UN climate talks to begin in Warsaw
A new round of climate talks to commence next week
Climate change is on the international agenda next week in Warsaw when negotiators meet for a new round of talks under the UN Climate Convention. The Polish capital will host thousands of representatives from governments, industry and NGOs.
Laurie Michaelis, environmental editor of the Friend, explained that there are many threads to the negotiations: ‘Some are on technical details of implementing the Convention, like verifying emissions from deforestation. Some are on support for developing countries with clean technology or finance. Others concern procedure – talks in June were held up by questions about the decision-making rules. The conference will also revisit the question of whether the aim should be to limit global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C.’
‘Perhaps’, he said, ‘the most important question, and the hardest, is how far and how fast governments are prepared to go in cutting national greenhouse gas emissions. While negotiators are talking about new targets for 2020 and beyond, countries have been pulling back from existing promises. Our own government’s position is particularly worrying, with David Cameron blaming rising electricity prices on green taxes. As emissions continue to rise, we seem to be heading for 4°C of warming or more.’
Lindsey Cook and Jonathan Woolley are going to Warsaw from the Quaker UN Office as part of a new effort to bring Quaker quiet diplomacy to the talks.
Laurie added: ‘Lindsey has urged British Friends to write to their MPs to let them know that we still care about stopping climate change and that we need our government to be part of the solution.’
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