WWF–Bonn climate talks

The new texts presented by the UN give a solid basis for negotiation and if strengthened, allow agreeing on a climate change treaty which is capable of minimizing the devastating effects of climate change, WWF said ahead of the upcoming climate change talks in Bonn.

Scientists are in the process of reviewing their predictions and say climate change is accelerating at an alarming and much faster pace then previously expected. According to the global conservation group, now that delegates have text on the table there is no more time to be wasted.

Governments have no option but to take action and overcome the stalemate. "We have a full menu of solutions on the table. Despite some gaps, the draft it is a good starting point and allows reaching a level of ambition which has a chance to tackle one of the world's potentially most dangerous threats," said Kim Carstensen, the leader of WWF Climate Initiative.

"Negotiators in Bonn can use the draft papers to develop an ambitious treaty. If they chose to water it down and go for the less ambitious options we will end up with a 'rotten deal'," Kim Carstensen said. The three separate documents presented by the UN, totaling 68 pages, outline options on how to address major issues, such as the levels of emissions reductions, adaptation, technology, finance, carbon markets and reducing emissions from forests. These documents will form the basis of negotiations towards an agreement in December, when negotiators meet in Copenhagen to agree on a global deal that will build upon the existing Convention and Kyoto Protocol, whose current provisions on emission reductions end in 2012.

WWF wants delegates to strengthen the good proposals contained in the texts and delete the less ambitious ones. By now many countries, in particular the most vulnerable ones expect agreement on a global ambition for reductions to keep warming far below a 2oC limit compared to pre-industrial levels. "We need deep reduction targets by industrialized countries. WWF is asking developed countries to agree to an aggregate emissions reduction goal of at least 40% below 1990 levels by 2020," Carstensen said.

As a non-Kyoto Protocol member, the United States is expected to take on comparable efforts in order to stay within the global environmental limits. The negotiation texts also need to strengthen and flesh-out an adequately financed and new institutional set-up under the UNFCCC that provides the support needed for emission cuts and adaptation to climate impacts in the developing countries.

The Bonn conference, starting on June 1, is the second of a series of inter-sessional meetings this year to start laying out an ambitious draft of the new global climate treaty before the Deal Day in Copenhagen.