[A2k] TWN Bali Update: FINAL HOURS OF DRAMA THAT LED TO THE BALI DECISION

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Title : TWN Bali News Update No. 19
 Date : 19 December 2007

 Contents:
TWN BALI NEWS UPDATE NO. 19

16 December 2007
Published by Third World Network
www.twnside.org.sg

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FINAL HOURS OF DRAMA THAT LED TO THE BALI DECISION

Nusa Dua, Bali, 16 Dec (Hira Jhamtani and Meena Raman) -- The UN Climate
Conference has ended but the participants - government officials and NGOs
alike - are still recounting the dramatic events of the last night and day.

The conference was to have ended on Friday afternoon, but there was no
agreement on many sticking points. Consultations in at least two groups
stretched on to the early hours of Saturday morning.

At 2.30 a., m. the consultations on the text level was completed but with
one issue still not resolved, i. e. on mitigation action in developing
countries. Before that countries took a long time to resolve the preambular
text particularly on whether to put figures on the percentage of Greenhouse
gas emission cut (24-40% by 2020) and how to address the IPCC fourth
Assessment Report (AR4).

In the end figures were not cited, but the AR4 was referred to in the
preamble. The text says countries decide to "launch a comprehensive process
to develop an agreement to enable full, effective and sustained
implementation of the Convention through agreed long-term cooperative
action, now, through, and beyond 2012".

The process would address a shared vision on long-term global goal for
emission reduction, enhanced national and international action on
mitigation, enhanced action on adaptation, technology development and
transfer, and provision of financial resources.

The sticking point was on mitigation for developing countries contained in
paragraph 1b (ii) which before compromise reads:

(b) Enhanced national/international action on mitigation of climate change,
including, inter alia, consideration of
 (ii) Measurable and reportable nationally appropriate mitigation actions by
developing country Parties in the context of sustainable development,
supported by technology and enabled by financing and capacity building.

The G77 and China found this difficult to accept and after discussion the
agreement was to have two alternative language:

(ii) [Measurable and reportable nationally appropriate mitigation
[actions/commitments] by developing country Parties in the context of
sustainable development, supported by technology and enabled by financing
and capacity building; OR

(ii) [Nationally appropriate mitigation actions by developing country
Parties, in the context of sustainable development supported and enabled by
technology, financing and capacity building, in a measurable, reportable and
verifiable manner].

After another long discussion the agreement in the meeting room seemed to be
to seek the agreement of the COP in the plenary. Thus, the original text was
to be bracketed in the Draft decision and the G77 and China would propose
the alternative texts. The alternative texts were typed and given to the
secretariat to be incorporated in the draft decision.

However, when delegates finally were given the draft decision, there was no
bracket on this particular text. Not willing to jeopardize the process, some
countries asked for a discussion with the Indonesian Foreign Affairs
Minister, Hassan Wirayudha, who was chairing the informal consultations
among ministers. Wirayudha convened a consultation with some G77 and China
ministers in which a secretariat staff was present.

While consultations with Wirayudha were on- going, the plenary was convened
at 9 a. m. After making decisions on logistical and organizational issues,
the President, Rachmat Witoelar, Indonesian minister of environment, turned
to the draft decision on the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative
Action under the Convention.

He asked that parties adopt the draft decision on which delegates have
worked on for three days and had reached a general agreement. Portugal,
speaking on behalf of the EU supported the text as it was.

India, speaking on behalf of G77 and China, said that they had a text for
1b(ii) that was agreed during the early morning hours and would like to put
that forward. To this the President asked that for the interest of all
parties, the text be adopted as it is.

China then raised a procedural issue. China said that their head of
delegation and heads of delegation from some other G77 and China countries
were currently in consultation with the Indonesian foreign affairs minister
exactly on the said paragraph. He asked the meeting be adjourned until the
consultation was concluded.

The President suspended the meeting and reconvened it at around 11 a. m. He
reiterated that the text is balanced and asked the meeting to adopt it.

India said its Minister who wanted to make a statement was outside the hall
involved in consultations.

