Equity watch

Criticism is not just limited to the contents of the advance text but the process adopted by the AWG-LCA Chair. In the last two weeks no real negotiations have taken place in the LCA. Chair had framed questions and asked the Parties to come up with their responses. Based on that she has prepared this non-paper. In the Plenary many developing countries criticized this process and said that they were not negotiating with the Chair but with Parties. They argued that such huge changes in the text cannot be done by the Chair by making her own interpretations of what the Parties submitted.

Now, what exactly are the problems with the advance draft LCA non-paper.

1. The text is heavily biased and reflects the US and EU positions while submissions by G-77 and China and developing country Parties have been ignored. In fact some of their submission which were there earlier in the first version which came in May have been completely deleted.

2. Various controversial paragraphs have been inserted and that too without brackets as if there is consensus on them when there is none.

3. On MRV most of the focus is on developing countries with little on developed country Parties.

4. There is nothing on unilateral trade measures. India with 15 other countries had made a submission against unilateral trade measure but it is completely missing from the text.

5. Some forward movement on finance but the text does not specify where the money would come from.

6. Para 13 of the text reads: “Developed country Parties commit to implement individually or jointly the quantified economy-wide emissions targets for 2020, to be submitted by these Parties in the format given in Appendix I; Annex I Parties that are Party to the Kyoto Protocol will thereby further strengthen the emissions reduction initiated by the Kyoto Protocol”. This language seems to imply as if KP was a thing of the past and no more exists. In fact the text is written in a manner which implies as if the two tracks have been merged and thereby implying that the KP does not exist anymore.

7. There is unbracketed reference to all Parties peaking in the year 2020. There has been no agreement ever on a peaking year. This further implies that since all countries need to peak by 2020, not only the developed but developing countries will also take legally-binding reduction targets.

Closing plenary of the AWG-LCA turned into a show of strong protest with developing countries, one after another taking the floor to register their disapproval of the advance draft text put forward by the LCA Chair. This is what some of them said:

India: Text has glaring omissions which affects its balance. New unbracketed paragraphs have appeared giving an impression as if there is agreement on them. Complete absence of reference to equity and burden sharing principles as a part of the shared vision. Gives an impression that the two-track process has been abandoned. Blurring the distinction between actions of Annex I countries and voluntary actions of non-Annex I countries. Text completely silent on unilateral trade measures. Seek its inclusion.

China: Progress of negotiations not decided by Chair but by Parties. Chair only a facilitator. These are negotiations among Parties not a dialogue or negotiation with the Chair. The text deviates from the principle of the Convention and the Bali Road Map. Affects the continuation of the KP. You did not consult with Parties and deleted these references from the text.

Saudi Arabia: Great dismay. Problem in you kitchen. You present us with a meal which we cannot eat. You are getting closer to one team. If it is a new negotiation and we want to throw the Convention away then let us start fresh with a new mandate. You selectively unbracketed some of the text as if it was agreed but we all know they are not. Please do not join those who want to kill KP.

Say that the text contains the versions of only US and EU and reads as if it has been written by the EU

Since early morning today the Maritim was buzzing with hectic activity as the advance draft text from the Chair of the AWG-LCA was released last night. The developing countries were clearly dismayed with the text which they said was heavily tilted in favour of the developed countries. The G-77 and China had a marathon two and a half hour meeting to discuss their common response to the draft text. Initially there were rumors that the group might outrightly reject the text as was done by the Bolivia in the morning. But soon it became clear that the group would register its protest and concerns about the text in the plenary of the AWG-LCA. 

Meanwhile plenaries of both AWG-LCA and AWG-KP were being held up. Pleanry of AWG-KP was suspended as Japan held up the meeting saying that the progress in both AWG’s need to be simultaneous. The suspension was also holding up the plenary of AWG-LCA. After 2PM both the plenaries finally resumed. 

Yemen took the floor on behalf of G-77 and China and it was evident that the developing countries were angry with the draft text. “The group is dismayed that the advance draft text is imbalanced,” Yemen said. He urged the Chair to correct the balance and said that the proposal made by the G77 and China, over the last two weeks have been removed from the text. He reaffirmed the centrality of the Framework Convention and said that the process needs to be open, party-driven and transparent. Spain then took the floor on behalf of the EU and also expressed concerns with the text though of entirely different nature. They said that they were more and more frustrated that no progress or even preliminary discussions were allowed on the commitments of all developed countries (mainly the US which is not there in the KP) and mitigation actions of the developing countries. He said that there was clear imbalance in work done in AWG-LCA and AWG-KP. 

Democratic Republic of Congo, speaking on behalf of African group, associated with the statements of G-77 and China and said they saw the text as unbalanced which accommodates views of certain Parties while ignoring those of other Parties made during the last 2 weeks. They identified MRV, equity and comparability issues where they felt their submissions were not considered. They said that there initial observation was that the text was unbalanced. 

The plenary was suspended after flutter in the meeting over availability of translators. The translators had to take their 90 minute break so the Chair suggested that they continue in English as everyone wanted to finish by to catch the opening match of FIFA football world cup. But Russia and China raised a point of order saying that the issues being discussed were far important to continue without translators. Cuba said that they regretted that an official meeting being treated as informal meeting. Finally it was decided that the translators will halve there break and plenary will reconvene at 3:30 Pm Bonn time which about 5 minutes from now. 

More on the exact problems with advance draft text later.

Bolivia just did a press conference. Have rejected the new text.