A little less or more Hopenhagen!

When I reported yesterday that the Chinese, UK and US delegations were publicly criticising each others proposals, Xie Zhenhua, the head of China's delegation and deputy chairman of the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) had not given his Reuters interview. It seems that my comments yesterday were somewhat understated. 

China has reconfirmed that they would only deem acceptable those commitments of developed countries of no less than 40% reductions on 1990 levels by 2020. When we compare this to the 17% reduction offered by the US on 2005 levels by 2020, it’s fair to say that there are many miles between the two countries.

It is not only China that is holding the US to ransom.  The EU has always stated that they would increase their commitment from 20% to 30%, if other developed countries adopted ‘comparable’ targets. Is 17% ‘comparable’? That remains to be seen.

Where progress has been made is with regard to the CDM and proposed reform. For Pre 2012, a draft text has already been produced which provides some key actions for the EB, but unfortunately with no clear deadlines.  The text proposes: to remove the power to review projects from the board and give it to another body, (possibly the secretariat); an appeals system; a protection for project developers should their auditors become suspended; and the inclusion of avoided deforestation. For post 2012 many countries have voiced their desires to see Carbon Capture and Storage within the CDM, positive discussions have been held on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) and REDD plus, as defined by the Bali Action Plan as ‘Policy approaches and positive incentives on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries; and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries’.

Yet again the day progressed through some lows and some highs.

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