Bolivia Information Forum, Jan.2011- During the December UN climate change conference in Cancún, Mexico, Bolivia was the only country not to sign up to the final agreement. Evo Morales described the document as a ‘bad result for the people of the world’, which would result in increasing and worse natural disasters.
The agreement, signed by the other 193 United Nations member states includes plans to limit global warming to a 2˚C rise, and to create a Green Fund to help those affected by climate change. However, critics point out that the agreement does not establish binding targets for emissions reductions and that this could lead to much higher global temperature rises, with catastrophic consequences for weather systems and the environment.
The Bolivian delegation, led by UN ambassador Pablo Solón, had lobbied for a 1˚C permitted increase, and the creation of a Tribunal for Climate Justice. As BIF reported in its most recent bulletin, Solón raised serious questions about the agreement, and queried exactly where the money for the Green Fund would come from. He also expressed his unhappiness that it would be administered by the World Bank, which he said did not balance the interests of developed and developing countries. Bolivia’s criticisms and decision not to sign the Cancún Agreement are based on the Cochabamba climate conference People’s Declaration (see BIF special briefing April 2010) which it took as its mandate to the COP16 (Cancún) negotiations.
The government of Evo Morales has taken a strong ethical stance on the issue of climate change, and has argued that it will be those in poverty who will suffer most from its effects. Solón says he plans to challenge the Cancún agreement at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Bolivia Information Forum, Unit F5 89-93 Fonthill Road,
London N4 3JH www.boliviainfoforum.org.uk