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Published on April 3, 2008

When climate change negotiators from nearly 200 countries wrap up their talks in Bangkok tomorrow, the focus will shift to Germany for the second of eight similar meetings over the next 20 months. Whether in the meeting room or on the street, few expect any real benefits from this globe-trotting extravaganza.

"What's the point?" asked Pramuan, a 50-something cab driver who drove me to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific building earlier this week to observe the talks. He said it is not that people do not know what to do to stop climate change, but that they will just not do it, or will not do it correctly.

Bangkok building owners may have switched off a few lights during the Earth Hour international campaign on Saturday night, but Pramuan said, "I bet inside the air-conditioners were still running. Everybody knows air-conditioners are the worst energy suckers. If people are serious, why don't they scratch where it itches?"

The same is true of governments, said those following the climate change discussions. The talk may be of change, but their deeds illustrate they do not reflect this.

During December's climate talks, Reinhard Butikofer, the chairman of Germany's Green Party, had expressed frustration that his government had recently approved several new coal power plants.

Environmental activist Witoon Permpongsacharoen said Thailand is no better. Witoon questioned the Energy Ministry's plan to build nearly 30 new fossil fuel-burning power plants over the next 15 years, instead of pursuing wind or solar energy.

Dr Anond Snidwongs, Thailand's leading climate change scientist, said, "Stop saying we don't have the compelling knowledge to take action. Science is clear about what needs to be done. Money? That's not a problem either; there's plenty flying around. Technology? Yes, the technology is there too, and continuously improving to help us tackle climate change."

"The only problem is politics," he said. "Time is wasted in meeting after meeting because no country wants to do anything, at least not any more than any other country is already doing."

This week's discussions offered more of the same, said veteran activist Martin Khor, director of the Penang-based Third World Network.

Negotiators are supposed to be doing the groundwork for a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, which they hope to have in place next year, but they cannot even figure out where to begin.

Negotiators were in a deadlock debating the priority of agenda topics, Khor said.

The industrialised countries wanted to first discuss the global goal for reducing carbon emissions, with specific targets for each country. But developing countries want to know how much financial and technological assistance they can expect from their richer counterparts before they commit to any target, if at all.

A Thai negotiator said every country that sent representatives to Bangkok this week were watching  out for their national interests only, not the needs of the planet as a whole.

"It's sad, but this is the reality. People are here to defend business as usual, not to do things right," he said.

Nantiya Tangwisutijit

The Nation