World leaders meetin in Paris for climate talks

World of Politics with Harry McGee – harrymcgee@gmail.com

I arrived in Paris late on Sunday night with a very strong sense of, yep you guessed it, déjà vu.

I’m here for the best part of two weeks covering the climate change talks. I was in Copenhagen for the same UN summit six years ago. The ‘feel’ was similar. So many countries taking part, over 190. So many delegates, tens of thousands. Same out-of-city venue, a massive hall in the middle of a business zone. Same tight security. Same hopes. Same urgency. Same uncertainty.

Of course, the security is even tighter this time, because of the unspeakable terrorist atrocity that shocked everyone to the core last month.

It’s a while since I wrote at length about climate change and you remember all the complicated concepts, and all the acronyms. It’s called COP 21. The COP part stands for Conference of Parties and the 21 means it’s the 21st that has been held.

It is part of the United Nationals Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). One of the big things that will feature (especially from Ireland’s point of view) is LULUCF. That is ‘land use, land-use change, Forestation’. And on and on it goes.

The name of the game is to try to limit the rise in global temperatures to no more than 2 degree Celsius above pre-industrial age levels. So far, 160 countries have signed pledges setting out what they intend to do. Some are conservative, yet others ambitious but achievable.

For example, US President Barack Obama has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in America by up to 28% by 2025. China had also come on board and has committed to reducing its carbon intensity by up to 65% by 2030, with a mix of renewables and afforestation.

That’s a big advance for both since Copenhagen. Of course, Obama will face resistance from a Republican-dominated Congress, with plenty of climate change sceptics. But he’s made it a posterity issue during his second term and is determined. If you look at India, it too has made big progress and is putting huge emphasis on solar power.

Before the conference started, when you added the 160 or more pledges together you got a cumulative increase of 2.7°C. Which is still too far short of the target.

And there is a minority of countries – oil producers like Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states – which have not made pledges. They remain the most resistant.

On Monday, more than 150 world leaders met in Paris for a leaders’ day (you can imagine the security – the whole city was in gridlock for the day).

Taoiseach Enda Kenny set out Ireland’s position later on that day, getting three minutes to outline what the Government’s position is.

Of course, Ireland is party to the European Union submission which commits the 29 States to reduce emissions by at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.