Renewal of trust within the UN process on climate change

This year’s president of the conference, Patricia Espinosa, however, focused first and foremost on rebuilding an effective and transparent international process. And she succeeded.
The United Nations climate change conference came to an end in the hours of dawn on Saturday morning with a sense of collaboration between parties, and a dedication to ensuring the United Nations process is successful.

Wind turbines (c) Michel Gunther/WWF-Canon
What does this mean for climate change? Apart from the restoration of key relationships and processes, the agreement reached Saturday ensures that the Kyoto Protocol continues, that a new legally binding framework will be established as soon as possible, and – of course – that there is still much work to do.
Core issues undeniably remain, but this conference set forth a process with immediate steps to see that happen. Countries acknowledged that they are only part way to avoiding dangerous climate change. They agreed that a process must to be put in place to collectively peak in emissions, dropping continually thereafter. And they committed to creating low-carbon development plans.
Major elements that we still very much need in the coming year are: specific recognition of the gap between where country emission pledges are now and where they need to be to avoid dangerous climate change, and establishing the sources of the financing that is being committed to address climate change globally.
Overall, this process allows the political space necessary to move forward on a more ambitious deal, which must be completed by next year, in order to act within the rapidly narrowing window of time there is to sufficiently address climate change.
The year ahead is particularly important for all countries – particularly Canada – to reassess their action plans and set their own countries in motion to be prepared for next year’s United Nations climate talks in South Africa.
Each one of us as Canadians has an utmost ability to hold our representatives to account to move forward significant solutions on energy and climate in this country. The political will is necessary, and we all play a role in inspiring that shift.