COP25 - not with a bang but a whimper

Basically it’s an opportunity lost, and a big one. "The international community lost an important opportunity to show increased ambition on mitigation, adaptation and finance to tackle the climate crisis," lamented UN Secretary General António Guterres. A meeting that was supposed to finish on Friday but extended till Sunday, ended with long debates and overworked delegates but no consensus over the targets or global rules for climate change. The tagline of the UN’s talk on climate change – COP25 this year was “Tiempo de actuar”, meaning time for action, but it turned out to be completely opposite, failing to achieve its purpose, highlighted by adjectives like Inconclusive, disappointment, acrimonious, compromised, ominous etc.

The decision to take action on climate and stop global warming was taken in Paris four years ago, but the details of ‘how’ are still being worked out. The latest round of talks that were also the longest - extending 44 hours beyond the allotted time- ended without a clear cut conclusion or decision over the key component of the meeting – the carbon market despite majority of the countries agreeing to increase carbon cutting commitments.

Critics, environmentalists and people are largely blaming the largest polluters of the world as well as the fossil fuel kings like USA, China, India, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Australia in sabotaging the process of coming up with clear cut decisions, plans, rules, targets and financing for carbon market Not only were these developed countries and big emitters seen weak on action but also resisting calls to raise their ambitions.

The key areas of conflict were the rules for carbon market and carbon pricing; financing and compensating developing countries for climate change; and indirectly US’s back out from the Paris Agreement and the absence of any representation from climate talks as a hurdle.

The only one thing was decided for sure: the decision making process has been deferred till at least the next meeting in Glasgow next year. Come COP26, what is certain is that climate politics will face polarization, resolution will become harder, and the difference between country targets will now depend a lot on US election.