Postcard from Doha - Make today count!

02 December 2012

Photo: farmers from Ethiopia's Bale mountains who are now earning their living from coffee harvesting to reduce deforestation.

By Michelle Winthrop

“Make today count” scream giant banners hanging from the ceiling of the conference center, along with the slogans emblazoned on taxis and buses: “Count me in”. Anyone would think there was an urgent task at hand here...

And there is. Delegates at the conference have just two years to agree a new framework to cut carbon emissions, essential if we're to limit temperature rises to 2 degrees Celsius.

Sadly the urgency stops at the door of the negotiations room. Long, drawn-out debates on agriculture tried to address  the challenge: developing countries want to focus efforts on helping the poorest to adapt, but if we can't slow the emissions and prevent catastrophe, the poorest may not have time to adapt, regardless of how much money we throw at them.

Everyone is right, in a way, and nobody wants to give ground. Compared to previous years, the voice of NGOs is just a whisper – they've voted with their feet. 

I have been invited to join the Ethiopian government delegation's discussions on Saturday, and that gives me some hope. If all the delegations could be this focused, emphasize the technical issues, and try to represent the needs of the poorest in the way our Ethiopian colleagues are doing, we'd be much closer to a deal than we are now. Perhaps Friday's deadline will focus some minds.

Here's hoping...

- Michelle is Farm Africa’s country director in Ethiopia. Read more of her postcards from Doha: Are you here for the COP? and Is a climate deal on the cards?

Read about how we’re working with forest communities to conserve Ethiopia’s forests.