Time to find balance in the negotiation process



Dan Jorgensen and Christiana Figueres. Photo credit: Susana González/EP

Despite travel difficulties getting to Cancun, everyone has now arrived in Cancun safely. Jo Leinen, opened the meeting of the Delegation today by reminding everyone that the resolution adopted on 25 November 2010 formed the basis of the EP’s position at COP16. The rest of the day has been spent updating MEPs on the state of negotations.

Jo Leinen provided feedback from the meeting with Christina Figueras of the UNFCCC that took place on Monday 6 December. The key message from Mrs Figueras was the need for negotiating Parties to find ‘balance’ between the two tracks of the negotiation.  Three areas are close to finding agreement:  the Green Fund, a deal on technology transfer and possibly REDD+ . However, everything is blocked until the US and China show signs of shifting their position.  Bolivia is still about the rights of indigenous populations within REDD+.  The issue of 'fair transition' which is being advocated by the trade unions have not appeared in the long term share vision text. Canada, Japan and Russia have indicated that they do not want a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

In order to help the complex negotiations in the next few days, the Mexican presidency is pushing for total transparency and inclusiveness in the negotiation in COP16. Using the Japanese example in Nagoya, the Mexican Presidency has asked the following working groups to be facilitated by Ministers from different countries:  Sweden and Granada on long term vision, Spain and Algeria on adaptation;  New Zealand and Indonesia on mitigation and measurement, reporting and verification (MRV); Australia and Bangladesh on capacity building, finance and technology transfer, UK and Brazil on Kyoto Protocol.

Photo credit: Susana González/EP