Countdown to Copenhagen: Towards the End of the Illusion?

From the 7th until the 18th of December a mass of negotiators will descend on Copenhagen, Denmark, in order to clinch a comprehensive, ambitious and fair international climate change deal that will succeed the existing Kyoto Protocol. In spite of several breakthroughs in recent weeks, such as developing countries dropping their demands for free Western low-carbon technology and developed countries slowly relenting on their demand that the emerging/developing nations agree to long-term cuts (2050), a difficult road lies ahead. This is particularly the case as crucial issues such as mitigation and financing remain to be solved.

This Böll Lunch Debate aims to take stock and analyse the current negotiations prior to Copenhagen in order to assess how these negotiations might move forward. In this context, this event aims to identify the positions of some of the major actors and discuss questions such as: What role will the transatlantic alliance play during the negotiations? Is the European Union retaining its climate leadership and is the US finally ready to step up to the plate? What are the main stumbling blocks? How will the issue of surplus emission credits (AAUs) be solved? And is it time for us to drop the illusion that we will achieve a legally-binding agreement?

Speakers:
- Maurizio di Lullo, DG Environment, Council of the European Union
- Sascha Müller-Kraenner, European Representative of the Nature Conservancy

Chair:
Claude Weinber, Director of the Heinrich Böll Foundation European Union