As the world prepares to converge in Copenhagen, Denmark in December with the hope of arriving at a globally accepted agreement to reduce the impact of climate change on the world, there is a strong feeling that developing countries are in for a shocker.
Developed countries have declared by their actions and comments that there will be no deal protecting the interest of developing countries already bearing the brunt of climate change.
Rather than adhere to agreed positions in Bali in 2007, the developed countries are introducing new rules and insisting that those suffering the impact of climate change take up responsibilities aside poverty and other challenges they are already facing.
From all indication, the Kyoto protocol regarded today as the most binding global legal agreement that compelled developed countries to cut their greenhouse gas emission and the only hope for developing countries to get a fair deal from developed countries that caused the changing climate is heading for the rock.
The protocol provided for shared but differentiated responsibilities. Meaning that developed countries responsible for the changing climate must assist developing countries bearing the impact to adapt and mitigate the effect through the provision of funds and technology transfer.
But this may not be after all.
Sensing the implication of the moves by the developed countries in the various build-ups meetings to the Copenhagen conference, Mr. Yvo D Boer, Executive Secretary, United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), appealed for caution and advised developed countries not to set aside the Kyoto protocol.
“You don’t throw away your old shoes simply because you are expecting a new one,” he told delegates at the recent Bangkok climate talks.
The advice came on the heels of concerted efforts by the developed countries especially the United State of America, the world leading emitter who refused to sign the Kyoto protocol and the European Commission otherwise recognized as Annex 1 parties under the Kyoto Protocol to jettison the protocol in favor of new agreement.
But Nigeria Minister of Environment, Mr. John Odey did not see any need for a new agreement saying that ``the Kyoto protocol is the most important and globally accepted agreement to address climate change.’’
The processes that resulted in the Protocol commenced in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro when Leaders of the industrialized nations met at a UN Climate Convention and agreed to stabilize their greenhouse gas emission concentration at a level that will not be inimical to the Climate System.
By 1997 the industrialized nations agreed under the Kyoto Protocol to take legally binding targets on Green House Gas (GHG) emissions by 2012. Thus, the Protocol set a binding emission target for 37 industrialized nations.
However, the Protocol has virtually failed to address the purpose for which it was signed as developed countries failed to cut their emission as well as provide funds for developing countries to tackle the impact of climate change.
Since signing of the Protocol by over 184 countries, the green house gas emission situation has taken a turn for the worse as the industrialized nations have not been able to tame their emission level. The Protocol will span out in the year 2012.
As a result of the topical nature of the impacts of Climate Change, a 2009 deadline was given two years ago at UN Climate Convention in Bali to complete the negotiation of a successor to the Kyoto Protocol. The negotiations of the successor of the Protocol are due to be finalized in Copenhagen in December, this year.
Under the Kyoto Protocol, Africa and other developing countries were exempted from any legally binding mechanism while they are to press for Climate justice under the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Capabilities.
The Kyoto protocol despite being adjudged as one of the most important global agreements to save guard the climate was not accented to by the USA, the world leading emitter of greenhouse gases.
No wonder therefore when the USA led other developed block to the Bangkok Climate talks to demand for a new global binding, enforceable, target setting agreements that will spell out targets for both developed and developing countries.
Barely a month to the Copenhagen conference, where agreements on post Kyoto is to be reached, the developed countries have started changing pervious rules and agreements set in Bali.
This sudden departure from agreed position according to the G77+ China was a deliberate attempt by the developed countries to kill the Kyoto protocol.
The G77+ China, a leading block in the climate negotiations process representing the interest of developing countries said that the tricks by the developed countries was targeted at killing the Kyoto, their only platform to hold the developed countries accountable to the destruction they caused to the climate.
They insisted that the antics would be resisted.
Dr Victor Fodeke, Nigeria’s chief climate officer said that dropping the Kyoto would have a negative impact on ability of developing countries to tackle the menace of climate change.
He noted that the protocol protected the rights of developing countries in global efforts to tackle the challenges posed by climate change and therefore should not be thrown overboard.
“The Kyoto protocol is the only hope of the developing countries; it is the only legally binding instrument requiring developed countries to cut their emission, killing it is dashing the hope of developing countries,’’ Fodeke said.
Setting aside the Kyoto protocol because it is not enforceable is like removing traffic lights because it is not working, he added.
The Copenhagen conference therefore according to the G77+ China remained the avenue for the world to reach an agreeable premise on how to protect the interest of developing in cushioning the impact of climate change.
Inspite of the fears ahead of Copenhagen, developing countries are bent on securing a deal that would commit Annex 1 countries to contribute billions of dollars to them to cushion the threats of climate change.
(published by Dailytrust newspapers on Dec. 3, 2009)
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