Nations participating in climate talks in Bonn have expressed unease that negotiations are progressing much slower than expected, concerned that there won't be enough time time to resolve issues before the climate conference in Paris in December.
Nearly 200 countries were in Germany to go over an 89-page draft for the prospective climate deal, trimming down some of the previously agreed upon terms. However, they were not able to discuss major issues at the heart of climate talks, such as setting a worldwide goal in relation to phasing out greenhouse gases by 2100.
Some governments showed concern over the pace of the meeting, pointing out that just two sessions are left for delegates to prepare before they gather for the main event in Paris. Elina Bardram, head of the delegation from the European Commission, said the issues can't go undiscussed indefinitely.
A senior official from the United States agrees that the pace of the meeting could be quicker but said the talks in Bonn were still productive. Christiana Figueres, UN Climate Change Secretariat head, reiterated that the meeting follows a step-by-step process that allows it to make progress in streamlining text as well as clarifying available options for participating nations.
This aligns with what the UN said about climate talks being on schedule.
According to climate scientists from the UN, there's a 95 percent chance that global warming starting from 1950 was due to human activities, with particular attention on fossil fuels.
Representatives from island nations across the Caribbean and the Pacific were also in Bonn and have said that there was definite progress in the meeting but there remains a lot to be done.
Before December, climate negotiators are meeting again in August and October to finalize details that will be topics of discussion during the climate conference, including what kind of aid can be given to developing nations that will be most at risk of climate change effects as well as how the climate deal in Paris can be made legally binding.
To prepare for the next meeting, those in attendance in Bonn have requested the meeting's co-chairs to produce another version of the draft for the climate deal before August.
G7 nations set a goal early in the week to phase out fossil fuel emissions by the end of the century. Another deadline has been set by developing nations for 2050 involving the shift to renewable energy. Whether the climate talks will adopt these goals as well is unclear.
Photo: John Englart | Flickr
