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Coal smoke obscures climate action in Warsaw

News Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


[Warsaw Poland] November 23, 2013 Countries have been exposed at the climate ne otiations! in "arsa#! as beholden to vested interests! such as the dirt$ %ossil %uel lobb$! a%ter the$ once a ain missed an opportunit$ to put the #orld on a path#a$ to securin a comprehensive climate action plan in &'()! accordin to Climate Action *et#or+, -At the time #hen climate impacts are hittin communities around the #orld! #e have seen the true nature o% international climate politics. economic interests +een to maintain the status /uo have been the hand pullin the puppet strin s o% overnments in these ne otiations!0 Climate Action *et#or+ International Director! "ael 1maidan! said, The "arsa# meetin sa# some developed countries in2ect an ominous air into the tal+s! leadin to the evaporation o% trust, For example! 3apan rolled bac+ its climate commitments and Australia tabled le islation to repeal its price on carbon durin the %irst #ee+ o% the tal+s, Then! 4ASIC countries pushed bac+ on e%%orts to loc+ all countries into ta+in climate action as part o% the &'() 5aris plan because the$ %eel the$ have not been supported to ta+e such action in the past! speci%icall$! in re ard to the absence o% %undin %rom developed countries li+e the E6 and the 6S, CA* #elcomed the establishment o% an international mechanism to provide expertise to help developin nations cope #ith loss and dama e caused b$ climate impacts! thou h the mandate and scope o% the mechanism #ill need to be stren thened to meet the needs o% the vulnerable, Mohamed Ado#! %rom Christian Aid! said. 7In a reein to establish a loss and dama e mechanism! countries have accepted the realit$ that the #orld is alread$ dealin #ith the extensive dama e caused b$ climate impacts! and re/uires a %ormal process to assess and deal #ith it! but the$ seem un#illin to ta+e concrete actions to reduce the severit$ o% these impacts!7 Ado# said, On %inance! a +e$ issue at the "arsa# tal+s! the picture #as mixed, The adaptation %und achieved its 8('' million %undraisin oal! and more mone$ #ill %lo# to countries that can strin entl$ prove the$ are reducin emissions %rom de%orestation, 4ut! no clear deadline #as set to ma+e the %irst pa$ments into the 9reen Climate Fund and the road to#ards the 8('' billion a $ear b$ &'&' commitment is mur+$! #ith no timelines! path#a$s! and sources outlined, Thus leavin developin countries #ithout a predictable %lo# o% %unds to ta+e climate action,

-Furthermore! "arsa# did not provide a clear plan to %airl$ divide the lobal e%%ort o% respondin to climate chan e and a timeline o% #hen that #ill happen! #hich is needed as countries pro ress to#ards the &'() deal!0 Ado# said, The intransi ence o% man$ countries has led to unprecedented levels o% %rustration #ithin civil societ$, 1undreds o% members o% civil societ$! %rom the $outh! %aith! and environment movement! have %asted %or the duration o% the ne otiations to call %or climate action, The %asters are actin in solidarit$ #ith the Filipino climate commissioner! :eb Sano! #ho called %or countries to -stop the climate madness0 at the openin o% the tal+s 2ust a%ter his countr$ #as devastated b$ a t$phoon, 1ai$an #as 2ust a taste o% the +ind o% extreme #eather #e can expect to increase i% carbon pollution doesn;t pea+ in the next %e# $ears! accordin to the Inter overnmental 5anel on Climate Chan e, -A mass movement has no# developed o% people %rom throu hout the #orld #ho #ill %ast %or a da$ ever$ month until a deal to save the climate is a reed! in 5aris! in &'()!0 1maidan said, The movement emer ed as man$ roups! includin some CA* members! chose to #al+ out o% the tal+s on Thursda$, "ith man$ countries! cities! and states to hold elections next $ear! civil societ$ #ill o %or#ard %rom "arsa# to issue a clarion call %or citi<ens around the #orld to demand climate action %rom their overnments, Attention #ill %irst turn to the E6! #hich must! in March! a ree a stron carbon pollution reduction tar et %or &'=', *ext $ear #ill see climate chan e roc+et bac+ to the top o% the international political a enda, The 6nited *ations Secretar$ 9eneral! 4an >i Moon! has put #orld leaders on notice to brin bold pled es and action to his Climate Summit! in September, Despite countries %ailin to brin the necessar$ mandate %or chan e to "arsa#! the ne otiations did add to the chorus o% voices heraldin the end o% the a e o% coal! accordin to Li< 9alla her %rom E=9, 3ust this #ee+! 6*FCCC Executive Secretar$! Christiana Fi ueres! reminded the dirt$ ener $ lobb$ that most o% the +no#n coal reserves must not be burned! destro$in the 5olish 9overnment;s attempt to brand the %uel as climate %riendl$, Fi ueres? comment adds to those o% the IEA! OECD and even businesses such as 5#C! #ho are also callin %or most %ossil %uel reserves to remain untouched and %or overnments to put a price on carbon, -The %act remains the venue %or international collaboration on solvin this problem #hich! be%ore lon ! #ill a%%ect us all! is the 6*FCCC!0 9alla her said, -Countries need to o home and spend some time listenin to their people! rather than the dirt$ ener $ lobb$ and come bac+ to the ne otiatin table next $ear #ith a serious approach to solvin this problem and securin a climate a reement in 5aris! in &'()!0 9alla her said

!e Warsaw "utcome A missed opportunit$ to put the #orld on a path#a$ to#ards a comprehensive climate action plan in &'() that #ould +eep the climate sa%e *o pro ress #as made on clear plan to %airl$ divide the lobal e%%ort o% respondin to climate chan e and a timeline o% #hen that #ill happen

The establishment o% an international mechanism to provide expertise to help developin nations cope #ith loss and dama e caused b$ climate impacts #as #elcomed! thou h the mandate and scope o% the mechanism #ill need to be stren thened to meet the needs o% the vulnerable, On %inance! a +e$ issue at the "arsa# tal+s! the picture #as mixed, Some European developed countries! includin 9erman$ and S#it<erland! send a si nal o% trust b$ helpin the Adaptation Fund reach its 6SD('' million %undraisin oal, "hile this can no# be used to %und concrete adaptation pro2ects in vulnerable developin countries! it is still onl$ a drop in the ocean iven the hu e adaptation costs, More mone$ #ill %lo# to countries that can strin entl$ prove the$ are reducin emissions %rom de%orestation, A process %or ensurin overnance! and protectin indi enous people and biodiversit$ #as established, 4ut! no clear deadline #as set to ma+e the %irst pa$ments into the 9reen Climate Fund and the road to#ards the 8('' billion a $ear b$ &'&' commitment is mur+$! #ith no timelines! path#a$s! and sources outlined, Developin countries have been le%t #ithout a predictable %lo# o% %unds to ta+e climate action, Some simple accountin rules #ere a reed in re ard to the in%ormation countries put %or#ard on their climate action commitments

Contacts Climate Action Network (CAN) is a global network of over 850 NGOs in more than 100 countries working to promote government and individual action to limit human-induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels. For more information, please contact CAN International Communications Coordinator Ria Voorhaar, email: rvoorhaar@climatenetwork.org,

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