Negotiating

Here's how it works: In the time between the Copenhagen and Cancun meetings a negotiating document is developed, based on what has happened before. If any nation wants to have their opinion considered they have to get language into that document.

For Copenhagen the deadline for submitting language was June 15, 2009. (I think a good deal of frustration among non-diplomats in Copenhagen was because they didn't know that new language could not be discussed. They had expected that they could insert some on the spot.) This year they were still adding language to be discussed in August.

I had been hearing for months that all the language from the Copenhagen Accord had been lifted wholesale and placed in the official negotiating document, but that the input from Cochabamba was being excluded. In mid-August the news broke that all the main points raised by the Cochabamba meeting had been included in the document! (See box.) That doesn't mean these points will survive the Cancun negotiations, but at least they can all be discussed, which is a big hooray. (To watch a video of Amy Goodman interviewing Bolivian Ambassador to the UN Pablo Solon go to http://pwccc.wordpress.com/2010/08/10/bolivian-un-ambassador-interviewed-on-democracy-now/ or just google "Democracy Now, Pablo Solon").

From QEW, Judy Lumb and I plan to attend the negotiating sessions in Cancun, and the Bolivian Quakers (Bernabe, Ruben, and Alicia Lucasi, who at the last minute wasn't able to go to Cochabamba) will also be able to be there. We also expect Quakers Moses Musonga from Kenya, Julian Stargardt from Hong Kong MM, and Jorge Arauz from Chestnut Hill MM to be there.

In the time leading up to Cancun we will all be in touch and try to develop a plan for what we can hope to do there. It is expected to be a very contentious, even dangerous, situation. We will be reporting on what we see, hear and do. •

See the next issue of BeFriending Creation for information about how you can receive on-the-ground, up-to-the-minute Quaker news from Cancun.

Points from the Cochabamba Conference that are now in the UN negotiating text

• 50-percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by developed countries for second period of commitments from the Kyoto Protocol years 2013 to 2017.
  
• Stabilize the rise of temperature to 1 C and 300 parts for million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
  
• To guarantee an equitable distribution of atmospheric space, taking into account the climate debt of emissions by developed countries for developing countries.
  
• Full respect for the Human Rights and the inherent rights of indigenous peoples, women, children and migrants.
  
• Full recognition to the United Nations Declaration on of Indigenous Peoples Rights. 
  
• Recognition and defense of the rights of Mother Earth to ensure harmony with nature.
  
• Guarantee the fulfillment of the commitments from the developed countries though the building of an International Court of Climate Justice. 
  
• Rejection to the new mechanisms of carbon markets that transfer the responsibility of the reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases from developed countries to developing countries.
  
• Promotion of measures that change the consumption patterns of the developed countries.
  
• Adoption of necessary measures in all relevant forums to be excluded from the protection of the intellectual property rights to technologies and ecologically sustainable useful to mitigate climate change.
  
• Developed countries will allocate 6 percent of their national gross product to actions relatives to Climate Change. 
  
• Integrated management of forest, to mitigation and adaptation, without market mechanics and ensuring the full participation of indigenous peoples and local communities.
  
• Prohibition the conversion of natural forest for plantations, since the monoculture plantations are not forest, instead should encourage the protection and conservation of natural forests. 

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