From today and for the next two weeks, representatives of the 195 countries that make up the United Nations Convention on Climate Change will meet in Durban, South Africa to continue negotiations on this matter, but without expectations of reaching a binding global agreement.
The Secretary of State for Climate Change of the Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs (MARM), Teresa Ribera, has indicated that the most urgent issue would be the adoption of a second period for the commitments of the Kyoto protocol. In this first agreement, which covered the years 2008-2012, the signatory countries committed to reduce five percent of their greenhouse gas emissions. To date, and about to expire the term, these commitments have not been fulfilled in practically any country.
On the other hand, some of the world’s most polluting countries did not ratify the agreement. This is the case of the US, which withdrew arguing that voluntary reductions were preferable for its technological development, or of emerging countries such as India or China, which, being considered as such, could not be asked to reduce their emissions. In that sense, the message that the European Union brings to Durban is clear: if the most polluting countries, especially China and the US, stay out of the agreement, a new international pact will not make sense.
Little hope
Ribera has been skeptical about this new appointment with the climate. “It seems difficult to think that the Durban Protocol will have new numbers (emission reduction figures). Despite the progress, these are still insufficient and it means that we continue to be in a risk zone,” he lamented. During the next few days all eyes will be on the South African city, waiting for an effective agreement to be reached in the fight against climate change.
