Tiempo Climate Newswatch

The Durban Climate Change Conference began with a call for action by South African President Jacob Zuma. "We have experienced unusual and severe flooding in coastal areas in recent times, impacting on people directly as they lose their homes, jobs and livelihoods. Given the urgency, governments need to strive to find solutions here in Durban. Change and solutions are always possible, and Durban must take us many steps forward towards a solution that saves tomorrow today," he said. Later in the week, he reported that the summit was "proceeding well." "The discussions are continuing as planned in an environment that is conducive to constructive engagement," he said. Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, was also confident that progress was being made at the summit. She reported as the first week of the summit ended that she was confident that industrial countries will renew their emissions reduction pledges after current commitments under the Kyoto Protocol expire.

Figueres had identified two steps that governments could take in Durban. The first would be to complete the support package for developing countries. "The Technology Mechanism and the Adaptation Committee agreed in Cancún can be completed here in Durban so that they can begin benefitting people in 2012," she said. "And in Durban, the first phase of the design of the Green Climate Fund can be approved, as a major step on the road towards better supported climate action." Funding can also be ramped up towards the US$100 billion of long-term climate finance and the nature of the review of the adequacy of a below 2 degrees Celsius temperature limit, including in relation to 1.5 degrees Celsius, needs to be resolved. The second step is to determine how governments will work together to limit the global temperature rise to a level which will prevent the worst ravages of climate change. "This means, as a central task for Durban, answering the very important question of the future of the Kyoto Protocol. At the same time, governments will need to agree on how they want to pursue a broader framework to reduce greenhouse gases under the Climate Change Convention," she said.

There was tension in Durban at the weekend as a march protesting lack of progress at the 2011 Climate Change Conference was disrupted by African National Congress supporters dressed as summit volunteers. Protest songs were exchanged and water bottles were thrown at the marchers before marshalls and police intervened.

"They are agent provocateurs, here to disturb the march," said Pat Hall of street trader organization Street-Net International. "The [eThekwini] Municipality had to be forced by a court order yesterday to allow this march to go along this route because the city wanted us going around in circles at Curries Fountain Stadium today, now they they're trying to prove that we are violent," she explained. Habte Abate, executive director of Sustainable Land Use Forum in Ethiopia, commented: "I'm not sure what the context of this is, but we are here protesting about global issues, which affect all of us. I am very surprised these people would come here to disrupt the march and fight petty political battles."

Non-governmental organizations Oxfam and WWF have joined with the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), which represents four-fifths of the world merchant fleet, to call on the Durban Climate Change Conference to give the International Maritime Organization clear guidance on reducing emissions of carbon dioxide from commercial shipping.

"The international shipping industry is firmly committed to reducing its carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, with significant further reductions thereafter," said ICS Secretary General Peter Hinchliffe. "However, the Durban Climate Change Conference needs to give the International Maritime Organization a clear mandate to continue its vital work to help us deliver further emission reductions through the development of market-based measures." Oxfam and WWF are proposing that a carbon tax be applied to shipping. Tim Gore of Oxfam said that part of the money collected will be used to compensate developing countries for the increase in transport costs and the remainder could be directed to the Green Climate Fund.