Unsettled by pro-coal Trump, UN climate talks wrap up

BONN: UN negotiations on how to implement the climate-rescue Paris Agreement wrap up in Bonn yesterday, after two weeks of talks unnerved by an American defence of fossil fuels, reports AFP.

President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the hard-fought global pact cast a long shadow over talks marked by revived divisions between rich and developing countries.

Key disagreements revolve around how to share out responsibilities for drawing down greenhouse gas emissions, and the money required to do so.

Not helping the mood, White House officials hosted a sideline event with energy company bosses Monday to defend the continued use of fossil fuels—coal, oil and natural gas—that emit planet-warming and climate-altering gases when burned.

Unsettled by America’s participation at the talks, delegates complained that not enough progress was made in developing a nuts-and-bolts “rulebook” for executing provisions in the Paris Agreement, which enters into force in just three years.

“I have never seen a COP with so little adrenaline,” a senior European negotiator told AFP on Friday, using the jargon for the 23rd Conference of Parties (COP 23) to the UN climate convention. The Paris Agreement, adopted to cheers and champagne in 2015, commits countries to limiting average global warming to under two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over Industrial Revolution levels, and 1.5 C if possible, to avert worst-case-scenario climate change.

Nations submitted voluntary emissions-cutting commitments to bolster the deal, championed by Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama. But scientists say current pledges place the world on course for warming of 3 C or more.

 

Unsettled by pro-coal Trump, UN climate talks wrap up

BONN: UN negotiations on how to implement the climate-rescue Paris Agreement wrap up in Bonn yesterday, after two weeks of talks unnerved by an American defence of fossil fuels, reports AFP. President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw the United States from the hard-fought global pact cast a long shadow over talks marked by revived divisions between rich and developing countries. Key disagreements revolve around how to share out responsibilities for drawing down greenhouse gas emissions, and the money required to do so. Not helping the mood, White House officials hosted a sideline event with energy company bosses Monday to defend the continued use of fossil fuelscoal, oil and natural gasthat emit planet-warming and climate-altering gases when burned. Unsettled by Americas participation at the talks, delegates complained that not enough progress was made in developing a nuts-and-bolts rulebook for executing provisions in the Paris Agreement, which enters into force in just three years. I have never seen a COP with so little adrenaline, a senior European negotiator told AFP on Friday, using the jargon for the 23rd Conference of Parties (COP 23) to the UN climate convention. The Paris Agreement, adopted to cheers and champagne in 2015, commits countries to limiting average global warming to under two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over Industrial Revolution levels, and 1.5 C if possible, to avert worst-case-scenario climate change. Nations submitted voluntary emissions-cutting commitments to bolster the deal, championed by Trumps predecessor Barack Obama. But scientists say current pledges place the world on course for warming of 3 C or more.