Uncertainty in climate change negotiations…an unfortunate reality. One of the biggest complaints from members of the International Youth Climate Movement during the Copenhagen Climate Conference was that world leaders weren’t grasping the urgency of climate change. At COP 15′s opening, a young woman from the Solomon Islands said how she knew that political negotiators had been negotiating a response to climate change ever since she was born. “You can’t tell me that you need more time,” the precocious girl stated.

It seems like there is some strong affinity for delay when it comes to climate change. The Bonn 2 UNFCCC Climate meeting had seemed no different. Until it progressed a little further. The last press conference of Bonn 2 featured Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Yvo De Boer stating that the conference: “Has made significant progress” and “Elements of the Copenhagen Accord are now fully integrated as the beginnings of a formula that links national pledges to cuts or limiting emissions with the minus 25-40% goal that science indicated as being required if we are to have a 50% chance of staying below a 2 degree temperature increase.”

Although all of this ‘progress’ probably isn’t even close to enough, it’s a political step forward.

The most inspiring aspect of all recent climate talks have been the presence of youth and their fresh approach to politics and global accountability.
From numerous ‘actions’ and personal meetings with people like Yvo de Boer, Christiana Figueres and Mexican Ambassador Carlos García de Alba, these young members of civil society have been able to constructively engage with the whole UNFCCC process.

One source inside the talks explained how Figueres (the new executive secretary of the UNFCCC) suggested that those in the YOUNGOs should aim to become ‘resource people’ to really impact on the negotiations by finding out as much possible about one issue to become an expert!

Some interesting advice for sure. I can only hope that the movement for action on climate change will build enough to secure a fair and legally binding treaty on climate change this December in Cancun. Conclusively, Bonn 2 provided some steps forward. In the words of Mr de Boer, “The work here opens way for Cancun to deliver a full package of operational measures allowing developing countries to take fast and stronger action across all areas of climate change.” De Boer also mentioned a very important aspect of any future treaty: “For Cancun to succeed, governments, negotiators, but also civil society and the press need to get their head around two major issues. The concept of ‘legally binding’ is not an icon of faith but a practical feature of international agreements.” He brings up an important aspect of accountability that the international community criticized Canada for its ignorance of at COP 15 when reviewing Canada’s performance according to Kyoto. In this way, De Boer is quite right when he says (of accountability) : “You don’t get it by simply repeating the words, it’s [legally binding] an essential ingredient.