The spectre of the COP 15 in Copenhagen, which will be remembered for its “Accord” promoted behind closed doors by a group of countries led by the US, is looming over Cancun.

Bolivia´s UN Ambassador, Pablo Solon, didn´t waste any time and said at the opening ceremony: “We need to preserve the rule of consensus” and ensure that “groups don´t meet outside the Convention never again”. He also said: “we must avoid what happened in Copenhagen”.

At the COP 15th on Climate Change which took place in Denmark, in December, 2009, the US met with some countries behind closed doors and agreed the “Copenhagen Accord”, outside the multilateral framework of the UN. The document was then submitted to plenary, but was not included as consensus precisely because the document didn´t go through the adequate negotiating process. Anyway, the UN “took note” of the accord. In 2010, the text was sent to all countries and tens of them decided to support it. Contrary to the will of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the document does not impose legal emission reductions to industrialized countries and presents insufficient numbers in terms of climate finance, among other things.

The same concern is shared by activist Domingo Lechon, member of Otros Mundos-Friends of the Earth Mexico. The activist said in a press conference on Monday organized by the environmentalist federation Friends of the Earth that his government has said that they will ensure that the “anti-democratic” experience in Denmark is not repeated in Mexico. “But we are waiting facts”, he added.

Meanwhile, former Friends of the Earth International´s Chair, Meena Raman, member of Friends of the Earth Malaysia and the Third World Network also highlighted the concerns of the social movements. All talks must be carried out under the UN, not parallel meetings, she said.

In an interview with Real World Radio, the environmentalist said that it has been difficult after the conference in Copenhagen to reestablish trust on the process of the negotiations. She added that, to make matters worse, the US and the EU are not taking the leadership needed to tackle climate change, while Japan and Russia are directly trying to dismantle the Kyoto Protocol, the legally binding tool that establishes mandatory emission reductions for developed countries.

Raman told Real World Radio that developing countries, the most affected by the climate crisis, are extremely worried about the lack of ambition by the Northern countries, especially in terms of cutting polluting emissions. They don´t even have commitments, but promises, said the activist. She added that if the “loopholes” of the carbon markets and offsets are taken into account, the reductions promised by industrialized countries would even lead to an increase of their emissions by 6 per cent, compared to 1990 levels.

Raman also regretted that rich countries are deceiving the world population with their climate finance numbers, because they are using development aid funds and presenting them as climate funds. Finally, the activist said that demonstrations in Cancun are extremely necessary to pressure governments, in addition to the support of the Bolivian administration, which is having a very important role, she said.

Photo: Radio Mundo Real.