Divisive Tales of the Table to be Negotiated in Cancun:

Whereas developing nations would want all building blocks in the Bal= i Action Plan included in negotiations, developed nations crave for a focus= on long-term global goal for emissions reduction.

On the issue of adaptation, developing countries are demanding negotiation for financial compensation for the unavoidable loss and damag= e caused by climate change, developed counterparts are calling for further study. About climate finance, while developing nations demand new and additional money through public funding sources, developed nations want m= ore binding action from developing counterparts.

Whereas developing countries wanted easy and affordable access to patented technology on technology transfer, developing nations want stron= ger patent laws to protect intellectual property rights.

Beyond Cancun: Resolving each of the issues outlined above would be critical to establishing a global climate deal that parties to the UNFCCC are happy t= o sign. But the breadth and depth of disputes makes it highly unlikely that= a binding agreement will be reached in Cancun. The disappointing result in Copenhagen has led to a widespread loss of faith in global climate change negotiations. The UNFCCC has spent much of the past year simply assessing the stat= us of its negotiations, agreeing ways of working and looking for ways to rebuild trust in the process. Hopes are much lower this time round; both the UNFCCC Executive Secretary and the UN Secretary General have admitted to reduced expectati= ons of a substantial outcome. And across the board, people are already lookin= g beyond Cancun, perhaps to next year's talks in South Africa, as the likeliest place for a long-term global climate change agreement to be reached.