As the UN climate summit in Bonn came to a close, Christian Aid’s International Climate Lead, Mohamed Adow, said this year’s meeting showed an encouraging appetite for action on emissions before 2020. He said:
“There was a concern that the suffering caused by 2017’s extreme weather events might be ignored here in Bonn but actually we saw appetite for more short-term emission cuts from developed countries than some expected.”
Adow added that the ratchet mechanism that made the Paris Agreement such powerful tool has now come to life.
He said: “Everyone knows the Paris Agreement pledges alone are not enough to combat climate change – they only get us to a world of three degrees.
“The ratchet mechanism that made the Paris Agreement not just a static document but a living thing that strengthens itself over time, now has a name: The Talanoa Dialogue. That mechanism has now been switched on.
“The Talanoa Dialogue is what makes the Paris Agreement tick and it’s essential that it features prominently at next year’s important summit in Poland.”
However despite that progress, COP23 still failed to deliver the financial support needed to accelerate the efforts of developing countries wanting to follow a clean energy path.
Adow said: “Developing countries don’t want to be left with the polluting fossil fuel systems of the past that drive climate change. But they need the promised financial support from richer nations to switch tracks and make the most of their clean energy resources. That finance has not been forthcoming here – but hopefully developed countries will step up and commit more of this at the summit hosted by Emmanuel Macron in Paris next month.
“This summit also saw a dividing line emerge on coal between President Trump and a clean energy alliance consisting of America’s closest neighbours and allies: the UK, Canada and Mexico. This group is on the march and will rally more members to its banner over the next year as we head towards the meeting in Poland.”
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