Your Daily Guide to COP18

YOUR DAILY GUIDE TO COP18 DAY 8 – 4TH DECEMBER

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Negotiations update Scotland - an inspiration for the UN talks Waiting for the ministers Climate talks in Doha have entered the second week. Sadly progress made so far is too slow. Several heavy issues are still on the table, waiting for ministers to take action. While negotiators work long hours to complete the technical part of the talks, it is becoming clearer where political decisions are needed. Firstly negotiations about the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol still lack a breakthrough on several issues, such as the length of the period and “hot air” - the carry over of unused carbon emission credits from the first period. Even if the KP negotiators make progress on technical parts of the talks the big questions remain. The question about “hot air” may become a ticking bomb in a future agreement if parties Campaigners from Christian Aid and other organisations met can’t agree on a clear deadline for the use of these with, Paul Wheelhouse MSP, Scotland’s Minister for carbon credits. Environment and Climate Change. They shared their Secondly, the issue about climate finance seems to be perspectives on the negotiations and how Scotland could more and more difficult to solve. Today a new LCA text help to deliver an ambitious outcome in Doha that addresses was produced. Developed countries were relatively concrete global cooperation in confronting climate change. satisfied, while developing countries protested because key issues such as finance for adaptation were lacking. Scotland has one of the most ambitious climate change laws – 42% emission cuts by 2020; 80%+ by 2050, with aviation & If there is no decision on finance coming out of COP18 it shipping included from the start. Scotland currently is very likely the summit will be seen as a failure. generates around 35% of its electricity from renewables and Current climate finance commitments end in a few has a 2020 target of the equivalent of 100% of its electricity weeks, and a new agreement is urgently needed. from renewables and it also has a small climate justice and adaptation funding. Finally, the issue of loss and damage caused by climate change has become a tricky subject on the table for Even though Scotland only accounts for around 0.16% of ministers. While small and vulnerable countries see loss global emissions, it can demonstrate to other developed and damage as an urgent and necessary element in the countries it is possible to be ambitious about tackling climate climate talks, developed countries are more reluctant change and still maintain a strong economy. We hope the Scottish example inspires other developed countries to act. to enter into discussion, which may end with pressure to mobilize finance to pay compensation and rehabilitation of affected areas. On Monday ministers started to arrive. Hopefully they Words from a partner will be able to raise ambition and to find solutions to the list of remaining issues.

Time for Climate Justice is a global movement led by ACT Alliance members, working closely with the World Council of Churches and partners in the Global North and South. Take Action: create a message telling world leaders what your ideal world look like at www.climatejusticeonline.org or visit the Ideal World 2030 Exhibit YOUR DAILY GUIDE TO COP18 interests. USA try to minimise the importance of this process and not to take responsibility in the long term. It is civil society, especially young people, that dare to take the long term vision.

How do civil society change? In the early days there were not many of us; little support, we were often loners on our own. That’s why we created CAN which is now one of the biggest climate networks. Overtime the civil society input became smarter, deeper in scientific content; some are doing high quality research. In the early days it was only activists. We are now both scientists and activists.

Climate change activism is science based policy research ending up in action, so it is complex. It does not happen in Dr. Atiq Rahman one day. But in Bangladesh people are losing their homes, Executive Director migration will become a major issue and so we need urgent Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) action.

I am co-chair of CAN south Asia and I am also involved in the Price Waterhouse Cooper, the World Bank and UNEP all intergovernmental panel on climate change focussing on addressed global warming and its impacts recently. Would renewable energies. I am here with the delegation of the this trigger action in Doha? Bangladesh government. There are low COPs and high COPs in terms of significance. In the early days of the climate negotiations we perceived For example Copenhagen was a high one. Doha is supposed inequality from the beginning; key issues such as adaptation. to be a low one, although it should have been a high one as it We have been doing scientific work on loss and damage. For is the last one before the end of the 1st commitment period many of us climate change is just a symptom of much deeper of the Kyoto Protocol. Unfortunately many countries have malice that our society faces, it is not just about reduction of undermined the KP at the risk of their own peril and their greenhouse gasses. My organisation works on sustainable citizens - they have been irresponsible leaders. There will be development in general, not only climate change. We look at outcomes in Doha. For example in Cancun for the first time environmental justice, social justice and gender equality the word loss and damaged was mentioned for the 1st time among others. Inequalities between countries and within in the text. In 2 years there has been a lot of discussion; a Bangladesh. The rich are getting richer. These contradictions whole stream now is dedicated to it, it has taken a new are one of the major stumbling blocks to make progress in momentum. Others areas move sideways. The reduction in tackling climate change . For the coastal people in Bangladesh carbon emissions has not moved, despite these new these are not new. They are trying to move to places where developments. Ten years ago the World Bank would never there is no salinity in the soil and in the water because this address this. To them, the economy was more important causes high blood pressure which has implications for child than climate change, now they realise that in a climate bearing. changed world this will be very difficult. Governments are saying they don’t have money, so they want the private On the negotiations, how do you see the role of civil society sector to act, but they have been really clear that they will and how this engagement has changed overtime? only act in profitable areas. Some of the richest countries are There are various ways of looking at it. It has changed very facing an economic crisis, however they still have the significantly. The role of government is to make sure their greatest responsibility to deal with climate change for their national interests are protected. Sometimes there are own sake and for the sake of the planet. Rich countries have confusions between national interests and government acknowledged responsabity, they now have to deliver.

Time for Climate Justice is a global movement led by ACT Alliance members, working closely with the World Council of Churches and partners in the Global North and South. Take Action: create a message telling world leaders what your ideal world look like at www.climatejusticeonline.org or visit the Ideal World 2030 Exhibit