Environmental Economics: Comments on Climate Change Doha Conference
The Doha Climate Change Conference is coming to a close.
The summit, organized by the United Nations, started two weeks ago in Doha, Qatar. 195 member states joined the convention in order to negotiate and discuss about several climate change issues.
The Kyoto Protocol (the international agreement between 37 industrialized countries and the European community aimed to reduce the GHG emissions) is due to expire at the end of the year and one topic of the discussions was the possible agreement on a second commitment phase.
Before the summit started there was already an atmosphere of skepticism and mistrust among governments, NGOs and the environmental groups. The Kyoto Protocol has been criticized for not having achieved the goal of reducing the emissions. In addition US did not ratify the agreement because it did not cover the developing countries like China and India (the biggest CO2 emitters now) and a low commitment from the member states was kind of expected.
The conference took place in Doha, the largest per capita emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, by the way..
My personal perception is that despite of the emergency of the current situation, each country keeps being focused on its own economy and growth and after many annual summits it is still hard to see some progress on climate change.
The main concern regards an agreement on the carbon emission regulations both the developing and developed countries should accept and implement.
The developing countries economic development (especially in China and India) could be compromised by the compliance to such a protocol that would limit their industrialized development.
The wealthiest countries are requested to guarantee financial aids to help developing countries to adapt to the climate change, but the current financial crisis those countries are facing makes this probability quite unrealistic.
I personally have the impression developing and developed countries are looking and accusing each other of being the main responsible of the current situation and waiting for the other to take action.
China is the world’s biggest CO2 emitter and the representative of the Chinese delegation, Xie Zhenhua, affirmed: “Developing countries are the victims of climate change.” Therefore China agreed to contribute to reduce the GHG but expects developed countries do more.
This is the best video I found that sum-ups the tragic comic reality:
Today is the last day of the Summit and an agreement on several key issues is needed and still missing.
The final discussions and negotiations regard the new agreement to be signed by all countries in 2015 and to come into force in 2020. This Global treaty would demand all the countries to respect the CO2 emission levels and to contribute to future emissions cuts.
So another year without a substantial change and other 7/8 years before a world commitment.
I ask my self, do we have all this time?
Can we wait years and accept the ice of Greenland and Antarctica melting three times faster than in 1990s? Typhoons and hurricanes becoming always more frequent and causing damages and natural disasters? Species disappearing?
As the negotiator of the Philippines delegation, Naderev Saño, said during the Doha conference: “No more delays, no more excuses”.
I think we don’t have time..
Comments Off on Environmental Economics: Comments on Climate Change Doha Conference /
07 Dec 2012
por
Veronica Recanati
IMSD /
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