Singapore asked to help move climate talks forward

Along with Norway, common ground sought on 3 issues
Chuang Peck Ming, Business Times 17 Dec 09;

SINGAPORE has been asked to help move the climate talks here forward before world leaders arrive this week to discuss an agreement to cut back on emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.

Officials meeting in the past week have made little progress on narrowing the gap between developed and emerging nations in how to tackle the many issues involved.

'The issues are still there,' Singapore's Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim told Singapore reporters covering the conference yesterday.

Leaders including Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao are due in Copenhagen today.

And US President Barack Obama is scheduled to appear on Friday for the conference wrap-up.

But so far, officials have not persuaded developed countries to make deeper cuts in emissions and pledge money to emerging states.

Dr Yaacob said conference president Connie Hedegaard is now trying to engage environment ministers at the political level to break the stalemate.

A statement released on Tuesday said the Norwegian and Singapore environment ministers have been asked 'to consult with delegations on a possible way forward on the questions of aviation and maritime bunker fuel'.

Aviation and maritime bunker fuel are two big emitters of carbon dioxide.

Dr Yaacob and his Norwegian counterpart Erik Solheim will help seek common ground on three issues - emissions reduction target setting; application of the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities to reduction measures; and the use of revenue from these measures.

'It is vital that any Copenhagen agreement finally set emission reduction targets for international aviation and shipping and resolve the political impasse over global action,' the statement said.

'Using revenue from bunker measures - potentially US$25-$37 billion per annum - as climate finance for developing countries would ensure these proposals are equitable and help raise the ambition of the overall deal by providing a substantial new source of money,' it added.

The statement said the two ministers 'have a unique opportunity to make a real difference to champion a major new source of climate finance, while brokering agreement on mitigation measures to help ensure global warming remains below two degrees'.

Dr Yaacob said flexibility and compromises are needed to move the Copenhagen talks forward.

While the talks may not yield a legally binding agreement, they should at least produce a political mandate to hammer out the details in the next six months, he said.

'This would be a very good outcome.'

Leaders arrive for make-or-break talks
Wide differences remain; Singapore's emissions cut offer received positively
Clarissa Oon, Straits Times 17 Dec 09;

COPENHAGEN: World leaders have begun arriving in the Danish capital to salvage deadlocked climate talks in the hopes of reaching the first stage of an international deal to fight global warming.

United States President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao are among 130 heads of state and government attending tomorrow's crucial finale to the 12-day conference.

Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen has taken over from Ms Connie Hedegaard as conference chair for the final session. Ms Hedegaard continues to oversee the closed-door negotiations.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong arrives here this morning to join Senior Minister S. Jayakumar and Environment and Water Resources Minister Yaacob Ibrahim, who are already here.

Mr Lee will present Singapore's national statement on climate change later today and participate in the make-or-break concluding negotiations, which United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has called 'the most complex and ambitious ever to be undertaken by the world community'.

Negotiators are working hard to bridge huge gaps between developed and developing nations in order to put a climate deal before world leaders, said Dr Yaacob, who has taken part in meetings with his ministerial counterparts from 193 countries since Saturday.

Speaking to the Singapore media on Tuesday, he said all countries should exercise flexibility on the critical issues of emissions reduction targets and financing.

Singapore, he said, is doing its part to bring about a successful conclusion to the talks. All the countries have more or less given up hope of getting a legally binding deal, he added. Instead, they seek 'at least a politically binding agreement' to pave the way for further talks over the next six to 12 months. Progress is 'inching' but he was hopeful and 'not giving up yet'.

Tempers flared outside the conference venue yesterday as police used tear gas and arrested more than 200 protesters.

Dr Yaacob said three issues had divided negotiators thus far: emissions cuts for developed nations from 2012, nationally-appropriate mitigation actions to be undertaken by developing countries, and how such actions would be financed.

'We don't think you can cobble together something that is 100 per cent, but I think what the Danes are looking for is some framework that can be used as a basis for (future) negotiations,' he said.

Dr Yaacob and his Norwegian counterpart co-chaired a session earlier this week on trade, international aviation and bunkering fuels - all major concerns for Singapore as an aviation and shipping hub.

As a small country with limited land to develop renewable energy, Singapore has 'some red lines here and there' but is 'prepared to be flexible' on taxes against emissions-spewing bunker fuel, the minister said, without elaborating.

Going into the summit, Singapore joined several countries, including China and the US, in announcing for the first time voluntary curbs to their greenhouse gas emissions. Singapore's target of a 16 per cent cut in emissions growth by 2020 from business-as-usual levels has been well received, Dr Yaacob said.

Countries 'saw it was a very good effort', he said.

Time is running out for the world to reach a new climate change agreement.

Under the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period, which expires in 2012, developed nations are legally required to cut emissions while developing countries are exempt. But many developed countries want major emitters like China and more affluent countries like Singapore in the developing bloc to do more.

Singapore, said Dr Yaacob, believes every country must do its part 'under the principle of common but differentiated responsibility'.

'In our case, energy efficiency is our key strategy in combating climate change. Other countries can move towards renewables. We can't. So, rather than putting a common template, let's leave the countries to decide.'