The final destination

6 November 2009

Commenting on the shared vision the other day, a negotiator who also happens to be a university professor noted that he tells his students to not write their conclusions before finishing the content of their papers.

While that approach might apply to term papers, it has less relevance to climate negotiations. One cannot create activities under a project without identifying the end goal, or set out on a journey without first identifying the final destination. The shared vision is the framework that states the shared ultimate goal of countries — a global goal that ensures the right of survival for all nations is not compromised.

What we have seen too much of, though, are negotiations that have wasted precious time and devoted effort instead to downplaying the Copenhagen outcome.  This is heading toward the wrong destination entirely, an end point that compromises the survival of nations.

The real destination we want, of course, is laid out in the Convention: a future where climate risk is under control and development is sustained.  A deal that is not equitable is not a deal.  ECO hears echoes in the hallways that many changes are being made to the shared vision text and would like to remind delegates that positive elements such as human rights and gender issues, stakeholder participation, and a just transition to a carbon free economy are essential inclusions in the shared vision.