Dr Yaacob Ibrahim confident of resolution despite breaking points
Arti Mulchand, Straits Times 15 Dec 07;
Singapore, which lacks alternatives to fossil fuels and serves as a global petrochemical, air and sea hub, has taken the stance that there should not be a one-size-fits-all solution on emissions cuts. 'We do it (performing hub services) very well and very efficiently, and that is the way it must be seen,'
BALI - WHEN it comes down to laying a Bali 'road map' leading to an eventual global climate change agreement, the devil, clearly, is in the details.
So when the United States unexpectedly turned some of those details on their heads - on the eve of when marathon talks should have ended, no less - Singapore's Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim was taken by surprise.
He was part of a group of 40 ministers appointed to try and sort out remaining contentious issues, including the big question of whether a final text will include emissions reduction targets for developed countries.
The aim is to form a framework for Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2009, when negotiators will work out a successor to the current Kyoto Protocol.
The United States, which has been pursuing voluntary reduction pledges under a 'major economies' plan, tried to change the draft late on Thursday.
Its proposal essentially called for cuts from all countries based on level of economic development.
'I knew it was a non-starter,' Dr Yaacob said.
Many of the other delegates were shaking their heads, and some went into a huddle in one corner, he told The Straits Times yesterday.
'By 1am I couldn't take it, I left,' he said of the closed door meeting at Nusa Dua's Laguna Resort.
The meeting finally broke up in acrimony at 4am yesterday, after a slew of counterproposals had been tabled, and no resolution reached.
The issue was left in the hands of Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar, who is presiding over the talks.
He formed an even smaller group to sort it out.
The breaking points yesterday was just one of many in the arduous negotiations over the past four days that Dr Yaacob has been here.
Yesterday, just as he prepared to return to Singapore, there were yet more meetings among the ministers, but no resolution was forthcoming.
Still, he seemed confident that one would come.
'The meetings were long and hard...but this must be so,' he said.
'But both sides have made compromises. Countries do come to the table with vested interests, but because they are aware of the urgency, they are prepared to give in.'
A successful outcome is just as crucial to Singapore as it is to the rest of the world, he said.
Singapore, which lacks alternatives to fossil fuels and serves as a global petrochemical, air and sea hub, has taken the stance that there should not be a one-size-fits-all solution on emissions cuts.
'We do it (performing hub services) very well and very efficiently, and that is the way it must be seen,' Dr Yaacob said.
'You are doing a service to the world, cut that back and it doesn't serve anybody any good.'
Not having binding targets 'doesn't mean you stand by and do nothing', he said, pointing to some of Singapore's green initiatives.
Still, all the big emitters have to be on board and 'signal to the world that they are doing something'.
'Only then can the smaller countries do our part,' he said.
He left the conference, expected to drag into later today, confident that at the end of the day, logic would be hard to defeat and 'wriggling room' at the drawing board would ensure a positive outcome from Bali.
He said: 'There is a strong spirit to move the process...and they owe it to the rest of the world to come up with something.'
