Redefining success in the climate change negotiations: what we consider a breakthrough

The concluding document of the climate change negotiation round in Durban, the Durban Agreement, has been hailed as a ‘historic breakthrough document. This appraisal is primarily based on the fact that the document outlines a negotiation process that realizes a climate regime in which all negotiating Parties are to participate. However, we argue, realizing the prominence of the commodity-based paradigm in climate change policy and the bifurcation in perspective between developing and developed countries, that the current formulation of ‘success’ is misguided and is incapable of realizing an international agreement that can be described as equitable, sustainable, and just. The current formulation of success is incapable of achieving the required system restructuring towards a low-carbon, sustainable, and equitable society. As such, we propose a reformulation of success away from emission reduction targets, realized through market-based policies and instruments, towards a prioritization of developing country context-specific sustainable development objectives, priorities, and needs. The integration of bottom-up processes within the international community allows for an architecture in line with developing countries’ goals and, therefore, is more likely to realize ambitious commitment by the developing countries. This increased mobilization further weakens the developed countries’ negotiation position as it eliminates one of their core arguments for inaction. We argue that the developed countries need to take responsibility in domestic climate change action, while simultaneously supporting developing countries’ sustainable development efforts.