Thursday 12 June 2008

With only 536 days remaining until the Copenhagen Climate Summit, governments are making too little progress in developing the future system for reducing climate-damaging emissions, WWF says.

"Progress at the end of this second round in a series of UN climate negotiations was considered 'feeble', according to WWF's negotiating team. "The ideas put on the table are only translated into shopping lists rather than blueprints for negotiations," says Kathrin Gutmann, WWF Climate Policy Co-ordinator.

"Here in Scotland, we have the chance to lead the way with the Scottish Climate Change Bill, perhaps the most important piece of legislation this country will see in a generation," added Dr Richard Dixon, Director of WWF Scotland.

"Scotland is already leading with a pledge to reduce climate emissions by 80% by 2050. WWF wants to see an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions enshrined in legislation along with measures that will put us on a steady path to achieving this. Scotland has a real chance to become a true international leader in tackling climate change and be setting an example for the rest of the world at the Copenhagen Climate Summit in 2010."

The EU, in particular, has not shown any substantial initiative or move forward at the Bonn talks. Other Europeans do better, in WWF's view: Norway and Switzerland have both produced concrete proposals on finance, detailing possible mechanisms for raising funds. And a number of developing countries have tabled proposals on adaptation, finance and technology transfer. Such initiatives provide the necessary political signal and substance for a constructive way forward in the negotiations.

"The EU seems to be sitting on the fence, basking in the glory of yesterday's leadership but not showing much substance when it comes to moving forward," says Kathrin Gutmann. "Now that many developing countries are engaging the EU needs to step up to the challenge now, even in the remaining hours of the Bonn meeting."

Australia and Canada drew criticism trying to obtain more loopholes in the talks about forest and agricultural emissions, to escape from implementing strong emission reduction targets.

"The science tells us that governments need to think at a much larger scale of action than ever before to get climate change under control," says Kathrin Gutmann. "Parties in the talks need to focus on the outcome the world needs - a high priority is for industrialized countries to commit to new ways of raising adequate levels of funds for low carbon development in developing countries through direct transfers as well as new innovative mechanisms."

At the upcoming G8+5 Summit, progressive countries must persuade their colleagues to return to the UN talks armed with commitments commensurate with the problems the world is facing.

"Japan has a huge responsibility to deliver momentum for the UN negotiations at its G8 Summit in Hokkaido," says Kim Carstensen, Director of the WWF Global Climate Initiative. "The formal UN process would benefit from a burst of adrenalin delivered by the G8+5 heads of state."