Mixed Results from the Tianjin Meeting

Mixed Results from the Tianjin Meeting

The Tianjin Meeting on climate change was held from October 4 to 9.

THE 14th session of the AWG-KP (Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol) and the 12th session of the AWG-LCA (Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-Term Cooperative Action) took place from October 4 to 9, 2010 in Tianjin. The participants representatives of both national governments and non-governmental organizations hailed the positive results of their talks, at the same time acknowledging wide divergence on some important issues.

Chinese Sincerity Evident

The Tianjin Meeting was the last formal negotiation prior to the Cancun Conference in Mexico and also the first such meeting hosted by China under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (Convention).

The meeting was a further opportunity for the two working groups AWG-KP and AWG-LCA to negotiate, entrench the paramount status of the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol (Protocol), and to propel the dual-track negotiation process established by the Bali Roadmap. China, demonstrating full sincerity in the process, was hopeful that the Tianjin gathering could nudge the upcoming Cancun Conference toward a comprehensive, balanced outcome.

On the closing day Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, told the media of a growing convergence in the negotiations that Cancun could deliver a balanced package of decisions that define the pillars of action to address climate change. She said the emphasis of the Tianjin Meeting was to prepare documents and key topics for the Cancun Conference, which would discuss and make decisions accordingly.

Su Wei, head of the Chinese delegation and chief of the Response to Climate Change Department of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), believed the Tianjin Meeting achieved its expected goals. He said the two working groups held fruitful talks within the schedule, and made headway in narrowing disagreements and expanding common ground.

Progress on the Funding Issue

According to the Convention and the Protocol, the developed nations are obliged to provide developing countries with financial help and technology transfer for mitigating and adapting to climate change. These two elements are critical for building the capability of developing countries to respond to climate change.