The climate negotiations in Durban are stuttering. There is little progress on agreement on the emission reductions needed to keep warming below 2 degrees. There is also a rumbling debate about how to fill the Green Climate Fund.
We need you to urge our leaders along the path to a sustainable planet. Together with Oxfam’s across the world you can Tweet at a range of the key players here in Durban. So, if you’re on Twitter, get twittering!
Tweet Send a message to the United States State Department
@StateDept Stop blocking #COP17 support for shipping pollution charges. Step up or step aside!
Tweet Send a message to South African President Jacob Zuma
@SApresident maximise #COP17 presidency. Support shipping pollution charges now to fill the Climate Fund
Tweet Send a message to Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard
@JuliaGillard Failure to act at #cop17 will cost lives. Reduce emissions, support Kyoto, fill the Climate Fund
Here’s why they need to hear your messages.
Increasingly the fate of the talks rests on discussions over the timeline for countries to increase their emissions cuts in line with the overwhelming scientific consensus. In the negotiations there has been a lot of scary talk about doing nothing until 2020 – which gives us little chance of keeping warming under 2 degrees. Large emitters, including the US, are pushing this distressing narrative. With just a few days left of COP17, the stakes are high.
On the financing side, talks are ongoing about ways to fill the Green Climate Fund. One exciting area that is emerging as a genuine possibility is a tax on shipping pollution, called a bunkers tax. We’ve estimated that this could raise in the region of $10 billion a year for the fund. We’re delighted to see that Bloomberg have reported Shipping Fuel Charges May Fund Climate Aid, UN Document Shows and today the UK based Daily Telegraph also highlighted this source of income as a realistic outcome.
We need to ensure that this makes it to the final agreement. Here you can also play your part. Tweet the messages above and ask that they don’t let vested interests talk them out of taking this strong action.
There is still plenty of discussion to be had in the final days of COP17. With your support we’ll be fighting hard to secure money for the Climate Fund and more action on emissions reductions.