COP21: New Climate Draft Unveiled; Activists Say Not Good Enough

A new, shorter draft incorporating many key issues raised by India like “sustainable lifestyle” was unveiled at COP21

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius presents the latest version of the draft at the UN climate summit in Paris. (Photo: Reuters)

A new, shorter draft, incorporating many key issues raised by India, was unveiled after intense negotiations, as the crucial climate change conference enters into the final stretch of talks.

The 27-page draft, two pages shorter than a previous one, was released yesterday after two days of ministerial consultations and incorporates major progress as well as differences. The draft presented by French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius includes key issues that India has raised like “sustainable lifestyle”, principles based on equity and common but differentiated responsibilities as is there in the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC).

On the eve of the stated end of our conference, we can move to a decisive step to reach a final agreement. I am submitting a new draft to you (nations),” Fabius said. “I would like you (nations) to look at the document in a new perspective with the final agreement in mind. We want an agreement. We are extremely close to the finishing line. Is time to come to an agreement.

<b>Laurent Fabius, </b><b>French Foreign Minister</b>

However various environmental groups said that the draft “is not good enough” and the clock is ticking as ministers need to resolve the final outstanding issues. The fresh draft negotiating text is now under deliberation by the ministers to reach a UN accord to curb green house gas emissions.

It’s a very big problem that the emissions targets on the table will not keep us below 1.5 degrees of warming and this draft deal does absolutely nothing to change that. Right now we’re witnessing a display of international impotence. This text should say that countries have to come back soon with better numbers but instead it kicks that can down the road, saying we’ll sort it in ten or fifteen years. That’s too late, they’re closing the door on our best chance to dodge dangerous warming.

<b>Martin Kaiser, Greenpeace</b>

Participants contribute coins into a piggy bank during the World Climate Change Conference 2015. (Photo: Reuters)

The draft was circulated to nations at one of the session that was convened late in the night. Nations are presently having hectic parleys to sort out the key issues.

The document is slightly shorter. There are some brackets. Some complex issues still remain like finance, differentiation and ambition which needs to be discussed in the coming hours.

<b>Laurent Fabius, </b><b>French Foreign Minister</b>

Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Barack Obama spoke over the phone on Friday. China’s state media reported Xi as telling Obama that the two countries should step up efforts to reach a climate change deal as scheduled.

Various observers maintained that although the new draft negotiating text showed considerable progress on key elements, there is still a lot of work which is left and despite hectic parleys, consensus could only be reached on the final deal till tomorrow morning.

India has earlier attacked the developed countries for adopting “extravagant” lifestyles compared to its “need based consumption” and has been asserting that that only “sustainable” lifestyles can mitigate the climate change challenge. Sources in the Indian government said that although many issues raised by the country have found a place, there are still some issues that needed to be worked out.

Terming yesterday’s meeting as an “important” one, Fabius said that each party was able to express its opinion about the draft and the interventions were useful to clarify the detail of the text. Fabius said that on the basis of the progress made he would be able to present the proposal for a final text.