COP16
The decision to establish a Green Climate Fund was one of Cancun's greatest achievements. But a 40-member transitional committee faces a hefty workload to design the fund in time for COP17.
The brilliant diplomacy of COP16 president Patricia Espinosa has saved the multi-lateral process and renewed hope for a legally binding treaty. But as the focus returns to domestic policies, a huge job still lies ahead.
With just 48 hours left before COP16 talks are declared over, climate ministers can expect to put in a couple of all-nighters to resolve some of the major sticking points – mitigation, transparency, finance and hot air.
The focus on a 'balanced package' of reforms has gained wide support from COP16 delegates – but while cordiality is one thing, genuine cooperation is another.
No miracle in sight as Combet thrust into the heart of negotiations, financing in the balance, Bangladesh and its desperate needs, finding a way forward and Trev rides into town.
China makes an interesting declaration on mitigation commitments; and the focus shifts to identifying issues that can be taken forward for decisions, and those that will be rolled over to COP17.
China keeps it on the down-low, Greg Combet cycles through climate funding issues, CCS goes the hard sell, Richard Branson rocks the boat, Lord Monckton rocks the sceptics, and Canada still rules the fossils.
The emission reductions agreed to in Cancun might not be cuts at all. But that doesn't seem to be upsetting the spirit of 'compromise' and 'balance' that's driving COP16 talks.
At the end of week one, the question is whether talks can find their way up the other side of the j-curve. Meanwhile, temperatures are rising, oceans are acidifying, fossil fools are emerging and the wi-fi is failing.
The hot topic of debate on day three of COP16 climate talks was how to mobilise private finance to tackle climate change in developing countries.
The meetings begin, as various subsidiary groups bunker down and try to reach conclusions on issues including aviation emissions, CCS, CDM, and standardised baselines.
America has a ‘Sputnik moment’, China spreads the green word, Japan throws down the gauntlet on Kyoto, into the woods on LuluCF, and pink champagne on ice.
With UN climate negotiations in China wrapped up, it seems the best we can hope for is that Cancun will mark a significant milestone on the road to South Africa for COP17.
There are only 11 days of talks left in the lead-up to the UN climate summit in Mexico this November to agree on extending or replacing the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.
As the countdown begins to the next international climate change conference, the need to reconnect the political debate with the actions of business and governments is becoming greater than ever.
It was far more like Christmas in tropical Cancun than it was in snowy Copenhagen a year earlier, but did all that peace and good will really achieve anything? And will it carry over to COP17.