Denmark's Climate Negotiator: There Is Glue for the "Ultimate Puzzle" – a Climate Deal in Copenhagen

It all comes down to a large white board in the office of the Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy. Criss-crossing lines create a pattern of cells. In some of the cells, there is a plus. In others, a minus. On top of the cells, there is a list of issues: carbon trade, mitigation, etc. To the left of the cells, there is a list of countries.

This goal of the matrix is to square the plusses and minuses – in other words, it has to come together by the end of 2009 if the world is to get a new climate deal. The whiteboard shows where many of the countries stand on vital issues in the international climate negotiations. It could be called the ultimate puzzle.

"Climate change is on the political agenda like never before. I believe we will not likely for a long time have as much political attention on this issue as we have right now. It is important up to Copenhagen. The Danish government and its civil servants will do everything in their power for landing a deal in Copenhagen next year, and make the matrix come together," says Thomas Becker, Denmark's chief climate negotiator.

He agrees that the debate during the last couple of weeks within the European Union about its climate package has not been beneficial for international climate negotiations. (See, for example, "Winning the EU Climate Battle"; Climate Community, 11/6/08.) He stresses, though, that even though the global financial crisis has drawn a lot of attention over the last couple of weeks, and several member states have backpedaled from agreed reduction goals, EU leaders still stands firm on the goals of the climate package.

Meanwhile, the American presidential election has simultaneously injected hope and uncertainty into international climate negotiations. No one knows exactly what the Obama administration will do about climate change internationally once in office next year. But, Becker points out, Barack Obama campaigned with a strong energy and climate platform.

Plenty of signs to follow

Becker sees plenty of signs in the negotiations, as well as in large regions of the world, pointing to the fact that there is hope for an ambitious deal in Copenhagen next year.

"At the moment it is interesting to see what is happening in the U.S. in separate states, cities on the East Coast and the West Coast. Low-carbon cities are emerging, internal CO₂ trading systems are in place," Becker says. And he points to countries like China that now have the political will to see through some very tough measures.

"It is interesting to see that a country with remaining poverty problems decides to make climate change a priority. We as bystanders should not undermine this fact," he says, and then mentions one of the crucial issues in the international climate negotiations: An understanding of the other parties' domestic situation.

He points to Brazil and India as countries that already do a lot, and are willing to do more. And part of the solution could be a mixture of long-term and short-term reduction of greenhouse gases.

In Poznan, at COP14, Becker believes that the shared vision the negotiators will be working on is nothing less than a vision for the countries' CO₂ future. At least this conference might add, move, or delete some minuses and plusses from the Climate and Energy Ministry's white board.