Reuters, Bonn :
Many countries are pinning their hopes on India and China to lead efforts to slow climate change amid a growing sense of resignation that US President Donald Trump will either withdraw from a global pact or stay and play a minimal role.
Delegates at the May 8-18 negotiations in Bonn on a detailed “rule book” for the 2015 Paris Agreement, the first UN talks since Trump took office, say there is less foreboding than when Washington last broke with global climate efforts in 2001.
Trump doubts global warming has a human cause and says he will decide on a campaign threat to “cancel” the Paris Agreement, the first to bind all nations to set goals to curb emissions, after a group of Seven summit in Italy on May 26-27.
“The time when one big player could affect the whole game is past,” said Ronald Jumeau, climate ambassador for the Seychelles.
“There would be a void without the US, but China and India seem to be increasing their effort.”
Big emitters led by China, the European Union and India have reaffirmed their commitment to Paris, which seeks to phase out greenhouse gas emissions this century by shifting to clean energies. By contrast, Trump wants to favour US coal.
Many delegates note that the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, a forerunner to the Paris Agreement which obliged only rich nations to cut emissions, survived after ex-President George W. Bush decided in 2001 against taking part, albeit in a weakened form.
Many countries are pinning their hopes on India and China to lead efforts to slow climate change amid a growing sense of resignation that US President Donald Trump will either withdraw from a global pact or stay and play a minimal role.
Delegates at the May 8-18 negotiations in Bonn on a detailed “rule book” for the 2015 Paris Agreement, the first UN talks since Trump took office, say there is less foreboding than when Washington last broke with global climate efforts in 2001.
Trump doubts global warming has a human cause and says he will decide on a campaign threat to “cancel” the Paris Agreement, the first to bind all nations to set goals to curb emissions, after a group of Seven summit in Italy on May 26-27.
“The time when one big player could affect the whole game is past,” said Ronald Jumeau, climate ambassador for the Seychelles.
“There would be a void without the US, but China and India seem to be increasing their effort.”
Big emitters led by China, the European Union and India have reaffirmed their commitment to Paris, which seeks to phase out greenhouse gas emissions this century by shifting to clean energies. By contrast, Trump wants to favour US coal.
Many delegates note that the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, a forerunner to the Paris Agreement which obliged only rich nations to cut emissions, survived after ex-President George W. Bush decided in 2001 against taking part, albeit in a weakened form.
