climate deal

COP20 final day updates

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Photo credit: Anthony Quintano, 2013.
By Anders Lorenzen

Today the 195 member countries of the UN could potentially agree a draft global deal on climate change, which would be signed at COP21 in Paris in 2015 and be enacted in 2020.


The hope of agreeing a global deal on climate change has seemed slim since the failed 2009 COP15 summit in Copenhagen.


Recent movement by the US, historically the largest CO2 emitter in the world and until now the main blocker to an agreement, has improved the chances of a global deal. China, the current largest emitter, have also for the first time agreed to set a peak CO2 emissions target.


But there are still many things that countries do not agree on, in fact the Guardian is reporting that with less than 24 hours to go only one paragraph has so far been agreed upon.


Formalising the final text is the most complicated part of the negotiations and where previous talks have failed.


Join us as we bring you updates as they happen.

11:00 GMT:
Responding to Climate Change (RTCC) are reporting that there is still a stand off between rich and developing countries.

11:15 GMT:
The latest draft text was released last night but still lacks any clear legally binding commitments from the developed world. No doubt delegates will have their work cut out today.

11:30 GMT:
Local time in Lima is 6:30 GMT, so we are still a few hours away from today’s negotiations to commence.

12:20 GMT:
Part of the shift in the US ambition on climate change is cemented in US Secretary of State John Kerry also travelling to Lima. He is the first ever Secretary of State taking part in the UN climate talks framing it as important as dealing with security threats. Here is some extracts from his speech which he delivered yesterday:

”I understand we now have enough pledges from the international community to meet and exceed the initial Climate Green Fund target of 10 billion. And the United States is very proud to be contributing 3 billion, and we are grateful for the announcement of countries like Australia, Belgium, Colombia, and Peru that they have made in recent days to help get us over the hurdle. All of this will help to ensure that this fund can succeed in helping the most overburdened nations of the world to do more to be able to respond to climate change.

For Peru, climate change is personal. It will determine whether future generations will know Peru as we know it today, as we have known it, or whether today’s treasures are confined to history.


Measured against the array of global threats that we face today – and there are many – terrorism, extremism, epidemics, poverty, nuclear proliferation – all challenges that know no borders – climate change absolutely ranks up there equal with all of them. And I challenge anyone who has thought about the science or listened – actually listened carefully to national security experts tell us that these dangers are real – I challenge them to tell us otherwise and to show us otherwise”.


12:40 GMT:
Catholic Bishops yesterday called for an end to the fossil fuel era, saying climate change’s threat to the global poor at the heart of their concern. Also yesterday Pope Francis called climate change a serious ethical and moral responsibility highlighting:

”The effective fight against global warming will only be possible through a collective response and develops free from political and economic pressures”.

12:50 GMT:
Remarkable, according to the UN’s latest timetable the talks should be wrapped up by 14:00. But previous COP’s have in succession failed to adhere to the timetables, so be prepared that this could happen today too.

16:50 GMT:
It looks like optimism about a deal is again this year looking slim with the developed and the developing world being too split on crucial issues.

17:10 GMT:
While we are waiting for the final text UK’s BusinessGreen is reporting on some of the issues dividing countries:

Several of the leading players at the summit remain at odds over a number of key issues, with observers warning that many of the more challenging parts of the text will not now be addressed until next year.


For example, deep divisions remain over how the new system of requiring countries to publish detailed climate action plans, known as “intended nationally determined contributions” or INDCs, will be managed. Countries are continuing to argue over what exactly should be included in the plans, how they should be monitored to ensure nations deliver on their pledges, and whether the initial commitments contained in the INDCs should be reviewed before next year’s Paris Summit.

17:15 GMT:
Twitter reactions:

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17:50 GMT:
It appears that in true COP fashion the talks will extend into Saturday.
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Saturday 14:45 GMT:
While delegates are carrying on with talks that could lead well into Saturday evening trying to overcome the divisions between developed and developing countries, here is the latest draft text. The Guardians Suzanne Goldenberg reports that the dividing issues between rich and poor countries still remains. This is the stumbling block and this is what could put the talks in jeopardy.

We will be back when there is any clear information about what a final text could look like and if some kind of deal is at all likely.

Saturday 18:15 GMT:
The split between the developed world and the developing world could not be more evident. While the developed world supports the latest text, large parts of the developing world is deeply unhappy with the text and crucially China is in the unhappy group.

So it seems like negotiators are heading back to the negotiation tables to improve the text. It could indeed be a long evening and night.

Sunday 12:30 GMT:
A deal have been struck albeit a very weak deal if you listen to International NGO’s and some developing countries, while the rich Western herald calls COP20 a success.

The deal having been agreed is a pathway to a deal in Paris.

The agreement which has been named ‘ Lima Call for Climate Action‘ would require each country to submit their own proposals to UN by the end of March 2015 if they can do so, unless as soon as it is possible for them.

Critics would argue that what is being required is too weak, and it will set up Paris to be another failure.

We will bring you more news on this and analysis as more information and reactions comes through, but this live blog will wind down.
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Categories: climate deal, CO2, Cop20, Cop21, Copenhagen, UN

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