Comments on: Beyond Copenhagen: How to cool the planet http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2009/12/17/beyond-copenhagen-how-to-cool-the-planet/ Economics, Politics and Public Policy in East Asia and the Pacific Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:50:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: Andrew Elekhttp://www.eastasiaforum.org/2009/12/17/beyond-copenhagen-how-to-cool-the-planet/comment-page-1/#comment-85229 Andrew Elek Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:47:43 +0000 http://www.eastasiaforum.org/?p=8596#comment-85229 There is no doubt that the G20 will need to be involved to find a way to save the planet But that must not be confused with formal negotiation of an agreement by the G20. Their taks is to work towards a consensus position which will then be finalised and negotiated in the UN process. The climate issue is vitally important. But it is also essentially to preserve the G20s capapcity to deal with many other issues on a constructive and colleagial basis. If the G20 itself becomes bogged down in contentious detailed negotiations, it will corrode, if not destroy its potential. And, it they did negiotiate a detailed text, their legitimacy would be, rightly, questioned. They do not have the right to impose detailed conditions on the rest of the world, as against identify potential solutions in forums which have an international mandate and mechanism for doing so. There is no doubt that the G20 will need to be involved to find a way to save the planet

But that must not be confused with formal negotiation of an agreement by the G20.
Their taks is to work towards a consensus position which will then be finalised and negotiated in the UN process.

The climate issue is vitally important. But it is also essentially to preserve the G20s capapcity to deal with many other issues on a constructive and colleagial basis.

If the G20 itself becomes bogged down in contentious detailed negotiations, it will corrode, if not destroy its potential.

And, it they did negiotiate a detailed text, their legitimacy would be, rightly, questioned. They do not have the right to impose detailed conditions on the rest of the world, as against identify potential solutions in forums which have an international mandate and mechanism for doing so.

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