Opinion

Optimism, though cautious, remains ahead of Cancun conference

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-11-28 19:49

MEXICO CITY - The long journey to counter climate change is arriving at an important station when the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-16) starts in Mexico's resort city of Cancun on Nov 29.

Ahead of the conference, which will run until Dec 10, optimism remains for substantial progress in dual-track negotiations on the "Bali Map Road", though the international community agrees it may be difficult to achieve a legally binding agreement.

Optimism, though cautious, remains

The conference will gather participants from governments, businesses, non government organizations and research institutions from 180 countries.

It is the penultimate opportunity for parties to reach a legally binding treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which will expire in 2012.

Though most of the parties are cautiously optimistic the completion of the "Bali Road Map" can be clinched at Cancun, they are expecting substantial progress to be made in negotiations on issues such as green technology transfer and additional financing for developing countries.

"It is difficult to reach a legally binding at Cancun, but I think the achievements at Cancun conference will exceed Copenhagen," Vanessa Perez-Cirera, director of climate change at the Mexican branch of World Wildlife Fund, said in an interview with Xinhua.

Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa said the public should not use a legally binding treaty as the only standard to measure the success of the Cancun talks. "I don't think this is the right approach under the current circumstances."

The Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention Christiana Figueres is relatively optimistic about the conference, saying the parties can make agreements on some aspects such as adaptation, technology transfer, forestry protection and finance support.

Developing countries' sincerity

Although no formal treaty has been reached since the Copenhagen summit, the parties have made some achievements with the effort of developing countries.

Four UN climate talks have been held since Copenhagen, three in German city Bonn and one in China's Tianjin, with some progress having been made in climate payments and forestry protection. Notably, each side "is very close" to agreeing with each other to build a climate fund.

Xie Zhenhua, deputy director of China's National Development and Reform Commission and head of Chinese delegation for Cancun, said: "China will continue to play a constructive role and work together with other parties for a successful outcome at the Cancun conference."

Apart from China, many developing countries have also shown their sincerity in energy saving and emission reduction.

"I commit. I have problems, I have difficulties, I have challenges, but I commit to do what I have to do and it is to reduce by 50 percent my emissions by 2050," is Mexico's stance, according to Perez-Cirera.

New concept

Developed and developing countries are divided on many issues, among which are the extension of the Kyoto Protocol and financial and technological support for developing countries.

Some officials and environmental experts say nations need to overcome their differences because climate change will greatly affect the future of humans, while others put forward new concepts such as pushing more cooperation among cities.

Omar Vidal, an expert from WWF Program Mexico, is one of them. He says cities are playing a more important role in environmental protection.

"The climate negotiations have become a political struggle among the countries. Each side should consider its own interests and it is difficult to reach a consensus," he said.

"But cooperation between cities will not be so complicated. It is a good way for the cities to help each other," he said.

In Cancun, countries will try to reach a consensus to lay a solid foundation for a legally binding treaty in South Africa next year.