Reports from Bali
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| Louisville Climate Action Network |
Art Williams, the director of Louisville's Air Pollution Control
District, is in Bali, Indonesia, representing the National
Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA) at the United
Nations conference for constructing efforts to build upon the
Kyoto Protocol. Read Art's sixth and final report below:
District, is in Bali, Indonesia, representing the National
Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA) at the United
Nations conference for constructing efforts to build upon the
Kyoto Protocol. Read Art's sixth and final report below:
Saturday, December 15, 2007. Bali, Indonesia.
A dramatic wrap up to the Conference has just occurred.
After negotiations into the early morning hours, the President of the Conference
of the Parties reconvened an extra inning, sudden death overtime session
beginning at 8am this morning. But, it soon became clear there was still sufficient
opposition from the US to block consensus (the desired outcome). So, the plenary
was suspended for even more closed door negotiations.
We also witnessed one of the most dramatic turns I've seen at these
conferences. It turned out the Secretariat had undertaken some negotiations
without the President's knowledge--a real diplomatic no-no. When it came to light,
China forced the fact into the open and caused the Executive Secretary to admit
to it in front of the Conference; he broke down sobbing several times as he did so
and quickly left the dais and the Plenary. (Later, all was forgiven; he returned and
the President shook his hand to a standing ovation from the delegates.)
So, at the start of the reconvened session about 1pm the US, to resounding boos,
announced it would not agree to the proposed compromise. This compromise was
hammered out in the G77/China group, which is the lead group for the developing
countries. The core of this proposal was a first time agreement by the developing
countries to accept language to undertake "measurable, reportable and verifiable
mitigation" of greenhouse gas emissions.
The US had the audacity to upbraid the developing countries for not being willing
to agree to "tangible and specific" reduction goals. Keep in mind that they were
exactly what the US has been refusing to do. So, not surprisingly, as articulated
most strongly by South Africa, the US was upbraided in the strongest possible
terms (by diplomatic standards). Similar speeches--all US bashing--went on for
about an hour and a half.
Then, in a hoped for but not necessarily expected dramatic turn of events, the US
announced that it was withdrawing its objection and would join in to support the
proposed compromise language. This was met by a raucous and sustained standing
ovation. Substantial praise for the US's change of position then began flowing like
fine Balinese Bingtang beer. And with a few more loose ends being wrapped up,
the final agreements were accepted by consensus and President Witoelar (the
Indonesian Environment Minister) gavelled the agreements to be adopted by
acclimation and adjourned the Conference of the Parties at 3:21pm.
It's much too early to say what the commentators and pundits will make of these
closing gambits and outcomes comprising what is now officially referred to as the
Bali Roadmap (to the Conference of the Parties (COP) 15 to be held in Copenhagen
in 2009. (There is COP 14 next year in Poland, but it's not perceived to be as
critical as was this meeting)
But, in general, I expect victory will be declared, with all parties noting that no
one obtained everything they wanted and that everyone gave up more than they
wanted. The US did agree to some language effectively endorsing the views of
the IPCC that 25-40% reductions by 2020 seem to be necessary. So, while it
didn't agree to those specific reductions there's just one degree of separation
from that position.
And, the developing countries took a step closer to agreeing to specific
reductions. This step was (greatly?) facilitated by the developed countries,
including the US, advancing progress on the other three key issue areas:
and financing) was work on deforestation (basically, the developed countries paying
the developing countries to preserve rainforests).
So, that's it. Now, it's time to begin the trek back home to continue efforts in
the US, and in my state and city, to do the necessary work to fulfill the
obligations we have to do our part to address this most important issue.
Art Williams
A dramatic wrap up to the Conference has just occurred.
After negotiations into the early morning hours, the President of the Conference
of the Parties reconvened an extra inning, sudden death overtime session
beginning at 8am this morning. But, it soon became clear there was still sufficient
opposition from the US to block consensus (the desired outcome). So, the plenary
was suspended for even more closed door negotiations.
We also witnessed one of the most dramatic turns I've seen at these
conferences. It turned out the Secretariat had undertaken some negotiations
without the President's knowledge--a real diplomatic no-no. When it came to light,
China forced the fact into the open and caused the Executive Secretary to admit
to it in front of the Conference; he broke down sobbing several times as he did so
and quickly left the dais and the Plenary. (Later, all was forgiven; he returned and
the President shook his hand to a standing ovation from the delegates.)
So, at the start of the reconvened session about 1pm the US, to resounding boos,
announced it would not agree to the proposed compromise. This compromise was
hammered out in the G77/China group, which is the lead group for the developing
countries. The core of this proposal was a first time agreement by the developing
countries to accept language to undertake "measurable, reportable and verifiable
mitigation" of greenhouse gas emissions.
The US had the audacity to upbraid the developing countries for not being willing
to agree to "tangible and specific" reduction goals. Keep in mind that they were
exactly what the US has been refusing to do. So, not surprisingly, as articulated
most strongly by South Africa, the US was upbraided in the strongest possible
terms (by diplomatic standards). Similar speeches--all US bashing--went on for
about an hour and a half.
Then, in a hoped for but not necessarily expected dramatic turn of events, the US
announced that it was withdrawing its objection and would join in to support the
proposed compromise language. This was met by a raucous and sustained standing
ovation. Substantial praise for the US's change of position then began flowing like
fine Balinese Bingtang beer. And with a few more loose ends being wrapped up,
the final agreements were accepted by consensus and President Witoelar (the
Indonesian Environment Minister) gavelled the agreements to be adopted by
acclimation and adjourned the Conference of the Parties at 3:21pm.
It's much too early to say what the commentators and pundits will make of these
closing gambits and outcomes comprising what is now officially referred to as the
Bali Roadmap (to the Conference of the Parties (COP) 15 to be held in Copenhagen
in 2009. (There is COP 14 next year in Poland, but it's not perceived to be as
critical as was this meeting)
But, in general, I expect victory will be declared, with all parties noting that no
one obtained everything they wanted and that everyone gave up more than they
wanted. The US did agree to some language effectively endorsing the views of
the IPCC that 25-40% reductions by 2020 seem to be necessary. So, while it
didn't agree to those specific reductions there's just one degree of separation
from that position.
And, the developing countries took a step closer to agreeing to specific
reductions. This step was (greatly?) facilitated by the developed countries,
including the US, advancing progress on the other three key issue areas:
- the creation and funding of an Adaptation Fund
- clearer paths and support for transferring technology from developed to
developing countries - general financing of the other various mechanisms and processes.
and financing) was work on deforestation (basically, the developed countries paying
the developing countries to preserve rainforests).
So, that's it. Now, it's time to begin the trek back home to continue efforts in
the US, and in my state and city, to do the necessary work to fulfill the
obligations we have to do our part to address this most important issue.
Art Williams
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