Signs Of Renewed Confidence In Bonn

Signs Of Renewed Confidence In Bonn, But Action Still Urgent

Bonn, Germany, 11 June 2010 – (IUCN) Climate talks in Bonn healed some of the wounds left by the great disappointment of the Copenhagen Climate Summit last December. Following two weeks of talks under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), there is now renewed hope that the building blocks for a global climate deal can be adopted at the next summit in Cancun, Mexico at the end of 2010, says IUCN.

“Not only did the Copenhagen summit not meet its objective of adopting a legally binding agreement, it also damaged confidence in the whole process,” says Claire Parker, head of IUCN’s delegation in Bonn. “IUCN very much welcomes the renewed spirit of cooperation and confidence governments showed in Bonn. However, the resumed efforts towards designing the architecture of the new climate regime are yet to yield concrete results.”

While a final global deal on climate change is not yet in sight, climate action cannot wait. April 2010 was the warmest month on record for land and sea temperature combined. Much deeper cuts in greenhouse gas emissions than the ones currently on the table are needed to keep global warming below 2°C. Failure to do so will lead to irreversible damage to livelihoods and ecosystems on which we all depend.

Nature gives us solutions to reduce the negative impacts of climate change. Healthy ecosystems can help cope with climate impacts and store carbon.

After positive movements in Copenhagen, REDD (Reducing Deforestation from Forest Degradation and Deforestation) and REDD-plus (conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks) did not get the attention it deserved in Bonn.

“The adoption of a legally binding and ambitious international climate change regime is a crucial element in the global fight against climate change,” says Ninni Ikkala, IUCN Climate Change Coordinator. “However, IUCN emphasizes that action on the ground, in rural communities and cities around the world, can and must be taken now, without waiting for international negotiations to reach a conclusion.”

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