China said the foreign minister of Indonesia was still convening countries
concerned in consultations. In terms of procedural matters, this moment is
not an appropriate time to discuss the draft Decision. It hoped the
President could wait until the conclusion of consultations. This was not a
matter of a few minutes.

China said the G77 was meeting with the foreign minister. It sought
clarification why this meeting was being convened now when the Foreign
Minister is meeting with the G77. It said the Secretariat did this
intentionally. It added that "this secretariat is our secretariat" and this
should not be done and the secretariat should apologise.

Pakistan, which coordinates the G77, said it was strange that for the second
time the plenary was convened while negotiations were still going on. It
asked the President to suspend the session until consultations with
Wirayudha were concluded. The President then suspended the session.

The session resumed at about 1 pm when the President of Indonesia Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon came into the
plenary room. The COP President, Witoelar, said that this is a large and
important conference and that we are exceeding the time. There are many
items on the agenda and there are bound to be some oversights and complains
about procedures and misunderstandings. He proceeded to apologise to
delegates for these.

Yudhoyono reminded delegates that given the urgency of the climate change
issue, there must be a breakthrough in the Bali meeting. The Bali Roadmap is
on the verge and wordings must be chosen carefully. The worst thing to
happen, according to Yudhoyono is for the meeting to crumble because we
cannot find the right wording.

The world is watching and we must do our moral obligation. We cannot and
must not fail. Two things will make or break, he said. And that are spirit
of cooperation and strong commitment with flexibility. He ended by begging
delegates not to let the world down, for which he receive a standing
ovation.

Ban said he was disappointed at the lack of progress. Now, the hour is late
and it is time to decide. He appreciated the hard work done, but the work is
not yet done.

"I appeal to you to make the necessary agreement now. Do not lose what you
have achieved so far. Scientific reality demands a high level ambition. Much
is at stake."

After the two men left, China said it is much to our regret that it had to
raise points of order during the morning and afternoon meetings. This
requires an explanation. It wished to clarify if it can ask the executive
secretary or the secretariat to clarify why there had to be two speeches
made on points of order.

The executive secretary of the UNFCCC Yvo de Boer then explained, in an
emotional voice, that when the plenary convened this morning, the
secretariat was not aware that a parallel meeting was taking place and that
the text was negotiated elsewhere. He then walked out of the hall in tears.

India then proposed to amend paragraph 1b (ii) by placing the words
"measurable, reportable and verifiable" at the end of the sentence instead
of the start.

The EU supported India. Bangladesh wished to add "according to national
circumstances" to the sentence but in the spirit of consensus would not
insist on the change provided it was a common understanding that the meaning
of the term was accepted.

The United States said that, on mitigation, it came with hope that we could
have a strong statement on our responsibilities and to recognize differences
in national circumstances. Unfortunately many leaders of developing
countries have strong statements but these were not reflected in the text.
It could not accept the formulation put forward and asked for finding the
right balance. The US was booed by the participants at this point.

South Africa responding to the US said its reference to developing countries
not accepting their responsibilities is most unwelcome. As a matter of fact,
we are willing to commit on basis that it requires a compromise. The
commitments of developing countries in the text goes further than what is
required of them in the Convention. Saying that they are willing to
undertake "measurable, reportable, verifiable commitments" had never
happened before. It requested the US to reconsider its statement.

Mali, Brazil, Indonesia, Tuvalu, Pakistan, Uganda and others spoke in favour
of the Indian amendment and for adopting the text.

Then Papua New Guinea delegate said that the world is watching. There is an
old saying in his country that if a person is not willing to lead he should
get out of the way. He told the United States: "We seek your leadership, but
if you cannot provide it, leave it to the rest of us and get out of the
way."

The US delegate then said she had listened to the many speakers. She was
heartened by the comments by developing countries. "We came to Bali to go
forward with a new framework. We want a road map. We are committed to this
effort. We will all act together. We will join the consensus."

This was welcomed by the participants with loud cheers. After many more
speeches, the Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC came to a close.

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www.twnside.org.sg; twnet@po.jaring.my


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