The 16th UN Climate Change Conference (COP) finally opened yesterday, and the plenary looked like a gathering of old school friends, with delegates saluting each other effusively. This year´s conference is happening in two separate locations (Cancun Messe for side events and exhibits and the Moon Palace for the plenary). Distance is around 8 kilometers and the traffic can get really jammed during rush hour so it’s no easy logistical task to transport thousands of people between the venues during the day…
At the open ceremony, COP elected president (Mrs. Patricia Espinosa) stated that Cancun is an opportunity to move from theory to action and that the multilateral process of the COP is at stake. Some countries expressed concern that the consensus rule is holding up the process (noting that around 140 nations supported the Copenhagen Accord) and others pointed out that consensus is the cornerstone of the UNFCCC process, which produced the Kyoto Protocol, the Marrakesh Accords and the Bali Action Plan.
Maybe it’s the hot weather or the turquoise sea, but this year`s Conference reminded me a lot of Bali´s COP, three years ago, when the action plan was agreed at the end of two exhausting weeks of political talks. Apparently expectations are not as high (as they were one year ago) which some delegates say provides more room for negotiation. The clock is ticking and two weeks can really pass fast. Let´s see what happens…
