Workshop on Copenhagen Climate Change Negotiations

In December 2009, the 15^th UNFCCC Conference of Parties will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark. The negotiations promise to become an important milestone in the climate change negotiation history. The China Civil Climate Action Network (CCAN) has organized six representatives to participate in the conference as observers to track the processes and outcomes of the climate negotiations. On November 13^th 2009, CCAN organized a preparation workshop on climate change negotiations in Beijing. The purpose of the workshop was to provide background knowledge and information for representatives from NGOs and media who will go to Copenhagen. Mr. Chen Jiliang from Heinrich Boell Foundation and Ms. Wang Xiangyi from CANGO acted as facilitators of the workshop. Altogether more than 50 Chinese participants from NGOs, media, corporations and university students attended the workshop.

International and domestic experts from different levels were invited to share their knowledge and experiences related to climate change negotiations. Dr. Andrea De Angelis and Dr. Goerild Heggelund from the UNDP China office introduced the history of climate change negotiations and underlined the key issues as well as the expectations for the Copenhagen negotiation; Dr. Yu Jie from the Climate Group gave the scientific background, politics and economics of climate change negotiations; Mr. Kyle Ash from the Greenpeace US Office introduced the current national policy and legislation on climate change in the United States, and he addressed expectations for President Obama’s visit to China. Professor Zou Ji from the World Resource Institute introduced the Bali Action Plan and latest progress made in the recent two years. He also analyzed the different positions of developed and developing countries as well as the prospect for a successful outcome in Copenhagen; Mr. Lv Xuedu from the Ministry of Science and Technology analyzed the current problems of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and addressed the direction of CDM reform. All participants joined the discussions and exchanged opinions with the experts after the presentations.

At present, more and more Chinese NGOs are paying attention to the issues related to climate change. In this process they are beginning to form their own positions and views. An NGO research group with members from Friends of Nature, Global Village of Beijing, Greenpeace, Oxfam, Action Aid, Green Earth Volunteers and Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs drafted a civil society position on climate change negotiation. The draft position received many comments from the wider NGO community. In order to let more people from other NGOs and media know more about the position statement, Mr. Li Bo, the Director of Friends of Nature, shared the position with all participants of the workshop.

In addition, Ms. Fei Xiaojing from the Dao Institute of Environment and Development gave background information of Climate Action Network (CAN) International and their activities during the negotiations. In preparation of the exchange with international organizations and the media, and to let Chinese NGOs’ representatives know the position of Chinese government as well as the efforts and actions on climate change made by government and NGOs in China, Mr. Patrick Schroeder, International Advisor of CANGO prepared an interactive session with 12 questions related to current climate change negotiations. To conclude the workshop the CCAN Copenhagen representatives had an internal discussion on the work plan for the negotiations.