Lima Climate Change Talks Reach Agreement

Finally. International negotiators at the Lima climate change talks managed to reach an agreement on Sunday. There will now be a plan to fight global warming that would for the first time commit all countries to cutting their greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Participating countries went through tough rounds of tumultuous negotiations – which overran by two days, by the way – but generally, they should be satisfied with the outcome. In other words, it fundamentally accomplished what the world supposedly hoped for.

 

While we rejoice – we must acknowledge that the countries had put off the most difficult decisions for later.

 

And with 2014 on course to be the hottest year on record, climate campaigners warned the plan was far too weak to limit warming to the internationally agreed limit of 2C above pre-industrial levels, or to protect poor countries from climate change.

 

Still, it is a good start. As sketched out in Lima, Peru, all countries, rising economies as well as rich economies would pledge action. Wealthy countries would help developing countries fight climate change, by investing in clean energy technology or offering climate aid.

 

Countries already threatened by climate change – the small island states which face being swallowed up by rising seas – were promised a “loss and damage” program of financial support.

 

The all-inclusive nature of the emissions cuts constitutes a break with one of the defining principles of the last 20 years of climate talks – that well-to-do nations should shoulder the burden of cutting carbon dioxide emissions.

 

“I think for the first time ever the world can contemplate a global deal applicable to all and Lima has helped that process,” the UK’s energy and climate change secretary, Ed Davey, said.

 

But much remains to be done if the broad outlines agreed in Peru are to materialize into a full-fledged climate deal. For this planet's sake, we must remain optimistic.

 

Last evening, I was in KL’s 3rd Mile Square which is along Jalan Kelang Lama to deliver CC speech #9 (titled “I Can Dream”) at the Money & You Toastmasters Club meeting. I thought it was an interesting if not intriguing speech; anyway I was evaluated by CP Lau.