What Do We Want? Climate Action! When Do We Want It? NOW!

In Paris, 195 countries agreed to limit global temperature rise to well below 2°C, aiming for 1.5°C. Yet, current INDCs are setting us on a pathway to around 3°C. To make matters worse, the remaining carbon budget even to stay well below 2°C might be used up by the time NDCs really begin to take effect. What we want is greater ambition now.

Parties have agreed that this issue will be high on the agenda at COP22 in Marrakech, with a high-level event on pre-2020 action and the facilitative dialogue on the implementation of pre-2020 commitments. This is all well and good, but we need to go beyond expert meetings, dialogues and events highlighting options if we are to close the mitigation and adaptation gaps. What we want is action now.

Delegates in Bonn must take the following steps:

1) Ensure that the Technical Expert Meetings focus on identifying barriers to more rapid deployment of climate-friendly technologies, as well as the actions needed to overcome those barriers.

2) Mandate the co-champions to spell out, in a scenario note, recommendations for decisions that Parties can take at COP22 to build support for the implementation of these actions.

3) Initiate a process under both the SBI and SBSTA to develop criteria for these actions, to ensure that they deliver real mitigation or adaptation change, respect human rights and food sovereignty, have environmental integrity and fully assess the potential risks associated with new technologies.

4) ECO wants to remind Parties that more action in developing countries will require adequate support, including fully delivering the US$100 billion promise. Developed countries need to come to Marrakech ready to put forward a clear and transparent roadmap on just how they plan to deliver by 2020.