Climate Change » CoP18/Doha

Indrajit Bose, Doha
 
December 8: 7.40PM
US does a Kyoto again. It rejects the idea of equity by refusing to associate itself to any new agreement that is under the Convention.  
 
December 8: 7.10PM  
Russia outrightly rejects proposal. G77 and China, BASIC groups support Doha outcome. Despite Russia's continued protests against the President's decision, President says "it was my sense that the decision reflects the will of party as a whole to resolve Doha". 
 
December 8: 6:58PM 
Russia challenges the gavelling and the US says it rejects certain parts of the decision.
 
December 8: 6:46PM
Doha gateway adopted. Resounding applause. All in a flash. No arguments. 
 
December 8: 6:40PM
Delegates leaving. Journalists leaving. Air of frustration around because no one has clarity on what's exactly happening at the moment. Looks like LCA will begin before KP. First, an informal to adopt package and then move to the COP.
 
December 8: 5:45PM 
Russia blocks adoption of KP amendment over AAUS. Groups huddle to arrive at a compromise. No wonder CMP session has not yet started.  
 
December 8: 5:10PM 
COP18 has experienced its share of arm-twisting tactics. Who will the AOSIS support? Who will LDCs side with? Then there are LMDCs, and several other groups in addition to the Umbrella group comprising a few developed countries. Where will compromise be struck? Or, has it, already? How come no objections were raised in the informal plenary? We'll find out.  
 
December 8: 4:50PM
KP about to begin. Plenary hall filled with people broken into groups of twos, threes, fives animatedly discussing what to expect. A common question seems to be whether Poland will block within EU on AAUs...
 
December 8: 2:50PM
Informal Plenary begins. No objections raised to the text in the informal plenary. On to CMP now to debate KP.  
 
December 8: 1:46PM
The buzz in the corridors: Plenary may not begin before 4pm. Too many Parties unhappy with the new text. Text might be reopened. 
 
December 8: 12.35PM
No news of plenary yet. Parties still engaged in closed-door discussions. This may be the lull before the storm. 
 
December 8: 11.11AM
Ninety minutes long over. Still no sign of informal plenary. Closed-door meetings happening among countries and groups.  
 
December 8: 8.25AM
COP President introduces new text. Gives 90 minutes to Parties to review text and meet again. 
 
December 8: 3.55AM
News in the corridor: US and other developed countries propose to junk all unresolved issues under the current LCA draft text. They have gone back to their stand of day one, junking the past 12 days of negotiations. This may derail Doha talks. Everyone shocked at this development. Plenary at 7.30AM
 
December 8: 2.40AM
Press and youth form a long chain and assemble along the corridors of the Qatar National Convention Centre. They shout: “If not now, when? If not us, who? If not here, where?” 
 
December 8: 2:30AM
Ministerial meetings in progress. BASIC doing a huddle. They fear that talks could collapse given issues stand unresolved. Loss and damage debate getting ugly with the US sticking to its stand that there can be no international mechanism for loss and damage. “It’s absolutely critical for AOSIS and LDCs that an international mechanism on loss and damage be established. But US is strictly opposed to it,” says Harjeet Singh of Action Aid International.
 
December 8: 12.21AM
India commended by observer organisations for taking a principled stand in the Doha climate talks. India has continued to show immense strength despite pressure.
 
December 7: 11.45PM
ADP draft text sent to the COP after a two-and-a-half hour heated debate between developed and developing countries. Umbrella group opposed reference to the Rio declaration in the drafts text. The reference now goes as brackets, to be taken up in the COP closing plenary. 

December 7: 6.45pm (COP President’s stocktaking)
COP President: Ministers, we need you. Let's complete negotiations tonight. AWG LCA has closed since we last met. However, majority of parties want ministerial intervention. I have identified ministers from Singapore and Germany who will assist me in consulting these issues. The co-chair of AWG LCA will also assist us.
AWG-KP; CMP
: We are working with a new text. We will present it tonight. 
AWG-ADP
: We are consulting with parties. We will submit the proposals to in the closing plenary.
Loss and Damage: 
We have revised compromise text, but as a way forward, we'd hold a ministerial. 
Finance
: We are currently revising text. It will be out at 8.30pm. We will convene consultations at 9pm.
President: 
The next high-level stocktaking will be held at 11pm.