I 'M NOT OPTIMISTIC FOR A LEGALLY BINDING OUTCOME AT CO16` Cancun, Mexico says Dem

NEWS BANJUL THE GAMBIAAs world leaders, climate justice advocates and youth leaders are heading to the Mexican City of Cancun for the 16^th session of the Conference of Parties better known as COP 16 to be held from the 29th November to 10^th December 2010, our reporter caught with Mr. Ebrima Dem, an official youth participant at this conference, to give his view on the possible outcome of the climate negotiation.

Speaking to MANSABANKO BLOGSPOT at his office located at Plaza Centre, along the Mosque road, Serrekunda, Mr Dem expressed less hope for any legally binding instrument to be achieved from the negotiation.  He says ‘as usual, the negotiation will be a ‘talking shop’ and heated debate only but without any tangible outcome, ‘he asserted.  According to him, the least we should expect from Cancun is a simple COP decision that is not legally binding and characterised by developed countries making yet another unmet pledge.

However, Dem went further to explain that African negotiators should go to negotiation table with an African agenda and to fight for tangible benefits of a continent wide development aspiration and pro-poor climate action. As Africans,  he continued, ‘we should go to the negotiation with strong collaboration and fighting spirit to see to it that African interest is properly represented for any COP outcome that may reach, ‘ he remarked.

He suggested that any African agenda at the negotiation should include the amendment to Annex B of the Kyoto protocol as stated under 3.9, extension of Kyoto protocol another commitment period to at least from 2013 to 2018 as the current commitment period expires by 2012 and mitigation efforts of Annex 1 pasties to be determine by science and leading to emission reduction to at least between 40-45% by 2020, using 1990 as base year. According to him, it should also include the concern and suggestion of young people and women who often suffer most of the impact of climate change.  Dem also recommended that developed countries should be task to scale the fund to support adaptation projects, clean development mechanism in the continent. In addition, this money should be under guidance and coordination of the COP, so that it can easily be accessible to developing countries, he concluded.