–The 1.5C target is at risk THIS YEAR: Switzerland
–‘We now face wars financed by fossil fuels’
By Mathew Carr
June 16, 2022 — Bonn: Rich countries are not collaborating enough to save the climate, according to a series of emerging countries at Intersessional (mid year) UN talks in Bonn, Germany.
There wasn’t enough commitment by developed countries to provide loss and damage finance or even talk about a credible system to provide it, according to the delegate from Pakistan, speaking on behalf of G77 & China.
“On loss and damage, we were disappointed we could not reach consensus,” said Zambia, speaking on behalf of African countries.
“Calling for loss and damage (finance) is not a whim, but a reality,” said Chile on behalf of the Independent Alliance of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group of countries, said keeping temperatures from rising 1.5C above pre-industrial times may be lost this year.
“We simply can’t afford to lose 1.5C,” the Switzerland delegate said. The EIG presented outgoing UNFCCC leader Patricia Espinosa with a T-shirt saying: “Science is not negotiable.”
The pace of negotiation is too slow and the climate situation is becoming a “catastrophe,” said Antigua and Barbuda, on behalf of small-island states.
The EU delegate said talks and workshops to be held leading up to negotiations in Egypt in November will help give momentum to the talks.
Bolivia said the world expects actions from the UN talks, not more talk and workshops.
In one stream, on all-important Atricle 6 markets, rich countries even had the gaul to argue against having two workshops instead of just one, I was told.
“We must move to emergency mode,” said PNG, on behalf of rainforest nations.
Egypt, incoming presidency of the UN talks (UK is outgoing presidency): Parties need to refain from treating the negotiations as a zero-sum game and envoys must rise above national and other interests. “Nothing but success is an option.”
One of the best speeches at the end of the talks in Bonn came from two representatives of “youth non-government organisations”: Not only are the climate talks lacking in urgency, but “we now face wars financed by fossil fuels,” they said.
Taking Stock
