Sun Shines on New Day, New Text, and New Canadian Government
20 October 2015
Bonn, Germany – Tuesday, October 20, 2015: After the tumult of the opening day of UN climate negotiations in Bonn yesterday, expert observers from Climate Action Network (CAN) provided their assessment of a new dynamic which emerged in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) overnight. CAN also reacted to the results of the Canadian election, with the new ascendancy of the Liberal Party and the removal of the Harper government.
In Bonn, a manageable 14 pages was added to the co-chairs' proposed starting point for negotiations towards a universal climate agreement due this December in Paris. Countries and external observers noted these additions resulted in a more balanced text. Over the rest of the week, negotiators will work to refine the menu of options that will be presented to ministers at upcoming high level meetings.
On the ground in Bonn, CAN members made the following comments:
"After the rocky start to the talks, the clouds have lifted and the sun is shining through. Now we need to water the ground and wait for the flowers of ambition to grow. I’m a Kenyan pastoralist, and what we’ve done here is fertilize the ground. Countries of all stripes have now re-inserted their must-haves so that the proposed draft negotiating text is more balanced."
-Mohamed Adow, Christian Aid
“We know that the provision of financial support to poorer countries to take their own climate action is going to be one of the triggers for a very successful deal in Paris. While there has been discussions outside of the climate talks aiming to finalize the COP21 finance package, the priorities of the most vulnerable countries – including boosting the money flowing to adaptation support from 16% – were not being addressed. The storm in yesterday’s opening plenary refocused the talks on what is required and it put many of the key options for a fair finance package back on the table.”
-Alix Mazounie, RAC France
-Alix Mazounie, RAC France
"It is a great day for Canada and also potentially for the climate. Canadians have voted Prime Minister Stephen Harper out of office so we stand ready to welcome Canada back in the UNFCCC process as a country that will take these negotiations seriously. The new government led by Justin Trudeau can show they’re serious by turning its back on fossil fuel expansion and resubmitting a stronger national climate action plan ahead of COP21.”
-Patrick Bonin, Greenpeace Canada
-Patrick Bonin, Greenpeace Canada
Webcast: The press conference was webcast live and is available on demand here: http://unfccc6.meta-fusion.com/bonn_oct_2015/channels/adp211-press-room
CAN will be holding a press briefing tomorrow, Wednesday October 21, at 11:00 CEST. For a one-to-one interview with our spokespeople, please contact Ria Voorhaar, CAN International on +49 157 3173 5568 or email: rvoorhaar@climatenetwork.org.
Climate Action Network (CAN) is a global network of over 900 NGOs working to promote government and individual action to limit human-induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels. More at: www.climatenetwork.org