Transcript Post-2012 Issues under the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol

The UNFCCC & Kyoto Protocol - key issues in the
negotiating process from Bali (2007) to
Copenhagen (2009)
ECBI Regional Workshop
2008
Prepared by FIELD,
London
Climate change
• Wide political recognition that it is a serious
threat
• Many argue that warming must be kept to
less than 2°C degrees to avoid the worst
effects
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The international agreements
• UN Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC)
Rio Conference on Environment and
Development 1992
192 Parties
• Kyoto Protocol
182 Parties – in force in 2005
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UNFCCC & Kyoto Protocol - Objectives
• UNFCCC - aims to bring developed country
greenhouse gas emissions back to 1990
levels
• Kyoto Protocol - aims to reduce overall
developed country emissions by around 5%
below 1990 levels over ‘first commitment
period’ 2008-2012
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UNFCCC & Kyoto Protocol
• Industrialised countries have historical
responsibility for climate change and are to
take the lead in emissions reductions
• Commitments transfer financial resources
and technology to developing countries
• Principle of ‘common but differentiated
responsibilities’
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UNFCCC & Kyoto Protocol
• Annex I countries have emissions reduction
commitments under the UNFCCC and as
listed in Annex B to the Kyoto Protocol
• Annex II countries have commitments to
assist developing countries with finance and
technology
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Groups in the negotiations
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G77 and China
Least Developed Countries Group
AOSIS (Alliance of Small Island States)
European Union (EU)
Umbrella Group – loose group of non-EU
developed countries
• Environmental Integrity Group – Mexico,
Republic of Korea, Switzerland
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Political issues
• The US, a major emitter, has not ratified the Kyoto
Protocol, but is a Party to the Convention
• Pressure to engage some developing countries
which do not have targets but have rapidly
increasing emissions (e.g., China, India)
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Main Goals in 2009
• Agreement on commitments for developed
countries under the Kyoto Protocol after
2012, when current commitments run out
• Agreement on enhanced future cooperation
for Parties to the Convention
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Presentation structure
• Summary overview of negotiations
from Bali Climate Conference (December
2007) to
Copenhagen Climate Conference (December
2009)
Overview of key issues
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December 2007, Bali
• Thirteenth Conference of the Parties (COP)
to UNFCCC and Third Meeting of Parties
(CMP) to Kyoto Protocol
• Bali Road Map, which includes Bali Action
Plan and other decisions.
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From Bali to Copenhagen
• Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for
Annex 1 Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP)
• Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action
under the Convention (AWG-LCA)
• Subsidiary Body for Scientific & Technological Advice
(SBSTA)
• Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI)
• Workshops to deepen understanding of some issues
• COP 14/CMP 4 & Subsidiary Bodies, 1-12 December
2008, Poznan, Poland
• COP 15/CMP 5 & Subsidiary Bodies, 30 November – 11
December 2009, Copenhagen, Denmark
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AWG-LCA
• First Session in Bangkok, 31 March-4 April, 2008
• AWG-LCA focuses on:
 A shared vision for long-term cooperative action
 Enhanced national/international action on mitigation of
climate change
 Enhanced action on adaptation
 Enhanced action on technology development and
transfer to support action on mitigation and adaptation
 Enhanced action on the provision of financial resources
and investment to support action on mitigation and
adaptation and technology cooperation
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AWG-KP
• Has met several times.
• Issues include:
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Emissions trading and the project-based mechanisms
LULUCF (land-use, land-use change and forestry)
Greenhouse gases, sectors and source categories
Possible approaches targeting sectoral emissions
• Methodological issues
• Potential environmental, economic and social
consequences, including spillover effects, of tools,
policies, measures and methodologies available to Annex 1
Parties
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Bonn, Accra meetings
• Bonn, 2-13 June 2008, meetings of:
 AWG-LCA 2
 AWG-KP (resumed Fifth Session)
 28th Subsidiary Body for Scientific & Technological
Advice (SBSTA)
 28th Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI)
• Accra, 21-27 August 2008, meetings of:
 AWG-LCA 3
 AWG-KP 6 (First Part)
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Overview - key issues until 2009
• Shared vision for long-term cooperative action &
mitigation:
 Action by both developed and developing countries
• Possible approaches targeting sectoral emissions:
 E.g. possible broadening of coverage of GHGs, sectors
and source categories; bunker fuels
• Emissions trading & project-based mechanisms:
 Possible improvements and changes for second
commitment period, e.g. expanding scope of Clean
Development Mechanism (CDM)
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Adaptation
• Five- year Nairobi work programme agreed in
2006
• Link to financing discussions
• SBSTA 29 (December 2008) will consider the
possible need for a group of experts to be
established
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Adaptation contd.
