A long road to climate agreement

It is rewarding to learn from Ambassador Rolf Schulze that Germany, as well as many developing countries, small-island states and the least developed countries are working for a robust, legally binding climate-change agreement.

This information is particularly valuable as the gigantic United Nations Climate Change Conference (20,000 governmental and non-governmental representatives) will close its current session in Durban. No final miraculous achievements can be anticipated from the Durban conference. Therefore, promoting the objective expressed by Germany and by the 10 Asean member states, which are in favour of a comprehensive international legal instrument on climate change will demand additional efforts. 

This will further test the capacity of multilateral diplomacy to lead to an acceptable solution for 194 participating countries in a most complex round of negotiations on climate change. Some more significant results can be reasonably expected from the next conference, which will take place in Qatar from November 26 to December 7, 2012. 

Ioan Voicu

Bangkok