Lack of binding Copenhagen climate accord doesn't let developed nations off the hook, says humanitarian agency CWS
Saturday, December 19, 2009

As the Copenhagen climate change conference ended Saturday morning without official adoption of a non-binding accord brokered by President Barack Obama and emerging countries, humanitarian agency Church World Service called on individual nations to "act 'as if,' starting now."

Rev. John L. McCullough, Executive Director and CEO of Church World Service, joins thousands of others in sending a message about the urgency of climate change during the Copenhagen summit. Photo: Levi Bautista

NEW YORK--As the Copenhagen climate change conference ended Saturday morning without official adoption of a non-binding accord brokered by President Barack Obama and emerging countries, humanitarian agency Church World Service called on individual nations to "act 'as if,' starting now." 

Delegates from 193 nations at the close of the summit did agree to "take note" of the document tooled on Friday by President Obama, emerging nations China, India, South Africa, and Brazil and key European countries--an accord that did not set forth any legally binding levels for reducing greenhouse gas emissions or binding mechanisms for verifying countries' emission levels.

Just returning from the United Nations climate summit, Church World Service Executive Director and CEO the Rev. John L. McCullough said, "Regardless of the agreements, signed or not signed at Copenhagen, binding or not binding, this does not leave developed and emerging nations off the hook in terms of lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Nor is it a license for emerging nations to proceed with development without self-regulated, intentional measures toward greener development."

McCullough cited the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ruling finding CO2 emissions harmful to one's health as "just one example of how nations can move ahead on their own until a legally binding international accord is reached, pending of course that the U.S. EPA ruling is applied."

CWS acknowledged all parties in Copenhagen for making strides by agreeing to a $100 billion fund intended to assist developing countries in mitigating and adapting to climate change between now and 2020.  Said McCullough, "Secretary of State Clinton's address in Copenhagen Thursday turned a corner."

"Over the two decades of discussions about adaptation funding, COP15 marks the first time world leaders have agreed to an actual amount to help the world's poorest nations who are also the most affected by climate change," he added.

The resulting Copenhagen declaration also includes a commitment to attempt to hold global warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius, but other countries and even the accord's crafters have also admitted that this cap is still not sufficient to curb global warming.

On the issue of transparency concerning use of adaptation funding and meeting proposed greenhouse cuts, CWS's McCullough noted that, "There has been significant progress at COP15 in regards to furthering governance and transparency needs."

While endorsing the need overall for international transparency and good governance on climate change mitigation, McCullough warns that, "Any future agreement on an international monitoring mechanism does not delete or replace the need for a binding agreement to meet specified emissions targets."

According to a Reuters report late Friday night, a "constellation group" of 28 powerful developed and developing nations did agree to a list of national actions and commitments, which includes an agreement to give information on their emissions through "national communications" and possibly international consultations.

By all countries' accounts including President Obama's, the Copenhagen agreements lead the way to and underscore the urgency for a more definitive agreement to be produced in next year's UN meetings.

The 1997 Kyoto Protocol accord, which the U.S. did not sign, limits greenhouse-gas emissions among 37 industrialized nations, but that accord and its targets are still set to expire in 2012. CWS had expressed hope that President Obama would take a different stance to the Kyoto Protocols and that the Copenhagen negotiators would endorse continuance of those agreements.

"The climate clock hasn't stopped for politics," CWS's McCullough said. "As one protester's sign at Copenhagen said, 'There is no Planet B.’"

Church World Service strongly urges the international community to recognize climate change adaptation as a high priority for immediate-to-long-term funding and action, given the current critical plight of climate-vulnerable populations around the world. The agency's sustainable development and relief programs worldwide have been integrating climate change mitigation and adaptation solutions for some years.

CWS also promotes a focus on "sustainable consumption" on the part of developed countries. "When it comes down to it, it's up to us as sustainable consumers, particularly in rich countries, to drive the market to climate responsibility," said McCullough.

Editors: High resolution photo of CWS's John McCullough in Copenhagen available for downloading at: www.churchworldservice.org/hires

Media Contact:
Lesley Crosson, 212-870-2676, lcrosson@churchworldservice.org
Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526, jdragin@gis.net

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