Transcript Time for Sustainable Now? - Regional Environmental Center

Wolfgang Teubner
Executive Director
ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability
European Secretariat
© ICLEI 2008
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Contents
• The Local Government Climate Roadmap Introduction
• Local Governments in National and
International Negotiations
• The LG Climate Roadmap
• Outcomes of the LG Climate Sessions on the
occasion of COP 14 and the way forward to
COP 15
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Local Government Climate Roadmap
Introduction
This roadmap was launched in Bali, Indonesia in December 2007 at
the Local Government Climate Sessions held in parallel to the
annual United Nations Climate Change Conference – the
Conference of the Parties (COP 13).
It is designed to be an accompanying process to the international
negotiations leading up to COP 15 in Copenhagen, Denmark in
December 2009, where the post-2012 (post-Kyoto) climate
agreement shall be negotiated and hopefully adopted.
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Local Government Climate Roadmap
Introduction
• The global partners of the LG Climate Roadmap are
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United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)
Metropolis
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI)
the C40 Climate Leadership Group (C40)
World Mayors Council on Climate Change (WMCCC)
These organisations work in this process, in conjunction with
their regional and national associations, networks and
partners.
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Local Government Climate Roadmap
Introduction
• Objectives of the LG Roadmap:
– Mobilising Leadership in Local Climate Action.
– Cities and Local Governments offer partnership to National
Governments to limit global warming.
– Recognision of the Local Government’s role in climate
protection
– Comprehensive post-2012 global climate agreement
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Local Governments in
International Negotiations
• UNFCCC Negotiations General Framework
• Status of the UNFCCC Negotiations
• Influencing the UNFCCC Negotiations
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UNFCCC Negotiations
General Framework
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
• Opened for signature in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit
• Ultimate objective : stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations
in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous humaninduced interference with the climate system
• Time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally, to
ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable
economic development
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UNFCCC Negotiations
General Framework
General Commitments
•National communications containing inventories of GHG emissions by source
and GHG removals by sinks
•National programmes for mitigating climate change and develop strategies for
adapting to its impacts
•Promotion of technology transfer and sustainable management, conservation,
and enhancement of GHG sinks and reservoirs (forests & oceans)
•Take climate change into account in their relevant social, economic, and
environmental policies
•Promotion of education, public awareness, and the exchange of information
related to climate change.
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UNFCCC Negotiations
General Framework
Governance
•The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the prime authority of the Convention
•The two subsidiary bodies under the Rio Convention:
•Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA)
•counsels the COP on matters of climate, environment, technology,
and method.
•Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI)
•helps review how the Convention is being applied (by analysing the
national communications submitted by member countries)
•deals with financial and administrative matters
• The COP and its subsidiary bodies are serviced by the UNFCCC Secretariat
(based in Bonn, Germany)
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UNFCCC Negotiations
General Framework
Parties and Groups of Parties
•Countries (parties) hold the real power :
•they take decisions at sessions of the COP
•most decisions reached by consensus.
•Three kind of parties (192) :
•Annex I Parties :
•industrialised countries listed in this annex to the Convention
•were committed return their GHG emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000.
•24 original OECD members, the EU, and 14 countries with economies in transition.
•Annex II Parties :
•countries listed in Annex II to the Convention
•have a special obligation to provide financial resources and facilitate technology transfer to
developing countries.
•24 original OECD members plus the European Union.
•Non Annexe 1 countries : all the other parties
•They form alliances to maximise influence :
•developing countries (G77),
•least-developed countries,
•small-island states
•European Union
•non-European industrialised nations
•oil-exporting nations
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©Material
World
UNFCCC
Negotiations
General Framework
The Observer Status
•Allows groups and agencies to attend and speak at meetings
•Do not participate in decision-making
•Concerns:
•Intergovernmental agencies : UNEP, UNDP, WMO (the World Meteorological
Organization), OECD, IEA, OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)
•Civil Society: (organised based on Constituencies):
• Business and industry non-governmental organisations (BINGO)
• Environmental non-governmental organisations (ENGO)
•Local government and municipal authorities (LGMA)
•Indigenous peoples organizations (IPO)
•Research and independent non-governmental organizations (RINGO)
•Trade unions non-governmental organizations (TUNGO)
(The trade unions non-governmental organizations have requested to be considered as a constituency.)
©Material World
• ICLEI acts as the constituency focal point for Local Governments and Municipal Authorities
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UNFCCC Negotiations
General Framework
The UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol
• In 1992, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted by
192 Parties
• Complemented by the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which has 184 Parties.
• Under this treaty, 37 industrialised countries and the EU have committed to reducing their
emissions by an average of 5% by 2012 against 1990 levels
• Countries must first take domestic action
• Allows to meet emission reduction commitments abroad through ”market-based mechanisms”
such as CDM or JI
• This legal split creates a 2 tracks process of negotiation (2 AWG) :
• Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol
(AWG-KP)
• Created in December 2005
• Set to complete its work by the end of 2009.
• Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA)
•Created in December 2007
• To enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention
• Now, up to and beyond 2012, in order to reach an agreed outcome and adopt a decision
at its fifteenth session.