• Upcoming technical workshops include
 Before SBSTA 30 (May/June 2009): workshop on
increasing economic resilience and reducing reliance on
vulnerable economic sectors; and on integrating
practices, tools and systems for climate risk assessment,
management and disaster risk reduction strategies into
national policies and programmes
 Before SBSTA 31 (COP15/CMP 5): workshop on
advancing integration of various approaches to
adaptation planning, including local and communitybased adaptation
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UNFCCC Arts. 4.8 and 4.9
• Art. 4.8: actions to meet specific needs and concerns of
developing country Parties arising from the adverse effects
of climate change and/or the impact of the implementation
of response measures - includes actions related to funding,
insurance and technology transfer;
• Art. 4.9: Parties are to take full account of the specific
needs and special situations of LDCs in their actions with
regard to funding and transfer of technology.
 Assessment of implementation of Art. 4.8 and related
decisions 5/CP.7 and 1.CP10 to take place at COP 14/CMP
4 in Poznan
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Adaptation Fund
• Funded through 2 % share of proceeds generated
by the CDM
• Developing country Parties to the Kyoto Protocol
that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse
effects of climate change are eligible for funding
• Country-driven concrete adaptation projects
• Adaptation Fund Board – tension with the Global
Environment Facility (GEF), which provides
Secretariat on interim basis
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Other Funds
• Special Climate Change Fund
 Projects on adaptation, technology transfer and
capacity-building, energy, transport, industry,
agriculture, forestry and waste management, and
economic diversification
• Least Developed Countries Fund
 Support for LDCs – NAPAs
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Financing
• Concerns about the GEF:
 Financing for national communications; difficulties
accessing funding;
 Resource Allocation Framework (RAF)
• Fourth review of the financial mechanism decision in preparation for COP 15
• Role of the private sector in financing: developing
countries see limited role, while e.g. US believes it
should be main source
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REDD
• Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and
Degradation
• Potential for emissions reductions (tropical
deforestation estimated at roughly 20 % annual
share) and revenue generation
• Uncertainties, monitoring and verification
challenges
• Risk of displacement of deforestation (‘leakage’);
perverse incentives; need take into account
different country situations
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LULUCF
• Land-use, land-use change and forestry
• Kyoto Protocol Arts. 3.3 & 3.4
• Need for new rules for second commitment
period
• Concerns about making it too easy to obtain
credits
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Technology Transfer
• Developing countries concerned about barriers
posed by Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs)
• Expert Group on Technology Transfer (EGTT) –
looking at performance indicators for
implementation of technology transfer framework;
financial resources
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Capacity-building for developing countries
• Capacity-building for developing countries:
 Under the Convention
 Under the Kyoto Protocol
• Comprehensive review of capacity-building under
both items under way – for decision at COP
15/CMP 5
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Second review of Protocol under Art.9
• Differing views about the scope of the review Umbrella Group wants comprehensive review.
• Issues include:
 Extending the share of proceeds to meet the cost of
adaptation to JI and emissions trading
 Flexibility mechanisms, including equitable regional
distribution of CDM projects
• Workshop in October, in Athens, Greece
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COP 14/CMP4, 1-12 December, Poznan
• Subsidiary Bodies also meet in Poznan extremely busy
• Intention that negotiations on emissions reductions
for second commitment period begin
• Second review of the Kyoto Protocol under Art. 9
• Meeting schedule for 2009 will be confirmed
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Between now and Copenhagen
• A very busy schedule of meetings, including
AWG-LCA, AWG-KP and regular Subsidiary
Body meetings in Bonn
• Need to be selective and focus on the most
important issues
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Thank you
www.field.org.uk
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