Wisdom Mdzungairi
8 December 2011
Africa is furious over the collapse of negotiations to save the troubled Kyoto Protocol without an appropriate replacement to the ‘legally’ binding document that could lift the continent from its quagmire following reproach by developed countries.
The 54-member African Group of negotiators said its minimum expectation from the shaky COP 17 climate change talks was a second commitment period to the Kyoto Protocol as well as the establishment of the Green Climate Fund.
The group, which put forward five key demands late on Wednesday, whittled them down to two when it became apparent that the United States, Japan, Canada, the European Union and Russia’s embedded positions would not change.
Diplomatic shuttling forced Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who leads Africa’s heads of state and government panel on climate change, to prevail over the group to refocus on two major issues – obtaining a second commitment to the Kyoto Protocol and activating the Green Climate Fund .
Chief negotiator, Democratic Republic of Congo’s Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu, confirmed the meeting between Zenawi and developed nations’ envoys to find the elusive middle ground deal.
“The minimum expectation of the Africa Group is to leave here with a second commitment period to the Kyoto Protocol, one which has legally-binding dimensions, not merely political ones. For us, the Kyoto Protocol represents the framework which calls for the highest level of commitment by developed countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“To us, Kyoto will always matter, in order to keep Africa safe. We cannot throw out the baby with the bath water. We want to ensure whatever outcome from COP 17 is legally binding. We are even surprised that Japan, with its ancient history of honour, is dishonouring an agreement which carries the name of its historical capital.”
He hoped it would be possible “to get to the bottom of the complicated, very sophisticated EU process that makes it impossible for them to go into a legally-binding second commitment period”. Listing some of the impediments raised by the EU, he suggested “African minds” were needed to sort these out.
“I believe that African minds should really try to get to the bottom of this very complicated EU ratification process, which, it seems, is beyond the comprehension of everybody else, but the Europeans,” he said.
African Union Commission chairperson Jean Ping lashed out at countries resisting a second Kyoto commitment saying: “Why should we throw away an agreement that we have, in favour of something not on the table. If anything, we have to negotiate around the Kyoto Protocol. We are all for Kyoto. We are ready and prepared to hit the ground running. Let us have a legally binding document from COP 17.”
African Development Bank president Donald Kaberuka said Africa envisaged the climate fund would be set up by tomorrow, adding the “fund will not be a shell”.
“We have already put forward all that is needed for this fund. Essentially also that we can raise funds from the carbon market.”
Critics and some countries have raised doubts about the value of a second commitment period to the protocol which only binds between a third and a fifth of countries which emit gases.
On Wednesday, Canadian environment minister Peter Kent said the protocol was history for his country. Russia and Japan have taken the same position.
“The Kyoto Protocol is not where the solution lies. It is an agreement that covers fewer than 30% of global emissions. We will not take on a second commitment period… Kyoto, for Canada, is in the past,” Kent said.
But, Mpanu-Mpanu said: “We want to leave here with a fund. At this stage we don’t even have a shell.”
He attacked some countries, which he did not name, who had a vested interest in seeing the conference fail to reach key agreements.
“We should send them to the corner of the classroom,” he said.
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Africa: Continent Fumes Over Flailing Kyoto Rescue Bid