CHEKING OUT
Interview with Ritta Myller
Socialist spokesperson on Climate Change Committee
Has the conference succeeded in making the real progress on the path towards Copenhagen that the public opinion was expecting?
Finally the most important goal for Poznan was to remind people that Copenhagen is getting closer. In order to achieve an international agreement all parties have to work really hard next year. But I have seen a true commitment here in Poznan. As a result international community now has a clear timetable for negotiations and the president has a mandate to start drafting a text.
Of course also the decision that was taken about Kyoto Protocol’s adaptation fund is very important. Since the decision was taken here, the fund will be able to receive projects in the course of 2009. For developing world this financing mechanism is crucial and I’m happy that COP 14 was able to achieve that decision. But this is by far not enough. To succeed in Copenhagen industrial countries will have to write into their own climate strategies, how we will finance climate change actions in all over the world. Earmarking of auctioning revenues in EU-ETS is already a good start.
Poznan was also important because here different parties have been able to address again their needs and worries. We are bound to get closer to an agreement if we understand our different and unique problems.
Which were the most difficult obstacles that the negotiations had to overcome?
It was difficult to proceed further because many counties are just now forming their climate policies. European Union has its own climate and energy package under discussion. And in USA there is currently the change of the whole administration. It is hard to negotiate with other parts of the world, if you are just in a process of change within your own region.
Which was the most positive contribution made by the EU Parliament Delegation?
I think that the side-events organized by EU were really good and they gathered a large audience. People seemed to be very interested in our climate and energy package.
Were the meetings with the US incoming administration up to the level of expectation that it has been raising recently?
The meetings with US delegations were really encouraging. Maybe even the most giving for me. I believe that the new US administration has a genuine will to negotiate towards a global agreement. And they are also interested in our policies. In the discussions I got an impression that our climate policies are finally not so different. Just like EU, USA is investing in renewables and clean technologies. Although not so much has happened in federal level, many states and countries have taken mandatory reduction targets. I was also happy to learn that president-elect Obama and his future administration have plans for introducing a cap and trade system, in which the general rule for allocating allowances would be auctioning.
Finally the most important goal for Poznan was to remind people that Copenhagen is getting closer. In order to achieve an international agreement all parties have to work really hard next year. But I have seen a true commitment here in Poznan. As a result international community now has a clear timetable for negotiations and the president has a mandate to start drafting a text.
Of course also the decision that was taken about Kyoto Protocol’s adaptation fund is very important. Since the decision was taken here, the fund will be able to receive projects in the course of 2009. For developing world this financing mechanism is crucial and I’m happy that COP 14 was able to achieve that decision. But this is by far not enough. To succeed in Copenhagen industrial countries will have to write into their own climate strategies, how we will finance climate change actions in all over the world. Earmarking of auctioning revenues in EU-ETS is already a good start.
Poznan was also important because here different parties have been able to address again their needs and worries. We are bound to get closer to an agreement if we understand our different and unique problems.
Which were the most difficult obstacles that the negotiations had to overcome?
It was difficult to proceed further because many counties are just now forming their climate policies. European Union has its own climate and energy package under discussion. And in USA there is currently the change of the whole administration. It is hard to negotiate with other parts of the world, if you are just in a process of change within your own region.
Which was the most positive contribution made by the EU Parliament Delegation?
I think that the side-events organized by EU were really good and they gathered a large audience. People seemed to be very interested in our climate and energy package.
Were the meetings with the US incoming administration up to the level of expectation that it has been raising recently?
The meetings with US delegations were really encouraging. Maybe even the most giving for me. I believe that the new US administration has a genuine will to negotiate towards a global agreement. And they are also interested in our policies. In the discussions I got an impression that our climate policies are finally not so different. Just like EU, USA is investing in renewables and clean technologies. Although not so much has happened in federal level, many states and countries have taken mandatory reduction targets. I was also happy to learn that president-elect Obama and his future administration have plans for introducing a cap and trade system, in which the general rule for allocating allowances would be auctioning.
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