Insights from Copenhagen: Obama Addresses Copenhagen

With literally hours remaining before the COP 15 conference ends, President Obama spoke at the climate conference.  Obama shredded his prepared schedule a few minutes after landing in Copenhagen Friday, racing from the airport to an emergency meeting with 18 other leaders from large nations in a last-ditch effort to save the foundering climate change conference.

When he did address the delegates, Obama didn’t offer any new concessions, but he outlined the U.S. position:

1. Climate mitigation—binding greenhouse gas emissions
2. Transparency and verification of emissions reporting by all countries
3. Long term financing for developing countries

The second point—transparency and verification—is the key sticking point between China and the U.S.  The U.S. and its allies have taken the position that countries providing funds — as the United States would — have the right to verify the emissions reporting of countries receiving funds (Such as China and its allies — primarily the G77).

Many believe if the U.S. and China can resolve this difference, some type of political framework can be agreed upon that would lay the foundation for a binding agreement in Mexico next year.  Immediately following the conclusion of his remarks, Obama and Premier Wen Jiabao met for nearly an hour and both sides that progress had been made.  While not saying they had reached a breakthrough, both sides did say that progress had been made on verification and both leaders instructed their teams to keep talking.

FH colleague, Michael Berendt, wrote a commentary piece that appeared in today’s China Daily.  It’s a look back over the past two weeks at Copenhagen and discuses the prospects for a deal and future challenges and opportunities.  It’s a perfect “curtain-raiser” for the last day of negotiations and places today’s activities in Copenhagen in context.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2009-12/18/content_9197009.htm

Stay tuned.