Unrealistic expectations placed on Pairs talks after UN Lima discussion falls short
Scotland's leading environmentals have expressed their disappointment over the "failure" of the UN Climate Talks in Lima.
Stop Climate Chaos, Friends of the Earth Scotland and WWF Scotland all said the discussions lacked ambition and commitment.
The talks, which concluded at the weekend, saw delegates approving a framework for setting national pledges to be submitted to a summit in Paris next year.
Differences over the draft text caused the two-week talks in the Peruvian capital to overrun by two days.
Environmental groups said the deal was an ineffectual compromise.
Sara Cowan of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland said developed countries didn’t put enough on the table to win the trust of others and secure real commitment to increase ambition.
“There is not enough in the way of long-term commitments on finance, on effective action to reduce emissions, or to build resilience in those countries most vulnerable to climate change,” she said.
“The final agreement also failed to acknowledge the urgent need to peak and reduce emissions by the end of this decade.
Governments crucially failed to agree on specific plans to cut emissions before 2020 - Samantha Smith
Cowan said significantly more effort and commitment will be needed but global leaders and negotiators cannot leave it all to happen in Paris.
“The Paris negotiations next year, while extremely important, will not provide a single, simple solution to climate change.
“Governments, business and individuals must all keep delivering on their responsibilities to reduce emissions.”
The agreement was adopted hours after a previous draft was rejected by developing countries, who accused rich nations of shirking their responsibilities to fight global warming and pay for its impacts.
Peru's environment minister, Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, who chaired the summit, told reporters: "As a text it's not perfect, but it includes the positions of the parties."
Miguel Arias Canete, EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, said the EU had wanted a more ambitious outcome but he still believed that "we are on track to agree a global deal" at a summit in Paris, France, next year.
However Samantha Smith, leader of WWF’s Global Climate and Energy Initiative, called the plans “half baked.”
She said: “Against the backdrop of extreme weather in the Philippines and potentially the hottest year ever recorded, governments at the UN climate talks in Lima opted for a half-baked plan to cut emissions.
“Governments crucially failed to agree on specific plans to cut emissions before 2020 that would have laid the ground for ending the fossil fuel era and accelerated the move toward renewable energy and increased energy efficiency.”
