Call to Saudi Arabia to Stop Weakening Developing Countries in Climate Negotiations

Barcelona / November 4: Today, NGOs from 18 developing countries urged Saudi Arabia to stop playing an obstructionist role in the current climate negotiations, and to support the poorest and most vulnerable countries in their position. These peaceful protests took place at a time when negotiators from around the world are meeting in Barcelona to negotiate a new global climate agreement.

NGOs from Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Fiji, India, Mexico, Ghana, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Solomon Islands, Togo and Lebanon sent a clear message to Saudi Arabia by organizing events in front of Saudi Embassies or UN institutions, and holding banners with messages like “Saudi Arabia stop hurting developing countries’ interests”.

The NGO groups said that Saudi Arabia considers an ambitious climate agreement as a threat to its oil trade, and historically it has been accused to prevent countries from reaching such an agreement. These NGOs are concerned with the increased delaying tactics of the Saudi delegation in the negotiation process, and how this is affecting the urgent needs of the poorest and most vulnerable communities. Just in the last negotiation session alone, Saudi Arabia has managed to undermine and block consensus several key issues that are important for developing countries. They tried to remove language that would specifically support poor and vulnerable countries; they delayed progress on adaptation discussions; they were the only country to block consensus on having an additional negotiations session; and they even were the only country that said that there is no need to agree on a numerical global goal for emission reduction.

“Developing countries need all the support they can get, and it is unfortunate to have a country among their ranks that is weakening their positions,” said Wael Hmaidan from IndyACT Lebanon and founder of the Arab Climate Alliance, present at the negotiations in Barcelona.

As the negotiations for a new climate agreement is drawing closer to an end this December, there is a need for governments to benefit from every opportunity to push the process forward. Most NGOs agree that the main obstacle in the negotiations is the lack of ambition of developed countries. Nevertheless, this ambition will not change if developing countries do not work together to raise pressure on developed countries. “A united and strong position by developing countries is crucial for the success of the negotiations, and Saudi Arabia is preventing that,” added Hmaidan.

Saudi Arabia is one of the most active developing countries in the negotiations. Its delegation is big, skilled, well experienced, and probably the strongest developing countries’ delegation. “We would like to see Saudi Arabia supporting the positions of the poorest and most vulnerable countries and not work against them,” said Hmaidan. “Saudi Arabia is an industrialized rich country, and can withstand some loses in its oil revenue, while poor communities and the planet will be devastated by climate change,” he concluded.

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Notes to editor:
1. Further information on role of Saudi Arabia in negotiation process can be found on: www.cantdrinkoil.org

2. Photos from different countries for the event will be available at: http://indyact.blogspot.com

For more information please call:
- Wael Hmaidan, executive director of IndyACT; Tel- fax: +961-1-447192; Mobile in Barcelona: [0034672836012], email: whmaidan@indyact.org