How to Avoid a ‘COP-Flop’ in Cancún

2 June 2010

ECO salutes Tuvalu for exposing the weak ambition of the Umbrella Group in the LCA on Tuesday, warning that there was a risk of Cancún turning into another 'COP flop'.  This was a timely reminder that developed countries need to step up and show leadership by taking on strong commitments. The Umbrella Group need to do much better than merely offering a list of areas for progress at Cancún that somehow leaves aside developed country targets.  Even if they get their ‘comprehensive deal’ and remove all conditions, the targets offered at the present time, other than Norway and Japan, are woefully lacking in ambition. As is often the case, ECO wonders whether the Umbrella Group is at a different negotiation from the rest of us.  At the KP they announced they were pleased with progress.  Does this mean they’re on the verge of signing up to those very overdue KP second commitment period obligations? Finally, before the EU gets too self-assured, ECO would like to remind their negotiators that with the recession, the cost of achieving a 30% target is about the same as previously expected for a 20% target.  In fact, the EU has already achieved  emissions in 2009 that were 14% less than 1990 levels.  It would be a great signal of EU leadership to adopt a unilateral 30% target as a bridge-building initiative.