-Conservation International
The “Copenhagen Accord”, while providing hope for the future, has not adequately addressed issues such as deforestation and adaptation and has failed to create a legally binding framework for nations to address climate change, Conservation International (CI) says.
In a press release, Head of CI’s Copenhagen delegation Dr Fred Boltz noted that it is important that the US, China and all major economies are properly engaged in solving the climate crisis, and as such the Copenhagen Accord is important. “But it does not create a legally binding global framework to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions, and time is running out”, he stated.
Conservation International has been engaged in several forestry-related programmes in Guyana including the establishing of protected areas.
Identifying the positives of the Summit, Conservation International said that it represented “a step forward” since it saw several unprecedented agreements being made.
These include efforts to stabilize the global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius, to provide long-term finance, to ensure transparent reporting and a prompt start for developing country action.
Conservation International, in the release, noted that the accord has been created as a pragmatic attempt to play a “long game” in which key players, such as the US, China, India and Brazil, are properly engaged. “However, the inherent risk in taking this long-term approach to achieving a solution is that every passing day, month and year where industrial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and deforestation continue at their current pace exacerbates climate change and its impacts-and will make solutions to the problem more costly and painful”, the release said.
The body noted its disappointment that “REDD+-the mechanism for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation- which had broad support from most nations, was not formally codified at COP15.” “The recognition in Copenhagen that REDD+ is essential to effectively mitigate climate change quickly and cost-effectively, and a pledge of immediate financing to begin its implementation are both critical steps, but greater achievements on REDD+ were within reach and were not achieved-these must be secured. “ Guyana had been hoping for a big move on REDD+.
CI hailed the creation of the US$30 billion Fund to tackle climate change over the next three years as an important move, but added that “the amount is woefully inadequate to meet the needs and commitments of developing countries to tackling both the reduction of emissions and adaptation to climate change.
The organization urged the rest of the world to respond at a scale to the concerns of climate change and echoed the ambitions of nations such as Peru and Brazil. Peru has pledged to end deforestation by 2020. Brazil, meanwhile, has been reducing deforestation, setting ambitious mitigation goals and financing global efforts. CI noted.
