UNFCCC ADP2.10 Progress Report

As the third round of the UN climate change negotiations enters its final day, little progress has been made. Wednesday evening’s impromptu stocktaking session saw many governments expressing their frustration.

Parties complained that discussions were still conceptual, which was also the case in Geneva earlier this year, and not concrete or substantive enough. Negotiations in Bonn have yet to occur on a line-by-line basis, and the blame is being placed on both the co-chairs and facilitators. There have been calls for guidance on clearer working methods, and a plan to come to an agreement text before Paris, six negotiating days away.

The dissent was not unanimous though with Switzerland suggesting that parties question themselves first before blaming the procedure. Prior to this week, the co-chairs released a ‘negotiating tool’ to facilitate the process which the EU has noted as being useful, if “not be ideal”.

Negotiating blocs have proposed different things. The African Group suggested a clearer mandate for the co-facilitators to act, with the Umbrella Group proposing for the work to occur within spin-off groups, and others wanting to directly proceed with text-based negotiations. Thursday saw a number of closed informal consultations, which may help to overcome deadlocked discussions. The results of which will be seen today.