LDC Watch Statement on Climate Justice Now (CJN) SBI Closing Plenary Intervention, COP21
5 December, 2015
Paris, France
My name is Azeb Girmai and represent LDC Watch International, a member of Climate Justice Now.
I am forced to speak here because we have been locked out of neg rooms and the spin-off groups and this is the only space we have to make our interventions. By doing so you have transformed this from a transparent and fair process into “Bad Faith” negotiations.
As you know, civil society provides critical support to the negotiators by providing technical assistance, background information, and on-the-ground information about how their work impacts the people. And — we are the eyes and the ears of the world.
Countries are being bullied behind closed doors and the issues of the poorest are being railroaded out of this process. They are spread too thinly across what negotiators have described as a chaotic process, of multiple spin-off groups, informal and bi-laterals.
Major developed countries are negotiating in bad faith by refusing to discuss proposals on the table by developing countries. Everyone agreed there would be no new text and no new brackets, but developed countries have gone back on their word and have added both new brackets and new ‘no’ options here in Paris. Developing countries have stuck to their agreement, and have not.
There’s a myth that it’s not possible to have 190 countries negotiate successfully– and it’s not true. We have just finished 2.5 years of negotiating the Sustainable Development Goals at the UN. When parties respect the process we can progress, and accomplish great things. We traveled across the world so we could sit at the table with you to support a fair and just plan for our planet, but how can we when refused entry into the room? We call on the French Presidency to ensure a fair, just, and transparent process going forward.
(File) LDC Watch Statement at the SBI 43rd Closing Plenary at COP21 – 54 kB (File Size)
