he UN Conference on Climate Change in Doha has come to an end with around 200 countries agreeing to extend the Kyoto Protocol till 2020. The treaty seeks to limit the emission of greenhouse gases by around 35 nations until the end of this year. The conference also agreed on promises of financing to help poor countries tackle the climate change, and reaffirmed the previous decision to adopt a new global climate treaty by 2015.
Our West Asia Correspondent reports that the extension of Kyoto Protocol means it will stay alive as a legally binding instrument on climate change since its term expires on December 31. It will cover the period till 2020 after which a new climate treaty will come into force which is supposed to cover both rich and the poor countries.
The current treaty will be applicable only to 15 percent of global emissions mainly from EU, Australia and a group of smaller nations. US has rejected the agreement saying it didn’t impose any binding commitment on China and other emerging economies. Russia, Japan, Canada and New Zealand have refused to join for a second commitment.
On the climate financing, the rich nations have been encouraged to enhance the climate aid by $10 billion per year from 2010-12 to help reduce carbon emissions and adapt to a changing climate. No mid term targets have been set as the nations agreed to identify pathways for mobilizing the scaling up of climate finance.
A new concept of loss and damage has been incorporated in the text at the request of small island nations to take into account the damages from climate-related disasters. The new treaty is likely to be adopted in 2015 and will come into effect from 2020.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the climate deal in Doha but said far more still needs to be done.
The European Union Climate Commissioner Connie Hedgegaard has expressed hope that the deal would pave the way to talks on a new global UN treaty by 2020. The new treaty will have emission goals for all countries including China and India. |
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