Amb. Mutsuyoshi Nishimura, the former Adviser to the Cabinet on Climate Change in Japan and The Ambassador for Global Environment, Japan, highlighted the need “to recognize the disconnect between the objectives and the means to achieve those objectives” and that there is a need to address the gap.
Amb Chung Rae Kwon, former Ambassador for Climate Change for the Republic of Korea and the current Director, Environment Division of UN ESCAP, highlighted the global climate regime, outlining the core of the clash. Amb Chung stressed the need to address mitigation and move from “Game of Fear” to “Game of Hope” and to pursue Green Growth as “the Ultimate Solution for Climate Change”.
Amb Shyam Saran, Former Special Envoy on Climate Change & Foreign Secretary, India, traced the multilateral process in the climate change convention. However, witnessing the “disconnect in COP15, it would be difficult to achieve anything in COP16” as there is a shift in the negotiating process as well as the issues involved and the lack of trust.
Dr Hartmut Crewe of Konrad-Adenauer-Siftung, proposed a three-level strategy ie revitalizing multilateral climate policy, strengthening Europe’s credibility through good practice and encouraging sub-global alliances of climate pioneers.
Prof Dr Stephen Howes of The Australian National University indicated that there will be little progress in Cancun because of the legal issues, the importance of putting a price on carbon and the importance of US making the move. However, he stressed that the rest of the world must be realistic, should not wait but to take the necessary domestic actions.
