A journey of green commitments

Although a binding agreement may not be reached in Cancun, positive statements from the US and China have offered hope in the form of steps to fight climate change.

"As the climate negotiations in Cancún begin their second week, there is some reason for optimism," said Timothy Wirth, President of the United Nations Foundation (UNF), according to rechargenews.com, he is reported to have said: "The US and China have made constructive statements on emissions verification, and proposals to reduce and prevent deforestation have accumulated real momentum."

The US and China-the top greenhouse gas emitters-have thus far locked horns with regard to who has the right to emit the most emissions. Both nations have also shown opposition to ratifying a renewed Kyoto Protocol-with commitments made under the current agreement expiring in 2012.

Since the US never ratified the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, and Republicans dominating Congress oppose a binding agreement on climate change, some nations have considered making an agreement without the US. However, with negotiations finally getting under way, it is considered that small steps could be the best approach.

According to rechargenews.com, Wirth stated: "There will not be a comprehensive climate agreement reached this year, or perhaps for some years to come. However, much progress can be made in these UN negotiations on the practical steps that nations must take to reduce climate risk – steps that can become the building blocks of a larger agreement."

China is a tough negotiator and it has pushed for its core issues to be considered, including developed country emission mitigation commitments, technology transfer and the sufficiency of financing for undeveloped countries. Prior to the 16th Conference of Parties (COP16) Huang Huikang, the Chinese Foreign Ministry's special representative for climate change talks, stated that China will not agree to any deal linking foreign aid to its acceptance of tighter transparency regarding emission reduction efforts.

However, domestically China is well ahead of other nations in some of its green efforts. According to a report from Ernst & Young published on 30th November 2010, in the second quarter of 2010, China committed US$10 billion of its stimulus funds to clean energy projects-a figure that is on the upturn. This investment outweighs that from any other nation.

China bound its commitment to targets domestically through a State Council decision even before the summit in Copenhagen, and it has incorporated a 40-45 per cent carbon intensity reduction target into its 12th Five Year Plan. This is expected to continue directing policy at all levels of government.

The constructive statements made in the international summit by both the US and China indicate a joint understanding in constructing solely domestic targets for the time being. China has demonstrated the success that can be achieved via this method. Tension between the US, Europe and China to dominate the clean tech sector have been feared and it is anticipated that further negotiation will dampen this concern.

Wirth said: "Financial pledges made in the Copenhagen Accord for the countries that are most vulnerable to, and least responsible for, climate change increasingly are being fulfilled." Movements may have persuaded parties into negotiation.

Liang Congjie, modern China's first environmentalist who passed away earlier this year, used his connections to persuade the Chinese government and the media to listen to his climate concerns. A similar approach could now be adopted by participants in UN climate talks.

Along with three colleagues from the Academy for Chinese Culture, in 1994 Liang founded Friends of Nature, China's first legal non governmental organisation. It now has around 10,000 members.

Regarding the negotiation process with China, Liang said that the best method was not to attack the government but to remind it that there were laws already on the books to protect the land, the water and the air, and offer to help enforce them.

China and the US are recognised as important players in the fight against climate change and it is anticipated that constructive statements will lead to negotiations between all nations collectively.

Author: Marianna Keen | Climate Action

Image: UN Climate Talks/ Flickr