CFR Update: Climate Talks Extended Over Differences

Climate Talks Extended Over Differences Divisions over an international accord to combat climate change forced France, host of the COP21 climate conference, to extend the UN negotiations by a day (France24). Overnight discussions saw discord over how to share the costs of fighting climate change (Reuters) and shift to clean energy on a global scale. Delegates also said China resisted calls, led by the United States and the European Union, for all countries to update national plans for curbing greenhouse gas emissions every five years. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said he is aiming for a final draft Saturday (AP).

ANALYSIS “As diplomats here work through the final points of a sweeping new climate change accord, experts said the ultimate measure of success of the agreement will be whether it sends a clear signal to global financial investors that they should move money away from fossil fuels and toward clean-energy sources such as wind and solar power. Without that signal, there is little chance that emissions will be reduced enough to stave off the most catastrophic impacts of global warming,” writes Coral Davenport for the New York Times. “The U.S. press, cartoonists included, has highlighted India as a hurdle at best, spoiler at worst, to achieving a strong, effective agreement. The Indian press has characterized the United States as a ‘bully’ unwilling to make deeper emissions cuts at home but harshly pressing the poor to do so, balking at more funding to help developing countries adapt to climate change, and resisting proposals for liability for future environmental damage,” writes CFR's Alyssa Ayres. “The Paris meeting to negotiate a climate agreement is about spirit and trust as much as any specific numerical emissions target. This is because whatever the delegates are prepared to agree to in Paris will not, on its own, slow warming fast enough to keep us safe. This doesn’t mean humanity is doomed. But it does mean that negotiators need to reach an agreement that fosters a level of trust and a spirit of urgent optimism to raise our ambition after Paris, both as the Paris agreement evolves in the coming years, and, immediately, through other national and international venues,” write Mario Molina and Durwood Zaelke for CFR.