Two days before the end of the UN climate conference, delegates from African and developing countries are urging rich nations to put a financial figure on the table for their aid, but Europeans are not yet ready to reveal their cards. A draft agreement is expected to be released at midnight between Wednesday and Thursday (Wednesday 20:00 GMT) to advance negotiations among nearly 200 countries.
But it may be « in the early morning, » warns Jennifer Morgan, the German negotiator.
Developing countries are getting impatient, speaking through the president of the G77+China group, which includes more than 130 countries.
« There is radio silence from the developed countries, there is no detailed plan or commitment, » said Adonia Ayebare, the president of the group. « We need a number. »
The Ugandan diplomat is calling for a text based on the $1.3 trillion annual need of developing countries, with the states then negotiating how to finance it exactly.
« Now, the hardest part begins, » admitted Azerbaijani negotiation coordinator Ialtchine Rafiev on Wednesday.
There are still many points of contention as the final text must balance multiple issues: finance, but also how to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gases.
« The slope is steep, » conceded the European Union’s negotiator, Wopke Hoekstra, with drawn features. « But we are not sparing our efforts. »
An experienced negotiator is already expecting a final text on Friday evening, at the last possible moment.
The lack of progress is fueling frustrations in the overheated corridors of Baku’s stadium.
« No progress has been made on most key issues, and now we have longer and more complex texts that will make decisions even more difficult, » lamented the French representative, Kevin Magron, on Wednesday.
« Unimaginable » How much will developed countries need to provide per year in the new financial target? Their current commitment is $100 billion per year.
« We’ve heard three proposals (…) of $900 billion, $600 billion, and $440 billion, » said Australian Chris Bowen, summarizing consultations held in recent days with various countries by himself and Egyptian Yasmine Fouad.
The last two figures are long-standing demands from India and the Arab Group, an observer explains.
« All developing countries agree that there needs to be at least $600 billion a year in public funds from rich countries, » summarizes Iskander Erzini Vernoit of the Moroccan institute IMAL in Baku.
As for the « rumors » of $200 billion, Bolivian chief negotiator Diego Pacheco simply reacted: « Is that a joke? »
« Concerning » Developed countries are actually waiting until the last moment to propose a financial commitment.
Europeans, much anticipated after Donald Trump’s election, are holding multiple meetings. And they are showing cooperation with China: German Jennifer Morgan was seen walking the halls on Tuesday evening with China’s climate envoy, Liu Zhenmin.
However, the Twenty-Seven are not necessarily in agreement with each other, according to some sources.
« What is concerning is that right now no one is putting a number on the table, » laments Colombian Environment Minister Susana Muhamad. « There is nothing to negotiate, » she says impatiently.
« I don’t see the point of discussing these things publicly before we have set the foundations, » retorts Wopke Hoekstra.
Rich countries first want to know how their public money will be combined with other sources of funding (private funds, new global taxes…). They also want to ensure that the money will go to the most vulnerable.
« We also need to expand the pool of contributors because countries that were poor in 1990 are now at a level that is very close to — and in some cases exceeds — the standard of living of the poorest European countries, » says Danish Climate Minister Lars Aagaard to AFP. (Source: AFP)
Source: quid
