Bangkok Is Closed So On To Barcelona We Go
Posted on 10. Oct, 2009 by Adam MacIsaac in Canada
The UNFCCC meetings in Bangkok had closed with very little major advancements made to really ensure that in December in Copenhagen there will be anotherworld wide step to address the issue of climate change as a global community. While the advancements which many had hoped would happen in Bangkok were obviously not possible due to the lack of political will from many of the developed countries. I would still like to thank those who were apart of the Canadian negotiation team, as it is not an easy position to be in and many of the same goals that I as well as others seeks are what these negotiators do want but are bound to work within the position that they are in.
During the short time inbetween the sessions I hope to have a better line of communication with the Canadian delegation as you could sum up the amount of interaction I had with the delegation with just seeing them arriving in the mornings, a few emails send out which were not replied to and watching them sitting behind the Canada sign in sessions and in the plenary. While I am wanting to have a constructive relationship with those who are representing my country during this process I also think that it is important to remind them and others back home that what amount of progress and position we have seen in the past few years is not how Canadian want to be represented internationally. We are a country who has always welcomed those who were in need of help to our land and allowed them to become one of us with the same rights and opportunities. With so many Canadian citizens have worked internationally along side those who are facing many of the major development, environmental and social issues you would hope that making progress to address this issue instead of only worrying about how reduced emissions will affect us domestically. I look to the work that the Canadian International Development Agency opperates which has much of the projects inline with the issues that will be increased globally if there is not progressive and ambitious work made before this December. If Canada is not willing to commit to putting a large amount of finacial support towards adaptation for those less developed countries and allow for a fair exchange of technology transfer are they willing to increase the amount of funding for projects to address the issues upon post impact in the future or increase the amount of environmental refugees which our country welcomes. The decisions that the Prime Minister of Canada, the Environment Minister and the negotiatiors who work within the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Environment Canada, and Natural Resources Canada will take in the the time before Copenhagen will either ensure that there is advancement on addressing this issue or failure. Their work will not be easy but I will be tracking the process all throughout the way from Canada to Barcelona then onto Copenhagen.