For the second consecutive day here on Thursday, small island nations occupied centrestage at the climate negotiations pressing ahead with their demand for more ambitious emission reductions, even though their formal grouping?the Alliance of Small Island Countries (AOSIS)?played down the a contentious proposal put forward by the tiny Pacific island country of Tuvalu.
The AOSIS, which has 43 countries as members, said it would soon submit its own proposal for a Copenhagen agreement that would contain its demands to limit the growth of global temperature to within 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels?and not 2 degrees that most developed and developing nations agree to?and concentrations of CO2 to a level of 350 parts per million instead of the 450ppm currently under consideration.
To the relief of many in the G-77 grouping, like India and China, AOSIS chairperson Dessima Williams sought to maintain a distinction from a proposal by Tuvalu, which incorporated the same objectives of 1.5 degree temperature rise and 350 ppm of CO2 concentration but wanted a separate treaty, like the Kyoto Protocol, to implement this.
The Tuvalu proposal had been opposed by India, China and many other countries. The opposition from India and China was being seen as a split in the G-77 and many developed countries, including the US, were silently supporting Tuvalu?s proposal.
However, AOSIS on Thursday made it clear that it would not allow any division in the G-77 on this issue. It, however, said it would bring its own proposal, which will ?harmonise? elements presented in Tuvalu?s proposal, and be consistent with the Bali Action Plan.
AOSIS claimed it had received the support of more than 100 countries?small island states and least developed nations?for more stringent emission cuts by developed countries.
Tuvalu?s proposal wants a separate treaty like the Kyoto Protocol to accommodate countries which are not part of Kyoto Protocol, meaning the US, and also those who ?voluntarily elect to do so? can become a part of this new arrangement to take ?verifiable, nationally appropriate mitigation commitments or actions?.
