Draft climate deal survives surgery but remains in critical condition

The current draft of the new climate agreement due to be signed in Paris this December went through surgery on the first day of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations in Bonn, Germany. The patient survived but remains in critical condition, reports CARE International from Bonn. The second day of the talks will focus on getting the new 34-page draft agreement to full health.

“Developing countries really put their foot down on Monday, when they demanded for a more equal start to the negotiations. The G77 group, representing over 80% of the world’s population, insisted that the new climate deal must ensure financial support to those who are least able to adapt,” says Sven Harmeling, CARE International’s climate change advocacy coordinator in Bonn.

“If developed countries fail to scale up their support, more and more people will be forced to deal with the increasing loss and damage caused by climate change. It is also encouraging to see the EU demanding for a stronger and fairer climate agreement,” Harmeling continues.

“CARE International also welcomes the call made by a significant number of countries to include human rights and gender equality in the new climate deal. This is a strong signal to the people at the frontlines of climate change. The new agreement must guarantee that future climate actions will not lead to human rights violations,” Harmeling adds.

The UNFCCC climate talks in Bonn will continue until Friday, 23 October. This is the last round of preparatory negotiations before the Paris climate change conference, commonly known as COP21, 30 November – 11 December 2015.