14th UN Climate Change Conference Begins

The UN Climate Change Conference opened in Poznan, Poland this week, where more than 192 nations will continue negotiations over a post-2012 successor to the Kyoto Protocol.

Delegates at the conference will be starting where they left off at the last conference in Bali, looking to put together policies for international action on climate change, in preparation for the final agreement talks in Copenhagen next year.

Speaking at the opening day of the conference, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Yvo de Boer, said the conference must deliver on ongoing issues that are important to developing countries.

De Boer added that there is ‘huge pressure’ on time as agreements must be reached before a climate change deal is finalised in Copenhagen.

The main issues of contention will be whether or not the US commits to cutting emissions, whether developing countries should be paid to stop deforestation, and whether an adaptation fund should be created to help people in developing countries adapt to the effects of climate change.

Uncertainty over the global economy, the not-quite-yet change in the US presidency and disagreements between developed and developing countries are all likely to slow down negotiations.

UN scientists agree that if the target of preventing a 2 degree rise in the world’s temperature is to be achieved, then by 2050 greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced to half of 1990 levels.

Commenting on the conference, former Prime Minister Tony Blair said scientists at the conference will warn that radical action is essential.

Political leaders, on the other hand, will be asking whether radical action is possible.