UN talks in Madrid hit rough waters

UN climate talks appear to be in trouble as they head into extra time.

Fault lines have re-appeared between different negotiating blocs, with one delegate describing a new draft text as "totally unacceptable".

Alden Meyer from the Union of Concerned Scientists said the situation in Madrid was unprecedented since climate negotiations began in 1991.

Negotiators are working towards a deal for countries to commit to new carbon emissions cuts by the end of 2020.

Saturday saw the release of a new draft text from the meeting, designed to chart a way forward for the parties to the Paris agreement.

The Paris pact came into being in 2015, with the intention of keeping the global average temperature rise to well below 2C. This was regarded at the time as the threshold for dangerous global warming, though scientists subsequently shifted the definition of the "safe" limit to a rise of 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

But Mr Meyer commented: "The latest version of the Paris Agreement decision text put forward by the Chilean presidency is totally unacceptable. It has no call for countries to enhance the ambition of their emissions reduction commitments.

"If world leaders fail to increase ambition in the lead up to next year's climate summit in Glasgow, they will make the task of meeting the Paris agreement's 'well below 2C' temperature limitation goal - much less the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal - almost impossible."

His view was echoed by David Waskow, international climate director for the World Resources Institute (WRI). "If this text is accepted, the low ambition coalition will have won the day," he said.

The conference in the Spanish capital has become enmeshed in deep, technical arguments about a number of issues including the role of carbon markets and the financing of loss and damage caused by rising temperatures.

Responding to the messages from science and from climate strikers, the countries running this 26th conference of the parties (COP) meeting are keen to have a final decision here that would see countries put new, ambitious plans to cut carbon on the table.

According to the UN, 84 countries have promised to enhance their national plans by the end of next year. Some 73 have said they will set a long-term target of net zero by the middle of the century.

But earlier in the meeting, negotiators from the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) pointed the finger of blame at countries including Australia, the United States, Canada, Russia, India, China and Brazil.

Source: BBC

 

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