Transcript 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference

2015 United Nations Climate
Change Conference
Ford & Eric
What we’re Talking about
Established in 1990s - over 190 nations
Goal: to stabilize Global Greenhouse Gas
Emissions
prevent dangerous interference with
environment
Because major nations of the world involved -protocols have International legal power
COP3 - Kyoto Protocol
1997
Rich, developed countries (aka Annex 1 countries) agree to take on binding
emissions targets
each major nation -- individual commitments
As of 2005, commitments legally binding under international law
In General:
Agreed to limit emission to 5.2% below 1990 levels by 2008-2012
Kyoto Protocol
Never ratified by the US Congress
Only came into effect in late 2004
Primary mechanism created
Carbon Credit Market
Mechanisms to Meet Targets
International Emissions Trading
Although there are multiple greenhouse gases that are emitted -- in Protocol all
were converted to carbon equivalents
Emission of one tonne of CO2 = one carbon credit unit
Annex 1 countries allotted specific target of “emission units”
Some countries meet target -- emission units to spare / to sell
Some go over target -- need to buy emission units
Incentivizes non-polluting
Mechanisms to Meet Targets
Clean Development Mechanisms
Topic of focus: making sure developing countries were developing with green
infrastructure
Clean development projects rewarded with ‘credits’
Based on estimated reduction of emissions due to project
Building wind farms, selling solar lights, etc.
Certified Emission Reductions (CERs)
Can be bought by developed countries to offset against their targets
Mechanisms to Meet Targets
Joint Implementation
● For projects within Annex 1 countries
● Building green infrastructure within
country
○ Projects granted Emission
Reduction Units (ERUs)
● Offers flexible means of fulfilling
Kyoto Agreement
COP16 - Cancun Agreements
2010
Developing countries take on non-binding 2020 goals
Green Climate Fund established to give developing countries money needed
in order to meet goals
Transitional committee established to control fund: 40 countries
Formally puts pledges made previous year in Copenhagen into UN
documentation
Identifies sources of climate problem
States importance of finding joint solution
Recent agreements
Durban (2011) - ‘roadmap’ for a post-2020 deal
sets deadline to finalize deal in Paris in 2015
Amount of $100 billion per year established for Green Climate Fund
Doha (2012) - Kyoto Protocol deadlines originally 2008-2012
extended until 2020
Warsaw (2013) and Lima (2014) - mostly negotiations, little of substance
Sets stage for this year’s conference
Current Situation
COP21 taking place in 6 weeks from now in Paris
Carbon credit market is not effective
Price too cheap to help reduce emissions
Reason -- what we’re researching
Current emissions commitments expire in 2020
Pope Francis: encyclical Laudato Si’ partly aimed at influencing conference
Calls for action to reduce human-caused climate change
Questions?
Sources
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jun/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-paris-climate-summitand-un-talks
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_United_Nations_Climate_Change_Conference
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/dec/13/cancun-climate-agreement
http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/background/items/2880.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Framework_Convention_on_Climate_Change#Kyoto_Protocol
http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/mechanisms/joint_implementation/items/1674.php