Rare ray of hope in UN climate talks ahead of Paris meet next December

The six-day UN climate talks session in Geneva generated a degree of optimism which many hope will bolster negotiators over the coming months. UN negotiators also produced an early draft of what should become a landmark climate agreement in Paris in December 2015.

Reuters reported that the member countries adopted an 86-page draft, which is expected to be finished later this year. The initial draft provides for a number of varying pitches, what is thought to be best path possible toward mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.

The “Like-Minded Developing Countries” group, including India, China, Saudi Arabia and several other Asian, African and South American countries, expressed the talks had been transparent, open and party-driven, and also welcomed the result.

Christiana Figueres, the head of the U.N. climate change secretariat, noted that countries are becoming fully aware about each other’s positions.

Alden Meyer, analyst at Union of Concerned Scientists, said this was possibly a very important meeting from a process point of view as well as from a psychological point of view. He pointed to significant consultations held with country representatives by the joint chairmen of the talks, ahead of Geneva meeting. Geneva session was one of four official meetings this year aimed at deriving consensus for adopting a universal climate pace ahead of the December conference in Paris.

Meyer said the Geneva session has paid off, as the people felt listened to, felt consulted and understood the process.

The U.S. is attempting to take a lead role in negotiations, but officials want the pact to be flexibly, and more importantly, not legally binding. The Geneva blueprint, at this point of time, represents the first-ever proposal with buy-in from all member nations.

Jennifer Morgan, climate director at the World Resources Institute think-tank, also expressed that the Geneva blueprint represents a much better measure of progress.