Durban pledges

Efforts must go on beyond the conference

THE 17th Conference of Parties (COP17) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) has ended on a note of agreement towards a legal deal covering all countries. The process, beginning next year, is to be completed by 2015 and put into effect by 2020. While the action has been hailed as a “historic breakthrough” by some, others have criticised it for not being aggressive enough, and as containing a loophole which may be exploited by the major polluting countries to get out of a legal binding.
The Kyoto Protocol, signed in 1997, was proof that a global agreement could be reached despite several odds, but its targets remain to be met, with the first phase deadline expiring next year. The Durban deal may be seen as another step in the right direction -- with the compromise averting a collapse of the talks -- but negotiations and efforts must be stepped up. The slower the efforts are, the more difficult it will be to fight climate change. As it is, carbon emission levels remain high, with global temperatures continuing to rise, increasing the likelihood of worse droughts, floods, storms and rising sea levels.
Political will, especially of the rich and major polluting nations, is lacking. It is up to the emerging nations and LDCs, some of whom are the worst affected in the world, to push their agenda through concerted efforts. Bangladesh, one of the most vulnerable nations, has played a significant role at Durban as well as at the preceding Climate Vulnerable Forum, but it too must now carry on the efforts and engage countries such as the US, China, India and Brazil in doing more before the next climate negotiations. Indeed, higher level political and diplomatic efforts will be necessary across the board and especially so among the vulnerable countries if the battle against climate change is to be sustained and led to a satisfactory outcome. So far, in terms of action, conferences, negotiations and pledges have been many, but results have been few and the world continues to head towards environmental disaster.