Tot i que el tema del canvi climàtic està rebent molta menys atenció política i mediàtica que en el passat, el problema de l'escalfament global segueix essent altament urgent: 2010, per exemple, va ser l'any més càlid registrat.

Queden dies per a la conferència sobre el Clima, a Durban (desembre). Per tot arreu escoltem que Durban només serà un petit pas en el procés d'acordar un tractat sobre el clima global.

Certament la reunió no pinta que pugui concloure amb un acord sobre un tractat jurídicament vinculant que inclogui tant els EUA i la Xina i resoldre els nostres problemes climàtics d'una vegada per totes.

No obstant això, seria un error obviar el fet que la propera reunió del COP serà, com totes, determinant per establir alguns dels pilars que han de permetre’ns allunyar-nos dels pitjors impactes de la crisi climàtica.

Els Verds creiem que Durban mereix més atenció de la que està rebent. I és que, per exemple, l'element central de les negociacions serà el futur del Protocol de Kyoto. Així, si la UE continua obsedida a negar un segon període de compromís del Protocol de Kyoto, llavors les negociacions climàtiques podrien retrocedir deu anys.

El primer període de Kyoto acabarà l'any vinent. El temps s'està acabant i els països en desenvolupament confien (de fet necessiten) que a la UE actuï com un líder global del clima.

Els Verds portem anys demanant a la UE que es comprometi a un segon període abans de la reunió, encara que sigui un gest unilateral (d’això va el lideratge). Així mateix, els Verds tenim grans expectatives, en particular en la mitigació i el finançament.

Aquestes són les nostres demandes als líders governamentals i negociadors europeus:

The Greens/EFA,

Considers that Durban climate conference must make up for lost time in international climate negotiations and agree on

global peak year of 2015 and 2050 reduction target of 80% and establishing  a process to address gigatonne gap in current mitigation pledges based on these parameters and the 2°C/1,5°C objectives; second commitment period for Kyoto Protocol 2013-2017 closing forest management accounting and hot air loopholes to ensure environmental effectiveness of the reduction targets; mandate with timetable for a legally binding outcome under Convention track to be implemented by 2015

Considers that in Durban concrete decisions are required regarding financing for climate action in developing countries, namely :

implementation of Copenhagen and Cancun agreements regarding long term financing (annual USD 100 bn by 2020) including on sources of public finance (financial transaction tax, shipping/aviation levies) and scaling up from fast start finance levels starting 2013; modalities regarding transparency of delivery and additionality of fast start finance for 2010-2012  

Calls on the EU and its Member States in particular to

step up at least to EU target to a 30% domestic reductions by 2020 compared to 1990 and ensure EU foreign policy is directed to achieving binding international agreement which is in line with the objective of limiting climate change to 2°C, ensure fast start financing is fully delivered with funds that are new and additional to ODA and that ETS revenues are earmarked for financing of climate action in developing countries from 2013;

Insists that in Durban EU is responsible for ensuring that

an agreement is reached on Kyoto Protocol second commitment period without a gap in implementation. Kyoto Protocol forest accounting and hot air loopholes are tackled, taking environmental integrity of Annex I targets as a basis, namely through agreement on forest management accounting rules with reference to historical baselines and no carry forward of overachiement of KP first commitment period targets.

Considers that European countries face critical choices to preserve their future prosperity and security, whereas moving to a domestic greenhouse gas reduction target which is in line with the EU's climate objectives can be combined with healthier economy, increase in green jobs and innovation;

Reminds that cumulative emissions are decisive for the climate system and even when meeting the targets with the pathway set out in the European Commission 2050 Roadmap (domestic 25% for 2020, 40% for 2030, 60% for 2040 and 80% for 2050) the EU would still be responsible for approximately double its per capita share of the global 2°C compatible carbon budget, and that delaying emissions reductions increases the cumulative share significantly;

Stresses that the design of REDD+ mechanism should ensure significant benefits for biodiversity and vital ecosystem services beyond climate change mitigation and should contribute to strengthening the rights and improving the livelihood of forest dependent people, particularly of indigenous and local communities;

Underlines the need to speed up public financing for performance based REDD+ action rewarding reducing deforestation compared to national baselines to halt gross tropical deforestation by 2020 at the latest;

Considers that sectoral mechanisms for economically more advanced developing countries should be agreed for the period beyond 2012 while CDM should be limited to LDCs, and calls for any new international sectoral offset crediting mechanisms to ensure environmental integrity and incorporate climate benefit beyond the 15-30% deviation from business as usual;

Calls for the introduction of international market based instruments to curb climate impact of international aviation and maritime transport and to generate revenues for supporting climate action in developing countries;