FROM THE NETWORK

Philippine Floods Tragic Reminder for Bangkok Climate Negotiators

Talks Ongoing as Hundreds of Thousands Flee Homes

Bangkok, Thailand - Recent floods in the Philippines should remind delegates gathering for the United Nations climate talks in Bangkok that what they are discussing is not only a pile of papers but a document which could decide over lives of millions of people, WWF says.

A Tropical Storm triggered the worst flooding in decades in the capital Manila and nearby provinces. At least 86 have died and hundreds of thousands of people have been uprooted by the floods.

While individual storms and floods can not be linked to climate change, the science is clear that more frequent and more severe extreme weather events are already and will be an increasing consequence of climate change. In addition, average global warming over pre-industrial levels
must be kept well below two degrees Celsius to avoid unacceptable risks of runaway catastrophic climate change.

Hopes for an ambitious climate deal which would help protect the planet from irreversible damage caused by climate change will become very slim unless negotiators at the current UNFCCC talks in Bangkok make significant progress, says WWF.

“The Philippine floods should remind politicians and delegates negotiating the climate treaty that they are not just talking about paragraphs, amendments and dollars but about the lives of millions of
people and the future of this planet,” announces Kim Carstensen, Leader of the WWF Global Climate Initiative.

“After months of haggling, losing time and arguing we have now entered the last phase and have an absolutely last minute chance to rescue the climate deal.”

The UN Climate Summit of heads of state in New York last week has given negotiators a mandate to turn the 170-page draft into an agreeable treaty. This is urgently needed to ensure the survival of vulnerable nations at risk from climate change.

According to WWF, in order to prevent failure in Copenhagen and future climate disasters, negotiators in Bangkok should aim at cutting the UN draft texts by 40% by the middle of the conference and by 85% by the end of the two-week talks.

The main tasks are in the hands of rich countries which need to come up with ambitious reduction targets as well as finance commitments which will help developing countries to adapt to climate change.

“Delegates are equipped with a clear mandate to edit at record speed and accelerate the drafting process”, says Carstensen. “Maybe big targets and big money will only be agreed in Copenhagen, but that can’t be an excuse for wasting time, as at least the crucial ground-work must be laid here. We need clarity on what the key elements are for a Copenhagen climate deal.”

WWF is worried about a mismatch between credible leadership in Asia and empty rhetoric in Europe and the United States. While key Asian countries are offering concrete contributions to reach a deal in December, EU and US are emerging as major stumbling blocks.

WWF applauds Japan, China and India for outlining concrete mitigation action and for playing an increasingly constructive role in the negotiations, confirming their determination to become the world’s next economic leaders on the basis of a green economy and low carbon growth.

“Pledges such as Japan’s to reduce emissions 25% from 1990 levels by 2020 and that of Indonesia to keep emission growth 26% to 41% below business as usual projections by 2020 are bringing us closer to the global emission reduction targets we need”, says Carstensen.

Both developed and developing Asia are finding their way to the top in the world league of climate action. Now industrialized countries and in particular the US, have to follow Asia’s example, and after missed opportunities in New York and Pittsburgh the talks in Bangkok present the next chance to step up.

For further information:

WWF Climate Change and Policy Experts Now in Bangkok:

Kim Carstensen
Leader, WWF Global Climate Initiative
k.carstensen@wwf.dk, +45-40-343635

Kathrin Gutmann
Head of Policy and Advocacy, WWF Global Climate Initiative
kathrin.gutmann@wwf.de, +49-162-2914428

Naderev 'Yeb' Saño
Climate Change & Energy Programme Director, WWF-Philippines
nmsano@wwf.org.ph

* The WWF delegation includes representatives from key countries from North and South as well as issue experts on the various crucial issues discussed under the UNFCCC.