The Panama Conference ended today on a positive note, as the Group of 77 and China issued a statement asserting progress had been made in moving closer to the ratification of the second phase of the Kyoto Protocol at COP17. Earlier this morning, African, Least Developed Countries and countries of the ALBA alliance in Latin America announced the formation of a collaboration to ensure success at the Durban talks.
"The Group of 77 and China is encouraged by the progress made in this resumed session and will continue to be engaged and work constructively to move forward, yet the Group wants to highlight the need for balance, both within mitigation and between mitigation and other building blocks, including adaptation and financing," the Chair of the G77 and China, Jorge Argüello of Argentina said
"The Kyoto protocol is a cornerstone of the climate change regime, and nothing will be achieved unless it can be adopted in Durban ... The establishment of Annex I commitments for the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol is the central priority for Durban. Any other result would undermine the rules-based multilateral response to climate change under the UNFCCC and cast a shadow over our shared commitment to multilateralism."
Meanwhile, Gambia's Pa Ousman Jarju, who chairs the LDC Group, stressed the need for cooperation among developing countries as exhibited by the alliance announce this morning. "We look forward to further strengthening cooperation with all developing country groups, particularly our allies in small island states."
The new alliance plans to work together in the next few months "to strengthen cooperation and promote a fair, science-based outcome that strengthens the existing climate regime in the Climate Convention its its call for a second phase of Kyoto."
There is unity in the position of all negotiating blocs from developing countries on the the urgent need for industrialized countries to exercise leadership and agree to ambitious commitments for a second period of emission cuts. They are also unified in demanding immediate progress on long-term climate finance starting in 2013 to address adaptation and mitigation.
"You can't build a table with two legs", said Tosi Mpanu Mpanu, of DRC, Chair of the African Group". "We're doing our part. We need progress on climate finance and emission cuts by the industrialized countries for success in Durban".
"We call on the developed countries in Durban to close two gaps: the "mitigation gap" by deeply cutting their emissions under the Kyoto Protocol, and a "finance gap" by agreeing long-term climate finance starting in 2013", said Claudia Salerno, of Venezuela, speaking on behalf of the ALBA group.
The Energy Collective's Hugh Bartling outlined the key issues which are necessary for success in Durban.
• Kyoto Second Phase: Developing countries remain firm in their commitment to a second second commitment period of Kyoto. While the EU has agreed in principle to another round of legally binding emissions reductions, they remain insistant that a reduction in EU emissions, which constitute roughly 11% of the total "global share," will not significantly impact the deep cuts in GHG emissions needed to adequately address accelerating global warming.
• The AWG-LCA track. A small sliver of hope remains for an agreement between the US and major developing countries. Will the US, as per the Cancun Agreements, "voluntarily" publicize their emission reduction strategies for independent verification?
• Finance: The Green Climate Fund and the responsibility of developing countries to fund the financial mechanisms to assist poorer nations transition to low carbon economies through adaptation, mitigation and technology transfer. Developing countries remain highly critical of the failure of these participants to agree to monetary commitments.
Reporting in at the end of the conference today, GCCA's campaign director Paul Horsman wrote:
While the U.S. has taken most of the heat, Canada and Japan have hidden behind the U.S. in Panama but that won’t be possible in Durban. Canada was exposed this week when their own internal watchdog questioned how Canada will possibly meet their (meagre) greenhouse gas reduction targets without a plan. The world will not take Canada seriously when they make international promises that they have no intention of keeping.
As for Japan, they made a commitment to cut emissions by 25% below 1990 levels by 2020 and it is now time to bring forward legislation to ensure that target is met. Japan played an unhelpful role here, most incredulously when they suggested nuclear be eligible for CDM credits. We hear they are inclined to back off of position in Durban, we will be watching.
At their final press conference this evening, the US said: “The US has not been blocking the discussion on long term finance, but we believe that each country should consider how they raise their finances; the US rejects that view of defining which sources of finance should be used for long term finance."
• The African Group is the group of 53 African countries represented in the UN climate change negotiations. It is chaired by Mr. Tosi Mpanu Mpanu of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (read African Group of Negotiators Prepares Position for COP17/CMP7
• TheLDC Groupis the group of 48 least developed countries represented formally at the UN climate change negotiations. It is chaired by Mr. Pa Ousman Jarju of the Gambia.
• The Alianza Bolivariana para los Pueblos de Nuestra América (ALBA)is an organization for international cooperation among countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. It works cooperatively as a negotiating group in the UN climate change negotiations.
The Group of 77 and China has been a key actor in international negotiations related to development issues since 1964. After the recent incorporation of Nauru on September 23rd, 2011, the Group now represents 132 developing countries.
The Chair of the Group, which rotates annually, is held in 2011 by Argentina, represented by Jorge Argüello, Ambassador of Argentina to the United Nations.
Press releases and other information are posted on www.g77.org
Further reading
Check out Adopt a Negotiatorreporting and videos from Panama
Read Kelly Rigg's 7 reasons why we need a robust and comprehensive climate agreement