The marathon talks to tackle climate change that ended in Bangkok yesterday were a "step backward", Thai experts say.

An imbalance in the 35-page report shows that developing countries lost a political battle, said Sitanond Jessadapipat, a member of Thailand's national climate change subcommittee.

The report only suggests how developing countries can contribute to mitigating climate change, while mentioning no significant roles for developed countries, Sitanond said.

"This is a step backward compared to the Kyoto Protocol, which clearly mentioned that developed countries have to take leading roles in reducing greenhouse gas emissions," he told The Nation.

"I feel the report leaves the burden of reducing greenhouse gas on developing countries," said Sitanond, who was a commentator on the report, but was not among the 22 Thai delegates at the climate change summit.

However, the report was welcomed by developed countries, especially the United States and Germany.

The report on the mitigation of climate change is the third and last volume of scientists' assessment on climate change since the formation of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1998.

The reports' conclusions are not binding but will be used as a guideline for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The findings will be discussed again at the ministerial level at a convention in Bali, Indonesia, in November, and the final report will lead to a global commitment to tackle climate change after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012

After the week-long meeting at the UN building in Bangkok, the IPCC's working group on Climate Change Mitigation concluded that the world needs to cut annual greenhouse gas emissions by up to 85 per cent over the coming decades - just to keep global warming in check.

To achieve this goal, IPCC chairman Rajendra Pachauri said, both the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and non-OECD countries have an important role.

Among the 169 leading authors of the report only 55 came from developing countries.

Although the report stated that industrial countries accounted for 46 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions the recommended actions were focused on developing countries.

"About 65 per cent of the total mitigation potential is located in the tropics and about 50 per cent could be achieved by reducing emissions from deforestation," said the report.

Despite the report stating that carbon dioxide (CO2) was the number one greenhouse gas and mostly came from the burning of fossil fuels, the report did not recommend that usage of fossils fuels should be reduced.

"We cannot recommend this action as there are many factors for countries in choosing their energy supplies, including financial abilities and natural endowment," said Bert Metz, co-chair of the IPCC Working Group, which produced the report.

The report did recommend that countries should switch from using coal to cleaner sources, including nuclear and renewable energies. However, it gave no timeframe.

Moreover, it also said that carbon capture and storage (CCS) for gas, biomass, and coal-fired electricity generating facilities could be key mitigation technologies.

However, Tara Buakhamsri, climate change campaigner of Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said CCS is just a technique for storing carbon in confined areas and did not contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gasses.

Wanun Permpoon, Thailand's coordinator of the Climate Action Network, said she was disappointed with both the nuclear and CCS options.

"The report should have clearly created a timeframe for limiting coal-fired power plants. You have a goal for emission output levels, why not specify the action to achieve the goal?"

Meanwhile, Prasertsook Chamornmarn, director of the Office of Natural Resources and Environment Policy and Planning's National Environmental Division, declined to directly comment on the report.

Thailand has "already implemented" many mitigation technologies and practices recommended by the IPCC, she said.

Pennapa Hongthong,

 

Janjira Pongrai

 

The Nation

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