While the future of the planet and of its people is at stake, politicians, government officials and diplomats involved in the climate negotiations have been busy arguing over words, speeches and processes.

While the world continues to warm and heat waves and droughts intensify, Parties to the UNFCCC seem to have regressed in their ambition to adopt strong, but beneficial measures.

While the science tells us we can still avoid the most dangerous changes through real ambitious actions it also tells us that the time is running out. Instead of facing this challenge, the international negotiations seem to be relegated to fighting over fragmented and ineffective solutions through isolated, independent and disconnected actions.

Mr. Prakash Mathema, the Chair of the group says- “We all have invested a lot of time and resources in this process and the efforts that we have put together for many years rightly deserve to achieve concrete outcomes that can effectively address this urgent issue of global warming. Any delay in global climate action will lead to greater adverse effects, increased needs for adaptation as well as more serious residual and permanent loss and damage in the least developed countries – and other vulnerable countries. The most rational way to move ahead is to acknowledge the scientific evidence and act accordingly. That evidence tells us we must act fast.”

The LDC Group has arrived Bonn with high hopes and expectation that the Parties at this session will accelerate, intensify and deepen the work to concretely elaborate the content of the new 2015 agreement. We expect that this session will initiate discussion and further clarify the domestic preparations for intended nationally determined contributions, elaborate on the opportunities for raising pre-2020 ambition and agree on the next steps for both work streams of the Durban Platform to make the year 2014 “year of climate action” as said by UN Secretary General.

The LDC lead coordinator for ADP, Pa Ousman Jarju says, “We, as Parties, must renew our commitment to contribute positively to this session as quickly as possible to deliver tangible outcome under ADP processes. Slow progress in ADP will have serious consequences to achieve global warming well below 1.5°C. Spending more time to take meaningful actions means – more vulnerability that we cannot afford anymore. We still believe that only commitments that are legally binding and negotiated through the UNFCCC should be included in the new Protocol to be agreed in 2015”.

Onduri Machulu Fred, Vice chair of the Advisory Board of CTCN and coordinator for technology development and transfer points out that the cost of reaching the 1.5 degrees as called by the most vulnerable countries is rising day by day. Any pledge based on voluntary, nationally determined contribution and not concrete commitment, may not save the world from worse catastrophes. Therefore, we call for concrete commitments and not pledged contributions. The principles of the convention should not be sidelined as they are the main anchor in the negotiations.

Munjurul Hannan Khan, Spokesperson of the group, while emphasizing concern of the group on ever increasing vulnerability of climate change and says, “The Least Developed Countries are the 48 poorest countries in the world, who contribute the least to the problem of climate change. We are likely to suffer some of the worst damage, and are least able to deal with it. Our very future depends on the world keeping global warming to below 1.5°C, and therefore on how the new agreement responds to the climate threats. Even 1.5°C will bring us damage. We therefore need to see solid outcomes of all the climate talks, starting here in Bonn, and progressing toward a strong 2015 agreement.”

Contact person: Munjurul Hannan Khan, Spokesperson, LDC Group

Tel : +12042943425, email: munjurulkhan@gmail.com