with results which Parties could be proud of.

Fiji, speaking for the Group of 77 and China, delivered a short statement expressing the Group's satisfaction with the COP President's conduct of the meetings which delivered transparency and efficiency, and said Parties had worked hard during this time.

Nauru, representing the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), said there were still fundamental divisions among Parties, and chief among them was over the issue of finance. It said threats from the super typhoons were real as had been tragically witnessed and this was an area for more resources. However, it had reason to be optimistic that human solidarity would prevail in incidents of disasters, and was pleased that after 20 years (after the UNFCCC came into being), the international mechanism for loss and damage became a reality.

Nepal, speaking for the least developed countries (LDCs), expressed disappointment with the outcomes related to long-term finance where, without a mid-term target and a clear pathway, they were unable to understand how the target of $100 billion annually by 2020 would be reached. It urged developed-country Parties to take all necessary steps for the initial capitalisation of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as soon as possible.

It was pleased with the recent pledges to the LDC Fund by the United Kingdom and others who had contributed to the fund in2013. However, it called for further funds to expedite implementation of the National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) and formulation of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). It also thanked those countries which had enabled the Adaptation Fund to reach its target of $100 million in Warsaw.

It recalled that at the opening of the COP, the LDC Group stated that it saw COP 19 as a stepping stone for urgently needed actions for finance and for loss and damage as well as paving the way to Paris where the world expects to arrive at a new agreement.

On the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) outcome, it said, 'We found ourselves again in a situation where we were forced to accept decisions that are not in favour of our countries. However, we accepted the decisions in the spirit of compromise. The Group believes that it is now urgent to accelerate the process of negotiations for the new agreement, starting from March 2014. The urgency of the issue and inadequacy of the current regime to address the climate change problem must guide all negotiations and we need to ensure that we build on progress achieved so far.'

It further said, 'We were disappointed and frustrated about the lack of convergence on important Lima [venue of COP 20 in 2014] deliverables at this session. In the context of adopted decisions this afternoon [23 November], in 2014 we need to see progress on the process regarding how to agree on commitments for the new agreement. We urge Parties to put forward their commitments well before the 20th session of the COP - not only those Parties who are ready to do so, but those Parties who are in a position to do so.'

It appreciated the hard work and flexibility of all Parties that resulted in the establishment of an international mechanism on loss and damage, which was crucial for the LDCs. It hoped that the international mechanism would have adequate support and would soon be able to start working to address loss and damage associated with impacts of climate change in developing countries that were particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

While appreciating the efforts made so far to operationalise the Technology Mechanism, it expressed its disappointment and dissatisfaction at the way issues linked with WIPO and the WTO that affect access to appropriate and environmentally-sound technology were addressed.

Swaziland, representing the African Group, said it was disappointed by signs that some Annex I Parties intended to renege on their agreement to ratify the CP2. It was important that all Parties ratify the CP2 and Swaziland called on those Annex I Parties that were contemplating reneging on the agreement reached in Doha to humbly desist from such thoughts and instead to immediately start ratification processes.

Disappointment

It further expressed disappointment at the outcome on matters related to the implementation of Articles 5, 7 and 8 of the Kyoto Protocol. It said Parties were close to an agreement but one Party changed its mind in the last hour and proposed a new text. It said this could not be a way of conducting business. It urged Annex I Parties to engage in good faith and keep to the agreements. It warned that the decision by one Annex I Party had an effect of delaying the ratification process by one year.

It expressed concern that some Parties wanted to include the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in the new market mechanism rather than making efforts to improve the CDM in a manner that would lead to projects and programme activities in those areas that up to now had not benefited from the CDM.

Scientific findings, it added, continued to point to the need to do more and therefore it urged Annex I Parties to raise their levels of commitment during the 2014 review such that they aligned with the latest scientific findings. Under no circumstances did it expect developed-country emissions to grow.

India, represented by Minister Natarajan, said that she had come to participate in this COP with the expectation that it would indeed be an 'implementing' COP. Her expectation had been for the adoption of ambitious targets in a range of areas. However, her expectations seemed to be belied. This COP had become a 'holding' COP where commitments from developed-country Parties had been put on hold or, even worse, there had been backsliding. This was a most unfortunate situation. The expectation of quick ratification of the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol had been belied. The ratcheting up of ambition of Annex I Parties had not been in evidence; in fact, some countries had even reneged on their pledges. How, she asked, can we work in such an atmosphere of curtailing of ambition?

The Minister was, however, glad that a mechanism for loss and damage had been set up, and it would address one of the key concerns of the developing countries. Also, the ADP had moved forward towards the 2015 agreement. India looked forward to working together with all Parties in the ambitious task of creating a new arrangement for climate change - a protocol or an agreement or an agreed outcome with legal force, based on the above principles.

The Indian Minister said that the shared common goal was to tackle the challenge of climate change. Trust and confidence in each other would enable a better response from all. That was the spirit needed in engagement at the COP and UNFCCC. The principles and provisions of the Convention, especially equity and common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR), must be adhered to in order to deliver meaningful results and also ensure pathways for sustainable development and poverty eradication.

The outcomes under the UNFCCC had to be based on equity, particularly inter-generational equity. Many countries talked of fairness but equity was something more than fairness and must be accepted in all its manifestations, said the Minister. Needless to say, the new generation would look up to them with admiration if they handed over a healthy living environment to them. India wished that this process would yield a balanced outcome on adaptation, mitigation, finance, technology transfer, capacity building and transparency.

The European Union said the Warsaw conference contributed to the legal agreement in Paris (venue of COP 21 in 2015) in that Parties agreed to share each other's commitments (the final text under the ADP outcome was changed to 'contributions') in a clear, transparent and understandable manner as early as 2015, adding that Parties would still have to agree on the legal form of the agreement. The EU said it had consistently been a major contributor of climate finance where it provided 5 billion euros to developing countries in 2013 and had announced an indicative climate finance plan for 2014. It however noted its disappointment that the issues related to Articles 5, 7 and 8 of the Kyoto Protocol (on the rules) could not be resolved although the CP2 of the Protocol had been tabled for ratification in the member states' respective legislatures.

Australia, for the Umbrella Group, thanked the COP President for conducting a Party-driven process that led to agreement among all Parties building on from the Durban and Doha meetings.

Speaking for itself, Australia referred to the decisions adopted on long-term finance and the GCF and said that its participation in the decisions did not indicate acceptance of developed countries having to maintain and increase public climate finance as well as ambitious and timely contributions to enable the operationalisation of the GCF, including its initial resource mobilisation.

Canada, in relation to the decision on the COP guidance to the GCF, clarified its understanding that developed countries may also provide finance through other channels.      

*Third World Resurgence No. 279/280, November/December 2013, pp 33-35