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| Chairs present two draft texts for negotiations |
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| Written by Meena Raman | |||
| Friday, 11 December 2009 00:00 | |||
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This caught most delegates by surprise because there had been no prior announcement or notice that there would be "Chair's texts" and certainly not so early in the process. The two texts were distributed by Michael Zammit Cutajar of Malta, the Chair of the Ad-hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) and John Ashe of Antigua and Barbuda, Chair of the Ad-hoc Working Group on the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP). At around 11.30 am this morning, the Chairs of the two Working Groups convened a session with Parties at an informal session, to discuss the draft texts. Several countries were said to have given their preliminary views. On the LCA text, diplomatic sources said that some countries indicated it could be the basis for further discussion on condition that the Chair's text on Kyoto Protocol also moves forward. A few countries had serious reservations, including Bolivia which questioned the mandate and process, while the US said it had not had time yet to study the text but had found problems with some of the content. The EU and Russia apparently accepted the text for further discussion but had reservations that it assumed there would be a separate decision on the Kyoto Protocol when they wanted a single agreement, according to the sources. The 7-page draft text of the Chair of the AWG-LCA states that "In the draft text, the outcome of the work of the AWG-LCA is envisaged as a package consisting of a core decision and thematic decisions further elaborating enhanced action for the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention. The Chair states that this draft of a possible core decision is presented with the intent of facilitating progress in the AWG-LCA under the Convention negotiations toward a comprehensive and balanced outcome. The draft is not intended to prejudge the results of these negotiations or the form and legal nature of the agreed outcome to be adopted by the Conference of Parties in accordance with the Bali Action Plan. In its references to the Kyoto Protocol, this draft text assumes the adoption of a second commitment period under the Protocol." The Chair's draft texts for the AWG-KP states that they are "intended to facilitate progress in the negotiations of the AWG-KP. They have been prepared under the responsibility of the Chair and should not prejudge the form of the results of the work of the AWG-KP session." The Chair also noted that "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed." Meanwhile, it is learnt that several developing countries and their groupings have also prepared draft texts of a final outcome in Copenhagen. These proposed texts include one from China, with the support of India, South Africa and Brazil; another document by the LDCs; and a text by the Africa Group in the form of a Decision of the Conference of parties; as well as a document in the form of a draft protocol by the Alliance of the Organisation of Small Island States. Some of these texts were circulated at the meeting of the G77 and China and it is learnt that there may be an effort to coordinate among these countries on how to proceed. It has also been learnt that the Danish Minister for Climate and Energy, Connie Hedegaard, who is the President of COP 15, is convening a meeting to which Environment Ministers of 50 countries have been invited. TWN Update No. 11 Copenhagen News Update 11 December 2009 Published by the Third World Network www.twnside.org.sg Like it? Share it!
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