Durban climate talks end with insulting deal for world's poorest people
Climate change talks in Durban have ended in extra time with a compromise deal that has seen the greater and common good subsumed by ferocious politicking.
More than 24 hours over the scheduled end to the COP17 meeting and with negotiators exhausted, Durban delivered an agreement that leaves the world still facing a 4C increase in average global temperatures.
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CAFOD’s climate analyst Dr Sarah Wykes said: “It is significant that Durban has agreed steps towards a legal treaty that will bind all countries on emissions reduction, but make no mistake - the timetable and lack of clarity of the agreement is an insult to the urgency of this crisis for the poorest and all our futures.
"We have a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol but will it be ready for ratification by next year in Qatar, and where are the ambitious emissions reductions and closing of loopholes that currently undermine the Kyoto Protocol? The talks did deliver the Green Climate Fund poorer countries desperately need but where is the finance coming from to fill the fund? Little from Durban removes the threat of a 4C increase in average global temperatures. We are still sleep-walking into catastrophic climate change.
“These talks have been marred by the pernicious and cynical reactionary politicking of the US and its allies but from this morally bankrupt sideshow has emerged a new progressive majority bloc of countries led by the EU that accepts the need for urgent and long-term action on climate change. This has been a warming ray of light.
“The gains made here in South Africa, although not nearly enough to protect poor countries and steer us all safely away from devastating climate impacts, are in no small part down to this alliance of developed and developing countries: this is the new driving force in climate change action.
“They must now return home to start demonstrating that a significant increase in ambition is possible; they must work hard together to form a fail-safe strategy that can politically and diplomatically isolate and neuter the nay-sayers, and they must be honest and brave in raising their voices against those responsible for putting the rest of us at risk.
“It is time for these climate-progressive countries to amass their arsenal for future battles in the UNFCCC and other fora like the G20. In 2012 the message must be that we have carried the US and its cronies for too long, it is now game on towards delivering a step-change in climate action.”
