There was a common thread of agreement in last week's informal exchanges of views. All Parties concurred that technological and financial support will be crucial for assisting developing countries build their capacity and institutional strength. This would be one of the first steps towards helping them identify and develop adaptation response measures, and this is where priority action should be taken. The Parties already have sufficient information to provide the basis for actions taken under Article 4.9. It would be senseless to delay decisions any further.
Actions relating to the impacts of response measures are, however, a different matter.
Huge information gaps remain, making it premature for Parties to take any conclusive decisions on compensation. Nevertheless, there are some positive measures that Parties should support now. For starters, they should endorse more research into the development and use of renewable energy in developing countries. This proposal is totally unacceptable. Moreover, because this technology is expensive and still being developed, it could divert investment away from the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies that are sorely needed in both the North and South.