For anyone close to COP15, but not actually negotiating, the word of the day was 'suspense.' There were no real developments overnight, other than the fact that the House had finished its business for the year and the Congressional delegation was coming. That sent me into a bit of a frenzy, as I had to finish up some briefing papers and make sure everything was ready for the boss.
The big development of the morning was Secretary Clinton's announcement of a new funding commitment from the US. In addition to ramping up to $10 billion/year by 2012 (so-called 'fast-start' money), the Secretary offered to commit the US to jointly raise $100 billion/year by 2020, if developing countries agreed to measures for monitoring and transparency of GHG emissions. The money will come from a a variety of sources, including public and private investment, forestry, multi- and bilateral agencies, and alternative financing options. The funds would focus on the most vulnerable populations.
Most of the day was spent in closed-door neogtiations, so there' s not much news to report. It's a matter of waiting, and hoping the negotiators can find the keys to unlock an agreement.
Posted By: Thomas Lee @ 1:56 AM |