Climate change: back on track

When delegates assembled in Cancun, Mex­ico, on Nov­ember 29 for the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, expectations were not high. Fresh in their minds was the memory of disappointed hopes in Copenhagen this time last year. But in the early hours of Saturday morning, the Cancun Agreement was adopted, to the delight and relief of over 190 countries who believe in the UN process and the importance of a global deal to tackle climate change.

The Foreign Secretary, William Hague said: “This is an excellent result, not only for our efforts to tackle climate change which are central to our collective prosperity and security, but also more broadly for restoring confidence in multilateralism. In an interdependent world we can find common solutions to common problems.”

The Cancun Agreement covers progress on a wide range of measures.

Decisions were reached on reducing deforestation, bringing details of both developed and developing countries’ actions to reduce emissions into the UN system and developing systems for measuring, reporting and verifying emission reductions and actions in line with countries’ commitments. The conference also agreed the establishment of a Green Climate Fund to support policies and activities in developing countries.

These decisions provide a solid foundation for further work in the years ahead. For the first time, there is an international commitment to “deep cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions” to hold the increase in global average temperature below 2°C. This includes processes for adopting targets for peaking emissions as soon as possible, and substantially reducing them by 2050.

But the most important aspect of the Cancun Agreement is that it sends a very clear and positive message: the UN process is back on track, and with renewed momentum.

The international community has sent a clear signal of our intention to tackle climate change. Governments and business will be emboldened to take the action needed to prevent dangerous climate change threatening our global security and prosperity.

While we work towards Durban, and the ultimate goal of a legally binding global agreement on climate change, the UK’s coalition government will continue to press forward at home.

We intend to demonstrate how a successful and prosperous low-carbon economy can be developed in the UK and EU, providing employment, exports and energy security – and reducing emissions. An Energy Bill was presented to the UK Parliament earlier this month which would radically transform the energy efficiency of Britain’s leaky housing stock as well as help employ up to 250,000 people in the next decade.

Chris Huhne, Energy and Climate Change Secretary also published plans for far-reaching reforms to our electricity markets to incentivise business to provide the billions that need to be invested into green energy production.

At the other end of the scale, together, even in small ways, we can all play our part in tackling climate change. From the distribution of energy-saving bulbs to solar energy incentives, as well as a dedication to meeting its EU mitigation targets, Malta’s efforts have been recognised in a recent report by Germanwatch/Climate Action Network who ranked the country 12th in the world, and fifth in the EU, for its ongoing activities in combating climate change.

Cancun represents a triumph for the spirit of international cooperation in tackling an international threat. There remains much to do in the run-up to the 2011 climate conference in Durban and beyond, but given the outcome of Cancun, we can approach it with renewed confidence.

The author is the British High Commissioner.