Tiempo Climate Newswatch

The Manado Ocean Declaration has been agreed at the World Ocean Conference in Indonesia. Participants agreed to seek for long-term conservation, sustainable use and management of marine living resources and coastal habitats. They also agreed to curb pollution of ocean, coastal and land areas and to promote sustainable management of fisheries in accordance with relevant international agreements, endorsing the Large Marine Ecosystem approach that enhances cooperation among countries that share marine ecosystems and resources.

The Declaration also invites parties to the climate treaty to consider how the coastal and ocean dimension could be "appropriately reflected" in their decisions at the critical negotiations in Copenhagen later this year. The Declaration had been weakened during discussions, with provisions for climate adaptation funds and transfer of technology cut back. Nevertheless, conference chair Freddy Numberi, Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister, said that "the Declaration is a good start to putting oceans as a key agenda at the United Nations climate talks in Copenhagen." The Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI), intended to protect the rich resources of the waters of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste, was formally launched at the time of the conference.

A proposal for a global climate change fund advanced by Mexico has been favourably received by one European Union negotiator. "It's not a question of what we like, but of what may work, and the Mexican proposal gives flexibility that may be appreciated by the United States, Japan and by other donors," said Jos Delbeke from the environment directorate of the European Commission.

The fund would receive contributions from all nations, with the scale of each national contribution determined by population, gross domestic product and emissions. It may also receive income from the auction of permits in developed countries and a levy on the disbursement of mitigation funds for adaptation. The European Union and the Latin American nations of the Rio Group have agreed to cooperate ahead of the Copenhagen climate conference in December.

The United States climate bill, put before the House of Representatives by President Barack Obama, looks set to be approved shortly. "We have reached agreement on most key matters," said representative Rick Boucher from Virginia. There has been a number of compromises with the original target for the year 2020 of 20 per cent reduction below 2005 levels weakened to a 17 per cent cut and greater concessions for industry. A costly publicity campaign has been mounted by opponents in the fossil fuel industry in an attempt to kill off the bill.

Meanwhile, the Obama administration has refused to protect the polar bear under the endangered species act. "To see the polar bear habitat melting and an iconic species threatened is a tragedy of the modern age," said interior secretary Ken Salazar, but "the endangered species act is not the best mechanism for cutting down on climate change." "We need a comprehensive energy and climate change strategy that curbs climate change and its impact, including the loss of sea ice," he continued.