At the close of September UN talks, observers leave with call for urgent compromise

4 September 2015

Today marked the close of the penultimate intersessional before heads of state, ministers, and negotiators head to Paris in December to finalise what should be a comprehensive and universal climate agreement. 

All over the world, public support for climate action is growing, but progress at the negotiating tables and within the text remains incremental. As heat records continue to fall, and the world is beset by extreme storms, droughts, and wildfires, people are calling for swift action and a strong deal. 

In Bonn this week, negotiators grappled with the new tool produced by the co-chairs to guide negotiations. While not obviously apparent in the text, there was a new willingness by countries to more openly discuss potential roadblock issues in detail like loss and damage, differentiation, finance, and a mechanism to scale up action in the years to come. 

On the ground in Bonn, CAN members made the following comments: 

"The clock is ticking, and country negotiators cannot just sit and wait until October. They need to find compromises on the key outstanding issues between now and the start of the next session. We need a better mutual understanding than they currently have—ready to build a Paris agreement together that can deliver the action needed for a climate safe future." 
-Jasper Inventor, Greenpeace

"It’s getting very clear that we will get a deal in Paris. The question now is what kind of a deal we are going to get—whether that deal will be a good deal. Right now, the country commitments won’t keep us under 2°C, much less 1.5°C. A good deal will to create a framework for countries to continually increase their ambition, protect the most vulnerable, and prevent catastrophic climate change. This means the deal needs to provide support for poor countries to adapt and develop on a low-carbon path."
-Mohamed Adow, Christian Aid

Webcast: The press conference was webcast live here is available on demand: http://unfccc6.meta-fusion.com/bonn_aug_2015/channels/press-room-3

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