Bonn climate talks show lack of ambition

20 July 2011

That's the verdict after recent climate talks in Bonn, Germany.

The current agreement, the Kyoto Protocol, is the only international legal agreement requiring rich countries to cut emissions.

However many developed countries, the United States in particular, are pushing for what's being called a pledge and review system.

This would mean rich countries not taking the lead in cutting emissions.

A recent study shows that developing countries are already committed to make bigger emissions cuts.

This is hugely unfair as they didn't cause climate change but will bear the brunt of the impacts, such as flooding and drought.

Facing catastrophe

Analysis of current emission reduction pledges suggest they would lead to warming of up to 5 degrees.

This would be catastrophic and result in billions of people losing their homes and livelihoods.

A glimmer of hope

There has been some progress in recent talks however - most notably a Global Climate Fund to help developing countries deal with climate change.

But it's still unknown how much money will be in the fund.

And there are concerns that the money will come from private rather than public sources and place profit before the planet.

The World Bank has been given an important role in creating the fund, despite being the biggest funder of fossil fuel schemes such as coal power stations.

What next?

To avoid catastrophic climate change we need deep and rapid emissions cuts by rich countries, as well as support for developing countries.

At the next summit in Durban, South Africa, in December, we need to strengthen the Kyoto Protocol and tackle problems with it like carbon markets.

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