Report says informal climate talks boost prospect for Paris deal later this year

OTTAWA (NEWS 1130) – Months of informal discussions among climate negotiators from more than 20 countries suggest there’s a significant international deal to be had on climate change later this year in Paris.

That’s the conclusion of two veteran negotiators who helped facilitate the talks that included representatives of Brazil, China, Russia, the United States, Germany, Norway, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

In a report released today, the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions says a climate deal is shaping up that would respect each country’s different starting point but commit every signatory to cutting emissions and tracking their efforts with common reporting requirements.

Canada was not invited to participate in the eight rounds of informal discussions between March 2014 and May of this year, but that doesn’t mean Canada wasn’t discussed.

Elliot Diringer, a former White House spokesman involved in the talks, says Canada is frequently cited as an example of how binding targets for emissions reductions don’t necessarily mean those targets are met.

The informal negotiations suggest binding emissions targets won’t be part of a Paris deal next December, but rather the agreement will aim for the broadest possible participation and transparency in cutting emissions.

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