African Group at Climate talks insists on new legally-binding agreement – Closed-door ministerial consultations were taking place Thursday as ministers gathered here for the UN Climate Change Conference tried to reach compromise on critical issues, particularly that relating to the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol and the Green Climate Fund before the conference ends Friday. The African group, however, has demanded that the Durban climate talks must come up with a new legal form that captures voluntary actions of developing countries and the legally-binding actions of developed countries.

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi expressed his discontent at the way things are going on at the conference taking place in Durban, South Africa.

“We will need to come up with a new legal form that captures voluntary actions of developing countries and the legally binding actions of developed countries.

“For now, there are only two priorities: and that is the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol and leaving Durban with finance,” Zenawi, who addressed journalists Thursday at the UN Climate change Conference, said. He stressed the need for a global agreement that captures more countries.

The first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol ends in 2012. Governments need to agree on a second commitment period and on how they want to pursue a broader framework to reduce greenhouse gases.

Negotiators meeting in Durban also need to complete the comprehensive package agreed in Cancun last year to help developing countries adapt to climate change and to limit the growth of their greenhouse gas emissions.

Parties need to approve the recommendations of the Transitional Committee and adopt the governing instrument of the Green Climate Fund. Governments must ensure that the Fund is properly capitalized as soon as possible.

This includes agreeing to ramp up funding towards the US$ 100 billion of a long-term climate finance they have already agreed to provide by 2020.

The two-week UN Climate Change Conference being attended by over 130 ministers ends Friday. Negotiators are yet to agree on a legally-binding and ratifiable agreement on the second commitment period of the Kyoto protocol.

The conference is being attended by 130 ministers as well as over 15,000 delegates.

Source: This article first appeared on Afrique en ligne on Dec. 9, 2011.

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