From May 31st-June 11, climate negotiators from over 190 countries are meeting in Bonn, Germany to follow up on December’s UN Copenhagen negotiations.
On the table is draft negotiating text that excludes the main proposals that emerged from the Cochabamba conference, as officially submitted by the Bolivia government. If you haven’t yet, sign the petition challenging the undemocratic and non-transparent action of excluding particular proposals from the negotiations at:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/movement-for-mother-earth/
Here are some updates on actions happening now:
Watch Camilo Moreno with the Global Forest Coalition, and on behalf on the Climate Justice Now! network, intervene in the negotiations, calling for the inclusion of People’s Agreement conclusions here.
Read the Bolivian government’s submission regarding the current exclusion of the People’s Agreement conclusions from draft negotiation text here.
Press Conference Summary:
Fairness must guide Bonn climate talks:UN must not cede to weak US proposals
BONN, GERMANY – Today civil society groups from across the world came together to sound a warning on the progress of UN climate negotiations. As the world begins its first round of serious talks since the failed Copenhagen negotiations in December, citizens from every continent are concerned about the level of trust and ambition in the negotiations.
At a press conference in Bonn, where the current round of negotiations are being held, speakers from North America, South America, Africa and Asia expressed their concern that the current draft negotiating texts were unbalanced.
“Negotiators must be bold and fair to avoid a repeat of the Copenhagen Accord, which was not even adopted by the UN. That Accord would commit the world to a 4 degree temperature rise. Such an increase would spell death for millions of Africans from food and water shortages. That is not what the UN climate negotiations are here to do.” Augustine Njamnshi of the Pan Africa Climate Justice Alliance said.
“Proposals by many governments have been completely marginalized in the preparations for Bonn negotiations. In particular, Bolivia’s official submissions contained many innovative proposals following the World Peoples Summit on Climate Change and the Rights of Mother Earth in Cochabamba, which was held in Bolivia in April. That summit saw 35 000 people talk about real solutions, based in equity and justice. The People’s Summit’s proposals, which reflect what people in the real world want and what the Earth really needs should not be ignored.” Elyzabeth Peredo of the Bolivian based Solon Foundation, said.
“While the rest of the world’s proposals have been sidelined, the ineffective and unjust proposals of the US have been prioritised.The US is taking a sledge hammer to the negotiations, and the Convention itself, and then has the gall to blame the lack of progress on those least responsible. Their latest submissions makes it starkly clear what the world has feared – the US has no intention of cooperating with the rest of the world to address this crisis.” Kate Horner, of Friends of the Earth US, said.
“There already exists a legal structure to see the world’s emissions cut – it’s called the Kyoto Protocol. The US cannot continue to undermine the Kyoto Protocol, propose weak voluntary targets and pretend to support an ambitious outcome. The numbers simply just don’t add up. and That’s the biggest hurdle in negotiations right now.” Meena Raman, of the Malaysian based Third World Network said.
