Brussels, 28/09/2009 (Agence Europe) - The Pittsburgh summit, the focus of all expectations, closed last weekend without having made the slightest bit of progress on the issue of funding the global fight against climate change, even though this is a vital issue in UN climate negotiations, which resumed in Bangkok this Monday. As regards the European Union, which had hoped for acceptance of the idea of an urgent mobilisation of financial resources on the part of the industrialised countries to help the developing countries to meet the climate challenges of 2010 to 2012 before the global agreement to be concluded in Copenhagen next December (COP15, 7-18 December) enters into force, to say that the Pittsburgh G20 was a disappointment would be an understatement. The final declaration painstakingly avoids talking big bucks and does no more than skim over the issue of funding in highly general terms.
Commenting on these very disappointing results, President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso stated that in order to succeed in the long turn, the fight against the financial and economic crisis in the world must not cause deadlock in the fight against climate change and the completion of the Doha Round at the WTO. "We will only achieve a full and sustainable recovery if we also tackle climate change and kick-start trade. This is a test of credibility for the G20 - failure is not an option. I do not hide my concern at the slow rate of progress. Negotiations cannot be an open-ended process. It is time to get serious and now, not later", Mr Barroso warned in a press release published on Friday 25 September.
In their final declaration, the leaders of the world's 20 richest economies went over no new ground in their reference to the objective of keeping the increase in the average temperature on the surface of the planet at below 2°C, in which they were supported by the Major Economies Forum of L'Aquila (in July). They reaffirm the "objectives, provisions and principles of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), including common and differentiated responsibilities" and state their willingness to work towards an agreement in Copenhagen.
This agreement must include "mitigation, adaptation, technology and financing", they specify, giving a mandate to the foreign ministers to put to them "a range of possible financing options" at their next meeting. This could take place before the Copenhagen conference, as proposed by the American president, Barack Obama. (A.N./transl.fl)