Copenhagen Negotiating Text: 200 Pages to Save the World?

Copenhagen Negotiating Text: 200 Pages to Save the World?

~ Draft agreement being discussed ahead of December's crucial Copenhagen summit is long, confusing and contradictory ~

It is a blueprint to save the world. And yet it is long, confusing and contradictory. Negotiators have released a draft version of a new global agreement on climate change, which is widely billed as the last chance to save the planet from the ravages of global warming.

Running to some 200 pages, the draft agreement is being discussed for the first time this week as officials from 190 countries gather in Bangkok for the latest round of UN talks. There is only one short meeting after this before they meet in Copenhagen aiming to hammer out a final version.

The draft text consolidates and reorders hundreds of changes demanded by countries to the previous version, which saw it balloon to an unmanageable 300 pages. It has no official status yet, and must be formally approved before negotiators can start to whittle it down. Here, we present key, edited sections from the text and attempt to decipher what the words mean.

The text includes sections on the traditional sticking points that have delayed progress on climate change for a decade or longer.

• How much are rich countries willing to cut their greenhouse gas emissions, and by when?

• Will large developing nations such as China make an effort to put at least a dent in their soaring levels of pollution?

• How much money must flow from the developed world to developing countries to grease the wheels and secure their approval? How much to compensate for the impact of past emissions, and how much to help prevent future emissions?

According to the UN rules, for a new treaty to be agreed, every country must sign up – a challenging requirement...


for complete article:

Copenhagen Negotiating Text: 200 Pages to Save the World?
2009-09-28
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/sep/28/copenhagen-climate-text


Download Copenhagen Negotiating Text:

AD HOC WORKING GROUP ON LONG-TERM COOPERATIVE ACTION
UNDER THE CONVENTION
Seventh session
Bangkok, 28 September to 9 October 2009, and Barcelona, 2–6 November 2009

http://unfccc.int/documentation/documents/advanced_search/items/3594.php?rec=j&priref=600005444#beg


for a commentary:

The beginners' guide to the Copenhagen climate conference negotiating text
The COP15 negotiating document will form the basis of a crucial climate agreement at global talks in Copenhagen this December. David Adam explains what the text really means
2009-09-28
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/interactive/2009/sep/28/climate-change-copenhagen-text-explanation