Progressio has welcomed the outcome of the Cancun climate change summit as ‘a much needed boost’ for the negotiation process, but recognised that what had been achieved was a ‘compromise agreement.’ Ambitions need to be significantly raised to ensure the world stays below at the very least 2ºC, as climate change is already having a significant impact on the world’s poor.
Tim Aldred, Policy Manager, said 193 parties agreed that deeper cuts in carbon emissions are needed. The establishment of a new ‘green fund’ to help developing countries deal with climate change represent important yet modest progress.
“Given that the Cancun summit was predicted to produce very little, the results represent a much needed boost for the negotiation process. But relief that the talks were not a flop should not disguise the fact that the world’s nations are still falling short over action on climate change.”
Tim Aldred continued: “It should be understood that this is a compromise agreement and a number of issues remain unresolved or lack ambition. Countries will now have to pull out the stops before the major conference next year in South Africa if we are to ensure that we move beyond the current snail’s pace progress towards tackling climate change.”
Although governments agreed on the form of a fund - $30bn initially, then rising to $100bn – to help poor countries deal with climate change, key aspects are yet to be agreed, including how the money for it will be raised. Work also remains on how this money will be spent to ensure it benefits the world’s poorest people.
Earlier in the summit Progressio welcomed as a ‘breakthrough’ calls for the impact of climate change on global water resources to be addressed as part of future UN climate negotiations.
