At the Lima climate talks the game plan of the rich countries is crys tal clear. Their aim is to rewrite the climate agreement -the agreement that had created two catego ries of countries (also called Annex 1): one, those responsible for the bulk of the carbon dioxide emissions already in the atmosphere and, two, the rest who would get funds and technology to reduce emissions and space to grow.
What's worse is that they are getting away with it. Developing countries, including India, are floundering to recover ground and to keep the principle of differentiation and, therefore, equity intact.
So, at Peru, the first agenda is to change the annex in the 1992 climate convention saying that the world has changed and now every country must take emission reduction targets. It is also a fact that the negotiations for a new post-2020 agreement require all countries to act and while it is hoped that this action will be based on differentiation, there is no way to ensure this.
The second agenda is to strip away the condition to provide technology and funds to developing countries so that they can reduce emissions. The third agenda is for the rich not to discuss their responsibility to cut emissions and how they have reneged on commitments for funds or technology transfer.
Last week, in Lima, industrialized countries have flatly refused to set up a contact group to discuss how to raise their emission reduction target till 2020 -to keep the world below a 2°C increase.EU, the self-professed climate evangelist, will only cut 20% below 1990 levels by 2020. The US is even worse -it is flaunting its small 3% reduction over 1990 levels as sufficient and even ambitious.
The final nail in the coffin -rubbing salt in wounds -is the discussion on adaptation funds. At COP20, rich countries do not want discussion on how they will fund adaptation needs in developing countries. They say it is the developing countries (other than the most vulnerable), which should learn to `cope' with the devastating impacts of climate change. This changes the narrative completely. The fact is climate change is happening today -seen in terms of changing trends in weather and increasing frequency and intensity of extreme events -because of the stock of emissions in the atmosphere. The countries least responsible for creating the problem are today bearing the brunt of these impacts. But if rich countries have their way , they will obliterate their role and liability in making the world so climate-risked.
Peru is clearly the staging point for the endgame in Paris. It is time our negotiators devised proactive strategies to fight back. They need to put the principle of differentiation and equity firmly on the table. It must be clear that all countries will act, but based on their past and present contribution to the problem. The world needs an ambitious and fair deal on climate change. Nothing less.
