'Weak' draft text on implementing Paris accord criticized by environmentalists

Hours ahead of the close of UN climate talks here, diplomats from across the world Friday have come up with a draft text on a rulebook for full implementation of the Paris agreement post-2020, even as key issues, including elements of finance, remain unresolved.

With the UN Climate Change Conference (CoP 24) about to conclude, civil society organisations criticised the current draft text, saying it is "weak" and that it carries "the US imprint everywhere".

They claimed that the basic principles of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) such as equity and Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDRRC) and matters agreed in the Paris accord, including on finance, have not been reflected in the draft text.

"On the whole, the analysis is that the current draft text is weak in terms of finance and raising ambition. It is still a long way to go to determine the finer details of the elements," Indian climate expert Chandra Bhushan said.

Bhushan, who is also deputy director general of New Delhi- based advocacy group Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), alleged that developing countries have lost the fight for "flexibility to all" while providing information on their climate action.

He said it is a clear victory for the US, the EU and China.

According to the analysis prepared by the CSE, there is no mention of raising ambition in action and support post-2020 and integrating it with science.

For pre-2020, the developed countries are merely encouraged to step up their pre-2020 ambitions, it said.

"Loss and damage is the weakest and clearly implies that developed countries have turned a blind eye to the most existential impacts of climate change on poor and vulnerable countries," it said in its findings released to the media.

Harjeet Singh of ActionAid said the Paris rulebook is at risk of being a "total washout".

"A rulebook that doesn't reflect #LossAndDamage and a way forward on #ClimateFinance would be unacceptable," Singh tweeted.

Meena Raman of Third World Network (TWN) said: "it looks like US writings is everywhere in the text".

"Many concerns expressed by the developing countries are not there. But the US imprint is very very clear," she said.

(With inputs from agencies.)