EU attends Cancun conference with limited goals

摘要

The 192 signatory countries to the United Nations Climate Change Con vention meet in Cancun, from 29 November to 10 December. Unlike in Copenhagen (December 2009), this time around there is no media build-up, no booming declarations, no great expec tations and no prestigious appearances announced: after their overexposure in Copenhagen, few heads of state will be present in Mexico. The Mexican confer ence chair apparently drew certain con clusions, that it is better to advance dis creetly, without excessive ambition and with the sole aim of adopting a number of technical decisions essential to keep ing the UN process alive and creating the necessary impetus to culminate in a real international agreement in a year's time. The European Union also seems to have learned a lesson: while reiterat ing its commitment to remain a leader in the fight against climate change, it too acknowledges that Cancun represents just one step in the process. Realism and pragmatism seem to be the watchwords.