No consensus on tricky issues at climate meet

MARRAKECH, Morocco: An important marker of progress in climate negotiations post the Paris accord, COP22 at Marrakesh, concluded here early on Saturday morning with negotiators from to finalise the rule book, which would turn pledges made in Paris into action.

But the very fact that the which was scheduled to conclude on Friday, stretched into the next day, showed that on tricky issues like finance, consensus remains elusive between the developed and the developing world.

Among the positives, a clear roadmap to meet the 2018 deadline was drawn out. The rules will specify the ways and means for measuring and accounting of emission reductions in all countries and they will be framed in such a way that it can take care of transparency of action of all countries as per their respective pledges under the agreement which was adopted by 195 countries in December last year in Paris.


Though the rules will also have a mechanism to mobilize climate finance to help developing countries in taking adaptation measures, many developing countries including India have expressed their concerns over the draft text. The text, which was adopted after assurances of further discussion on it in the run up to the next conference in Bonn in 2017, left many questions unanswered —specifically on the absence of a clear roadmap to mobilize $100 billion by 2020 as promised by rich nations.

Even the president of the Conference (COP22) Salaheddine Mezouar noted the issue of climate finance, indicating how it is a bone of contention between developed and developing countries. He said, “It will be necessary to respect the commitment of $100 billion from now until 2020. Faced with the magnitude of what is required for dealing with the impacts of climate change, turning billions into trillions is indispensable. 2017 must be the year of large scale projects, of mobilizing finance, and accessing financial facilities that will be necessary for adaptation”.

The Paris Agreement had entered into force on November 4.