India and other developing countries are deeply disappointed with the developed world’s reluctance to talk about technology transfer and climate finance as they work towards closing the negotiations on the long term cooperative action in climate talks.

The Ad-Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) as it is called under the Bali Action Plan was expected to complete negotiations and close its track this year, however, the parties stand polarised over the issues that are being dealt under it.

The developed countries are insistent on closing the track in Doha, but the G77 bloc of developing countries has said the negotiations cannot end until crucial elements of finance, technology transfer and adaptation funds are addressed.

The latest draft that was circulated in the LCA track meeting elicited strong responses from the developing countries including India who felt the draft junks the issues relevant to them.

Under the Bali Action Plan that was agreed to in 2007, the parties had agreed to focus on the issues of shared vision, mitigation, adaptation, technology and financing.

The shared vision refers to a long-term vision for action on climate change, including a long-term goal for emission reductions. India believes the latest draft that was circulated at the LCA track overlooks the elements that developing countries want discussed.

“The LCA text is unbalanced, and is not acceptable to G 77 (in its present form). Its focus is almost completely on shared vision and long term goal on peaking. People are not unwilling to discuss these issues but apparently it looks (from the draft) as if these are being only looked upon as the deliverables,” said a source from the Indian delegation.

The LCA is a track under which negotiations are being held parallel to discussions for Kyoto Protocol and its extension and the Durban platform to decide a successor treaty to Kyoto.

Observers who were privy to the LCA meeting said developing countries outrightly rejected the draft as it did not contain proposals from them and showed lack of commitment from the developed world over the issues of finance and IPR.

Some said while here was no mention of adaptation, finance, capacity building, and technology transfer in the draft text, there was much emphasis on market mechanism for mitigation.

The developing countries want LCA to finish its outstanding work related to adaptation, mitigation, finance and technology before closing it down or transfer the unsettled issues to other bodies.

However, the developed countries appear adamant in closing the LCA track and moving on to the new track of negotiations under the Durban platform where all countries will be covered by obligations.

When asked to comment on whether the left out issues will be rehabilitated to be pursued in other mechanisms or bodies, US lead negotiator Todd Stern said this would not be needed.

“There is no possible way that technology transfer is falling off the table, it is right there, financing is also in the middle of the Durban platform discussions. We are not in favour of building new homes where they are not needed,” he said, while adding that there is little point in carrying ahead with the issues on which there is no consensus.

On other fund fronts too, there seem to be little commitment coming from the developed countries.

In Cancun, parties had agreed to a goal of raising USD 100 billion per year from 2020 onwards as a Green Climate Fund to help developing countries adapt to climate change. However, in a recession hit world there have not been many commitments coming.

“We are very interested in knowing where the money is going to come from, presently we have seen no commitments. G77 group is waiting for commitments. There have been talks but no forward movement. In Doha we want that countries should agree on a specific figure,” said a member of the Indian delegation.

The developing countries see the way the track is headed as leaving many unfulfilled promises.