It’s Getting Hot In Here

It is the final night of the UN conference. All of the side events have ended and all of the displays have been taken down. Compared to the constant bustle of normal conference pace, the convention center feels like a ghost town.

Yet, the negotiations goes on.

It is now 2am and negotiations are continuing to take place behind closed doors. In the main hall, people are waiting, and some are sleeping, for the final report and close of these negotiations. As rumor has it, that time will not come until at least 5am at the current rate of progress. Outside in the halls, there are intense strategy huddles, camping outside of the negotiation rooms in hopes of catching a hint of how they are going, and finally outright partying complete with rum, wine, and music. Other than the fact that anytime is a good time for a party, there are no particular reasons to celebrate just yet.

While it is likely that a deal will be made, it seems like no major parties wish to see this negotiation fail, the quality of that deal is very much in the air at this point.

Many issues stay unresolved: emissions targets and reduction ranges, linkage between negotiations of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex 1 countries (AWG) and others processes outside of the Kyoto Protocol, such as the long term cooperative dialogue and the review of the Kyoto Protocol.

The European Union will not leave Bali without targets, while the US and Canada oppose talk of binding targets. Negotiations will go on for hours, and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon will return in a few hours to put more pressure on ministers. At 2:30am, we have two options: a Bali breakthrough, or a Bali deadlock. History is being written before our eyes.

UPDATE: Negotiations have been halted for the night at will continue at 8am tomorrow.