As the implications of Climate Change are becoming evident across the globe; the World leaders are finding it difficult to reach on a general consensus to evolve the strategies to balance the agenda sheet that suits for the developed, developing, least developed countries and smaller Island states. The financial quagmire, poverty, development and sustainability among the concerned parties are the debatable points often raised in favor of their convenience. However, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) postulate of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, a principle that the entire international community has, by consensus, enshrined in the UNFCCC, concluded in 1992 at the historic Rio Summit still finds difficult to move forward.
The mainstay of Climate talks at Kyoto is reaching towards a dead end by 2012, unless a consensus evolved to adhere to its Protocol. With 194 Parties, the UNFCCC has near universal membership and is the parent treaty of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol has been ratified by 191 of the UNFCCC Parties except the United States. Under the Protocol, 37 States, consisting of highly industrialized countries and countries undergoing the process of transition to a market economy, have legally binding emission limitation and reduction commitments. The ultimate objective of both treaties is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system.
A new Cancun Adaptation Framework was agreed to established and allow better planning and implementation of adaptation projects in developing countries through increased financial and technical support, including a clear process for continuing work on loss and damage. In the field of climate finance, a process to design a Green Climate Fund under the Conference of the Parties, with a board with equal representation from developed and developing countries, is established. A total of $30 billion in fast start finance from industrialized countries to support climate action in the developing world up to 2012 and the intention to raise $100 billion in long-term funds by 2020 are included in the decisions.
Despite the deliberations at Cancun on fast start finance has not taken off well. The issue of technology transfer needs to be detailed for the mitigation efforts. The human efforts on adaptability and resilience can’t go beyond tolerance limits. The possible movements from harsh climatic zones to livable habitats in future will be the option to save from the vagaries of Climate catastrophe. Hard to say how it would be easy to move from a place or territory to another.
By now, it seems the US is not willing to put its sign on Kyoto Protocol. The China’s ambition to lead as the economic super power in near future will hardly yield any concession to the World. The India’s plea to eradicate poverty; the environment concerns are accommodated with development agenda. Brazil, South Africa and Russia are other leading economies to support the Climate agenda to succeed at Durban. Europe, Canada and Australia have shown remarkable interest in curbing the emissions of CFCs gasses. However, the aggrieved Parties namely African countries, South Asia and small Island states have high hopes from the upcoming Climate Summit.
The planetary atmospheric space is a common resource of humanity and each citizen of the globe has an equal entitlement to that space provided with shared responsibility to adhere the international community and environmental laws. We expect that Durban will result in an ambitious outcome representing a cooperative global response to the challenge of Climate Change, but an outcome which is also fair and equitable. Let’s hope the blue planet succeeds in sustaining its green foot prints for the future descent.
Hope Durban Climate Summit Not Fails in South Africa when it meets from November, 28 to 9 December 2011.
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