COP21 Blog Update - Day 4

Elizabeth May

 The cracks hiding behind the diplomatic veneer are rising to the surface.  In ADP developing country negotiators spoke more clearly about why it is unfair for Industrialized countries to ignore their responsibility (our responsibility) for having created the crisis of climate change. Low-lying island states argued more passionately for holding global average temperature to no more than 1.5 degrees C.  On this the European Union agrees.  Saudi Arabia does not. Canada has not spoken our position out loud in the negotiations.

We started the day with a new text. Three days of wrangling over clauses, sub-clauses and bracketed text, and we have a new draft text of 50 pages… so 4 pages shorter, but more square brackets…

The President of COP came in last night to ADP to urge a faster pace and remind negotiators of the fact the clock is ticking.  Everybody knows that, but they shrug and say, “It’s only Thursday.”

Climate negotiators are beginning to reflect global political engagement on the issue itself.  They think there is always more time, when there is not.

Canada’s youth have it right here at COP21.  Holding to 1.5 degrees is essential.  In such a weak agreement overall, we should at least set our sigts on a level of climate change that does not cause low-lying island states to disappear with our Arctic summer ice.