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Policy Analysis

Copenhagen: A Memorable Time for All the Wrong Reasons?

By Deborah Murphy, John Drexhage on February 1, 2010
Director John Drexhage and Associate Deborah Murphy examine the outcomes of COP15 held in Copenhagen in December 2009. The final result of COP 15 and the roles played by major countries are reviewed. Attention is paid to two problems with the UNFCCC process that became apparent over the course of the two-week meeting: consensus is the only basis by which binding decisions can be made; and a decided lack of access and transparency when the final deals are brokered. Drexhage and Murphy conclude that the next stop is the G-8 and G-20 sessions that Canada will host in 2010, providing an opportunity for Canada to help countries work toward a legally binding pact by the end of the year.