PCC Expresses Disappointment at Outcomes of Cancun

The Pacific Conference of Churches (PCC) has expressed disappointment at the outcomes of the Climate Change conference that ended in Cancun, Mexico over the weekend which again failed to see any real commitment by industrialized countries on carbon emission reduction.

And despite the non-signing of a legally binding agreement, the PCC remains optimistic that the recommendations contained in the Cancun Agreement will keep the industrialized countries committed to the climate change agenda.

Some of the recommendations include: • A $30 billion “fast track” fund provided by industrial countries to support climate change adaptation and mitigation programs in developing countries up to 2012, and $100 billion thereafter up to 2020.

• Developing countries to keep a record of mitigating financial and technological support by industrialized countries and to publish the findings every two years.
• Governments agree to cut back on deforestation projects.
• A new “Cancun Adaptation Framework” established to allow better planning and implementation of adaptation projects in developing countries through increased financial and technical support, including clear processes on loss and damage assessments.

PCC general secretary Fe’iloakitau Tevi said the urgency still exists to press on industrialized governments between now and the next meeting, scheduled for 28 November to 9 December 2011 in Durban, South Africa where the Cancun Agreement is expected to be formalized and become a legally binding document.

Mr. Tevi said the outcome of the Conference is a promising start that these international negotiations will hopefully deliver a fair, ambitious and binding agreement to tackle climate change.

Mr. Tevi said the PCC call is the same as the one made by the Fiji government through its representative to the climate change talks, Mr. Peceli Vocea, who told the forum that “time was almost up for small island states like Fiji and that they had been negotiating too long with little progress”.

“For some of our Pacific Island states, adaptation is not an option anymore and we need to be talking about resettlement,” Mr. Tevi said.

Meanwhile, representatives of the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) have totally slammed the talks calling it a “consequence of ongoing American diplomatic offensive of backroom deals, arm-twisting and bribery that targeted nations in opposition to the Copenhagen Accord of 2009”.

“The Cancun Agreement has no substance, but only more hot air. It’s only substance is to promote continued talks about climate mitigation strategies motivated by profit,” the IEN official statement said.

ENDS

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