Tianjin Climate Meeting Wrap-Up: Forecast Cloudy, But With A Chance Of Sun | World Resources Institute

Tianjin Climate Meeting Wrap-Up: Forecast Cloudy, But With A Chance Of Sun | World Resources Institute

As the Tianjin climate negotiations come to a close, progress remains patchy. The forecast is still cloudy, but rays of sunlight are just starting to peak through.

On the one hand, there was further clarity of some key issues with a deepening understanding of the positions and choices that have to be made in Cancun, the site of the next major climate meeting. Some working groups—–such as finance, technology and adaptation—–were able to make progress toward an agreement. On the other hand, a number of the most difficult issues, such as mitigation, remain. The patches of sunlight will need to grow over the coming weeks if Cancun is going to achieve real progress toward an international agreement on global warming.

The challenge is to bring together the decisions captured in the Copenhagen Accord with the negotiating texts that have been further developed since December. In Tianjin, there continued to be cherry-picking of the Copenhagen Accord to suit short-term tactics, rather than using the Accord as a key input to the Cancun outcome. While the Copenhagen Accord should not be the only factor, it’s essential that all countries keep their promises made in Copenhagen if Cancun has a chance of being a success.