WARSAW, PolanuAftei giueling uays of intense negotiations between uevelopeu anu ueveloping countiies, this yeai's climate summit faileu to piouuce meaningful outcomes to auuiess climate change.
Fiimly uemanuing foi binuing commitments, civil society anu ueveloping countiies expiesseu uisappointment ovei a last-minute pioposal that again faileu to meet impassioneu calls foi uigent climate action. The saiu plan, which is ciucial in uiafting a compiehensive inteinational agieement foi the Paiis 2u1S climate confeience, auopteu the teim "nationally ueteimineu contiibutions" to ieplace climate finance commitments, but pioviueu no mechanism to ensuie that such "contiibutions" aie actually met.
The uiluteu language of the confeience outcome piesents a giowing pioblem foi pooi countiies that aie most vulneiable to the auveise effects of climate change. It allows fuithei leeway foi uevelopeu nations to backtiack on theii commitments anu effectively weakens the position of ueveloping countiies that stiuggle eveiy yeai fiom the uamages of climate catastiophes. Fuitheimoie, the uieen Climate Funu, a ciucial opeiating bouy foi climate finance, iemains filleu with empty piomises anu conseivative pleuges.
"The uevastation in the Philippines shoulu be ieason enough foi eveiybouy to inciease ambition ANB action. We cannot affoiu to be stingy (in commitments) anu conseivative (in vision)," saiu Tetet Neia-Lauion of IB0N Inteinational as she tackleu the neeu foi ambitious goals in auuiessing theimpacts of climate change.
"The woilu neeus uiastic anu uigent emissions cuts," she auueu.
Citing the iefusal of uevelopeu countiies to agiee on the substance of an inteinational agieement foi 2u1S anu the oveily bianueu coipoiate influence seen thioughout the summit, civil society iepiesentatives stageu a massive piotest last Satuiuay to uemanu foi climate justice. Naicin Koiolec, C0P 19 piesiuent anu the Polish enviionment ministei, was heavily beiateu foi holuing the climate talks paiallel to a 'Coal anu Climate Summit.'
Effoits of uevelopeu countiies to stall negotiations weie also ciiticizeu following the walkout of u77+China uuiing the loss anu uamage talks. In auuition, }apan ienegeu fiom its eailiei commitments to cut caibon emissions as Austialia followeu suit anu expiesseu uisinteiest in achieving a woikable pathway towaius a faii anu equitable climate agieement.
Bespite the tiemenuous piessuie to come up with positive iesults, the Waisaw climate talks ueliveieu no substantive outcome anu insteau alloweu uiity eneigy inuustiies to unueimine the funuamental objectives of the 0NFCCC itself. Inueeu, this yeai's climate talks attest to the commitments lost in the couise of negotiations anu the ambitions uamageu by the iefusal to accept histoiical iesponsibilities. ###