http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/climate-change-talks-fail-deliver-real-solutions/5/96262
Today representatives from 35 countries met in Auckland to discuss action on climate change as part of the continuing United Nations negotiations on the issue. Unfortunately these talks, like the two decades of talks on this issue which proceed them, are not likely to result in real action to prevent climate change, and in fact are promoting dangerous fake climate solutions which today are already harming more people than climate change itself.
'Due to the constraints of the economic system in which governments operate and power imbalances between rich and poor countries and peoples, the united nations process on climate change is failing.' says Climate Justice Aotearoa spokesperson Jessie Dennis. 'The negotiations have been hijacked by business and the interests of corporate profit.'
The talks in Auckland are set to focus on the issues of mitigation and the measuring, monitoring and reporting of emissions; New Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser is co-chair for this UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) working group, putting New Zealand in a position of influence within the talks.
'To have New Zealand putting itself forward in these talks as a balanced and fair player is a joke. New Zealand has pushed for loopholes in the climate deal wherever possible in order to be able to reach it's already measly emissions reduction target through dodgy offsetting schemes' says Dennis.
But New Zealand isn't alone. Developed countries and corporate giants around the world are using the negotiations to create business opportunities while attempting to look 'green', says Dennis. Commodifying the worlds remaining ecosystems through carbon trading schemes is already leading to carbon co2lonisation and has already failed as a way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Now they want to do the same with soil based carbon so industrial agricultural emmitors can generate more fake offsets through soil based emissions trading. Soil carbon markets pose a significant threat to the livelihoods of millions of smallholders in the developing world - particularly women-and may seriously undermine food security. Promoting soil carbon markets is also a major distraction from providing the public finance needed to help poor countries tackle climate change. The 'solutions' being promoted through the process amount to land-grabbing, shifting the problem to underdeveloped countries through offsetting schemes and dangerous technological quick-fixes.
In accepting the truth about the broken UNFCCC process, we can focus on real and just solutions to climate change, which are already being promoted by people on the front lines of the climate crisis all around the world, says Dennis. 'People have the answers to climate change, and they're simple. They're about leaving fossil fuels in the ground, promoting localised energy sources run by the people that use them, and asking the people effected what they want. The answers are there, but you won't find them within the walls of yet another high level negotiating room.'
