The International Climate Change Talks have been celebrated in Bonn between 2 and 6 August 2010 as a preparatory intersession in advance of the sixth meeting for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which will take place in Cancun, Mexico in November and December 2010. Although good progress has been made, the Commission still believes that further efforts will be needed specially regarding commitment from non-Kyoto countries.

The intersession negotiations over the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Bonn have been focused on the contributions made by both industrialised and developing countries to the global effort to reduce emissions, and how the latter are financed. Some other main issues in Bonn included among others flexible mechanisms (carbon market), adapting to climate changes, strengthening capacities, technologies and measures to halt deforestation in tropical regions.

European Commissioner for Climate Action, Connie Hedegaard highlighted that the good progress in the negotiations on new commitments for Parties to the Kyoto Protocol have not been matched in the parallel negotiation track on long-term cooperative action concerning all countries, including those not committed to Kyoto.

The Union is working for an ambitious and concrete result from Cancun. In that way, this should take the form of a balanced set of decisions that reflect the interests and priorities of all parties and provide a solid basis for reaching a legally binding global climate framework as soon as possible.

According to the Commissioner, for Cancun to be a success it will be crucial to correct the current imbalance in the negotiations through much greater progress on long-term cooperative action at the final preparatory session in China in October. In addition, she urge all Parties to recognise their responsibilities and make additional efforts to get the talks back on track and moving in the right direction.

From Kyoto to Cancun

The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in the Japanese city of the same name in 1997, is the main legal enforcement instrument available to the international community in the fight against climate change. It was ratified by 184 countries and came into effect in 2005. The main objective defined in the protocol was a reduction in greenhouse gases by an average of five percent between 2008 and 2012. This commitment was made by 37 industrialised countries and the European Community.

Despite the enormous step forward taken with this protocol, it has two major drawbacks: it expires in 2012 and it only commits the most industrialised countries. Since the Bali conference of 2007, the international community has been seeking to define a global approach for the post-Kyoto period to deal with the challenge of climate change. As part of the post-Kyoto process, the Copenhagen Summit and the agreement signed there were one of the most important milestones.

The next cycle of negotiations will take place in the town of Tianjin in China, from October 4th through 9th 2010. The Cancun Conference, officially the "Conference of the Parties", will be held in Mexico from 29th November through 10th December 2010.

Within this framework, the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union will assume in Cancun the role of coordinating the position of Member States, as part of the priorities for the international agenda set by Belgian presidency at the beginning of the semester.