<!– /11440465/Dna_Article_Middle_300x250_BTF –>Though it began under a cloud of uncertainty, as climate change denier Donald Trump was elected the next President of US, the annual climate conference at Marrakesh concluded Friday with a reaffirmation from countries to finish rulemaking for implementation of Paris agreement by 2018. The Paris agreement, that was adopted last December, became an international treaty in October as countries accounting for more than 55% of world’s greenhouse gas emissions ratified it. It was in this backdrop that more than 190 countries negotiated at Marrakesh to prepare the fine print for Paris deal’s. The agreement will kick-in after 2020 and countries decided that its rulebook should be completed by 2018. But, the consensus between developed and developing countries largely ended there. Differences persisted over crucial issues pertaining to climate finance, adaptation funds and scaling up reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases. Developed countries have committed to contribute $100 billion each year to help poorer and developing economies fight climate change for post-2020 action. A report by United Kingdom and Australia, sought to illustrate a ‘roadmap’ for generating this finance. But, this report was at the centre of much controversy as developing countries disagreed over its claims and accounting methodology. Eventually, the UN’s document on ‘Long-Term Finance’, ‘welcomed’ the submission of the controversial report, acknowledging it officially. This has left many developing and poor economies unhappy as the developed economies will be able to dominate discourse on generation of the all important climate finance. “The job here in Marrakech was to start writing the rulebook for the Paris Agreement and to take urgent action. But the issue of finance has thrown a spanner in the works. The general message to developing countries is ‘you’re on your own’. “Without real finance, and drastic cuts in emissions from rich countries, the planet doesn’t have a chance of staying under 1.5°C warming,” said Harjeet Singh, Global Lead on Climate, Action Aid. The replenishment of funds for adapting to climate change though, was one of positive developments from the Marrakesh conference. “There was a demand for replenishing the adaptation fund under the Paris agreement and that was done with $80 million. The issue of providing loss and damage finance to vulnerable countries though, will be taken up next year,” said Sanjay Vashist, Director, Climate Action Network, South Asia. Poor economies need adaptation fund to tackle the impacts of climate change on livelihoods.
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