Member News
By John Brooks - 10th December 2009
Monday evening's all-party parliamentary climate change group meeting was perfect timing.
On the day that 15,000 plus delegates began to arrive in Copenhagen for the world's biggest ever climate conference, Colin Challen MP chaired a compelling discussion on the issues that will determine the outcome of its proceedings.
Joining him was John Mitchell from the Met Office, Michael Meacher MP and David Hill from DECC.
Each panelist summed up the key considerations for chances of success in Copenhagen. These are: the scientific case; whether or not there is a workable political structure in place; and how clear a path there is for political negotiation.
Professor John Mitchell, director of climate science at the Met Office, initiated the two-hour long session by dispelling the recent scepticism over evidence for global warming.
He touched on the emails uncovered from scientists at UEA, and reflected that the scandal was an early Christmas present for many climate change conspiracy theorists.
Mitchell offered a coherent scientific account and talked about the predicted effects of climate change.
He said there is always a degree of uncertainty with the application of scientific models to reality – and there is future work to be done to improve the accuracy of these models.
However the basis of probability at the moment is that without ambitious action the consequences of climate change will be catastrophic.
Next, Michael Meacher talked through the immense complexities of conferences like Copenhagen and reflected on his own experience at Kyoto.
The first two verbs uttered by Meacher in describing a conference like Copenhagen were 'chaotic' and 'bewildering'.
At one point he spoke about the current climate change talks as being the 'most complex negotiations in history'. He told the meeting about the greatly complicated process of coming to an agreement.
Regardless of the 'exhausting' process, Meacher was positive about the government's chances of reaching an agreement in Copenhagen. All of the main countries have now made huge steps now towards combating climate change. What is more difficult, he said, is to make sure every signatory to an agreement follows through on promises.
DECC's David Hill discussed the logistics of the compromises that will be struck at Copenhagen. He talked about where we stand at the moment and how the developed countries must take their plans to the developing countries rather than vice versa. This - the tension between developed and developing countries - will be at the core of Copenhagen.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd