The COP17  -  the 17^th Conference of the  Parties  to the UNFCCC (United Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change) which is  underway   from 27^th November   2011 at Durban, South Africa will officially come to an end today on the 9^th December 2011. Ever since 1995 the COPs are meeting in various parts of the globe with the world leaders to discuss and find a solution to the problems of Global Warming and Climate Change.   While the COP3 in Kyoto came out with a protocol to counter climate change, which later became a very important document across the world known as the Kyoto Protocol.  It emphasizes on cutting down on green house gas emissions by the rich and developed nations as their share of carbon footprint is much higher than the poorer countries.  However, from the COP15 in Copenhagen and legally binding emission cut had been proposed and campaigned.  However that did not get through.  In year 2010 at the COP16 in Mexico, the rich nations started a   "Green Climate Fund," proposed to be worth $100 billion a year by 2020, to assist poorer countries in financing emission reductions and adaptation.

The COP17 in Durban somehow lacks the urgency, particularly because the EU (European Union), which has been pushing a legally binding emission cut has a lot of other ‘urgent’ issues to handle such as the European recession with the economic collapse of  Italy and Greece.  Besides the BASIC countries (Brazil, South Africa, India & China) are not in a mood to opt for emission cuts at least till 2015.  India and China apparently are pushing for even longer timeframe, beyond 2015.

CASA  has been participating in the COP17 as a part of the Ecumenical representation.  Ms. Joycia Thorat of CASA, west zone, Mumbai has been representing CASA at the COP17.  She has been participating in many parallel meetings and also the main business sessions of COP17 as an observer.  As today the COP17 concludes we are awaiting of the decisions and we shall update on our website some stories after Ms. Thorat returns to India.

-Update by Dinesh Suna, Policy Officer & webmaster,  CASA