18 December - The day of reckoning…

Environment

18.12.2009

by Florin Orban and Jan Simmen

Dossier index

Copenhagen 2009

As the deadline in Copenhagen looms, last-ditch attempts are underway to reach some kind of climate change agreement. But as our two correspondents report, the atmosphere in the Danish capital is now pretty bleak.

Christmas shopping…

By Florin Orban

In just a few hours we will know if the Copenhagen Summit has failed or if the world leaders will manage to hammer out some sort of agreement.

Last night about 26 state and government leaders met behind the closed doors in order to draw a draft of a political agreement which should be submitted today to the Summit.

President Obama has just arrived in Copenhagen, showing there is still a little hope that something still can be done to reach a global compromise. He is scheduled to hold a private meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. Together, the two leaders will try to overcome some of the main differences between the two states, one of the main stumbling blocks to achieving a global agreement here, in Copenhagen

The Copenhagen Summit today faces a last-ditch attempt to produce some results. But it appears this is just a theoretical probability, rather than a realistic one. In theory, until the COP15 is officially closes, there is still a tiny possibility that world leaders still can agree on everything. In reality, everyone knows they will not…

Most of the delegates, here, at the Bella Centre, are aware of this. In fact, despite the general optimism during the first days of the conference, most of them pretty quickly realized that the best they could hope for in Copenhagen was a spot of Christmas shopping. But, of course, they will only tell you that when speaking off the record…

… while island states drown

By Jan Simmen

COP15: The final day

Photo: Florin Orban

A number of world leaders took over last night’s negotiations, after the Danish presidency's leadership failed to produce results. The outcome of allnighter is a document. A document which forms a basis for negotiations. The document says that we will try to limit global warming to two degrees. It sounds nice, but in effect it is actually a death sentence for small island states. Island states like the Maldives.

But the country where the summit is being held, Denmark, is also characterized by its low coastline and plenty of water. But they are not so worried here, despite the fact that already every year the sea eats away at the foundations of several houses.

Two degrees of additional warming, according to the UN's own scenarios, mean that the climate will be markedly changed. Two degrees is an average. So it will mean a sharp warming of Greenland. This means much less ice, and thus more water. The Nepalese ambassador, who has previously spoken to Euranet, told us about the water shortages in his country, which are already causing hunger and death in areas of his mountain kingdom. This will get worse, if COP 15 accepts the two degree limit.

However, two degrees is far better than three degrees of warming, which yesterday was the plan. And this is what the politicians might agree on.

Another thing how these targets are going to be implemented. As the world-renowned climate expert and journalist George Monbiot said it is as far from certain whether setting a goal of two degrees will actually produce this. It could well end up only existing on paper.