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Status of the UNFCCC Negotiations
The UNFCCC 2009 Calendar
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Status of the UNFCCC Negotiations
February :
Annex 1 countries submissions on future commitments
Other countries submissions
March :
Synthesis document on countries positions
May :
Post 2012 negotiation text
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Status of the UNFCCC Negotiations
Local authorities are not recognised as such by the Convention and
the protocol : actors under control of the Parties only
Representatives of the communities are often invited to present their
actions during the ministerial segment of the COP while they do not
take part in the negotiations
Decisions adopted by the COP do not aim at the local authorities
directly. Certain decisions can nevertheless involve them indirectly :
For instance, decisions on the Kyoto mechanisms foresaw participation
of public or private entities of the Annexe 1 countries.
already possible for local authorities to be part of CDM projects in
developing countries
Within the framework of the negotiations, principally political role
which mainly leads to the organisation of side events
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Influencing the UNFCCC Negotiations
At the end of the day, local authorities (as companies & households) will be
•the first entities/actors concerned by climate change adaptation consequences
•the one to do the job on the ground : pivotal role
Local authorities at different level and scales are currently developing several kinds of
initiatives (as actors and/or prescribers)
•Local projects : public buildings, transports infrastructures, energy saving certificates,
•Local programs : town planning documents, carbon bills, territorial carbon plans
•Local policies : including fiscal policies, voluntary based commitments, local awareness
raising policy, educational policy
A certain point of maturity, time has probably come for a pause in order to capitalise on
what we’ve got already :
•on the bases of on appropriate impact & efficiency assessment,
•methodological tools could & should be enhanced (with regards in particular with MRV
criteria, importance of GHG emissions inventories, decision making tools)
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Influencing the UNFCCC Negotiations
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Up to now, in relation to the Kyoto Protocol and the UNFCCC, some LG have
implemented Carbon Development Mechanisms projects (City of Sao Paolo),
and some Carbon Trading Schemes are being piloted for cities in the UK.
•
LGs need national governments to include them in the implementation of the
post-2012 Agreement, by empowering and giving them the necessary
framework conditions.
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With regards to what has been submitted to the Ad Hoc Working Group on
Long term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) under the UNFCCC in relation to
local governments ICLEI on behalf of the Roadmap partners have submitted a
draft text of a COP decision on Cites, Local Authorities and Climate Change.
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Influencing the UNFCCC Negotiations
The only other mention of local government in the document complied by this AWG-LCA,
up to COP 14, includes the following:
Proposals relating to mitigation actions and commitments by developed countries
include:
Involving representatives of industry, of workers and of local governments in the sectors
and localities affected by mitigation policies in measurement, reporting and verification
(International Labour Organization, ILO).
Risk management and risk reduction strategies, including risk sharing and transfer
mechanisms such as insurance
Collaboration with local governments and community organizations with experience in
risk reduction should be formalized (ISDR ( United Nations International Strategy for
Disaster Reduction), MISC.6), while community-based adaptation should be
implemented.
This is the link to the document, which contains those paragraphs:
http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2008/awglca4/eng/16r01.pdf
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Local Government Climate Roadmap
Within the joint roadmap process, Local Government associations:
• cooperate and coordinate their activities,
• develop joint positions to key issues,
• express these positions vis-à-vis national governments and the UN, media
and stakeholders, and
• advocate for these positions also through their members and partners on
national and international scale.
The local government associations and networks work jointly towards a set of
statements that were discussed during the Local Government Climate Sessions in
Poznan and presented to COP 14, advocated for during the year 2009 and hopefully
consolidated at COP 15 in Copenhagen. The envisaged statements are:
• Draft text for a COP decision on Cities, Local Authorities and Climate
Chnage
(recognition of the role of local governments in a post-2012 climate agreement)
• Local Government Positions (positions on selected issues under negotiation)
• Local Government Opinions (joint opinions on further issues related to the
current climate debate)
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Local Government Climate Roadmap
• ICLEI acts as international
Roadmap facilitator and based on
its role of Local Government and
Municipal Authorities (LGMA)
Constituency Focal Point of the
United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC), in addition to its own
Observer status, whereby ICLEI
acts on behalf of Local
Government facilitating dialogue
with national governments and
the UNFCCC Secretariat.
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Local Government Climate Roadmap
Proposed draft Text of a COP Decision on Cities, Local Authorities and Climate
Change:
Draft text presented during the Local Government Climate Sessions in Poznan, as a parallel event to
COP 14. Open for Comments ([email protected])
•Cities and Local Governments:
•Represent half of the world’s population
•Consume up to 80% of the Energy
•Implement strong local climate actions
•Commit to ambitious reduction targets
•Mobilise citizens around the globe
•Offer national - local partnership to limit global warming
• Request National Governments to:
•Support strong local climate practices
•Provide enabling regulations and conditions
•Empower cities - provide capacities and resources
•Recognise local action in national climate strategies
•Strengthen local action through easier access to funding
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Local Government Climate Roadmap
• The LG Climate Sessions in Poznan - COP 14
•
This event brought together local government leaders to facilitate the
dialogue with national and supranational levels of government,
multilateral bodies and international organisations; being a platform to
discuss with relevant UN Climate negotiations stakeholders, positions
of Local Governments regarding the post-2012 climate agreement
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The main message of the LGCS is the cities and local governments
worldwide have a long track of voluntary local climate action. Nations
should recognise and build upon these local contributions via strategic
partnerships on climate with their local governments. Such nationallocal climate partnerships should include empowerment, capacities,
resources and easier access to funding as well as enabling regulations
and framework conditions for the local level.
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Local Government Climate Roadmap
Advocacy Efforts during COP 14. Relevant national governments representatives and UNFCCC
stakeholders contacted:

Penny Wong, Minister for Climate Change, Australia
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Evelyne Huytebroeck, Minister for Environment, Energy and Water, Region of Capital Brussels, Belgium
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Pedro Ballesteros, Principal Administrator, Unit D3, DG TREN, European Commission
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Brice Lalonde, Ambassador for Climate Change, France, EU Presidency
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Norbert Gorissen, “International Cooperation”, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and
Nuclear Safety, Germany
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Sulistyowati, Assistant Deputy for Climate Change Impact Control, Ministry of Environment, Indonesia
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Prof. Hironori Hamanaka, Chair, Board of Directors, IGES / Keio University and former Vice-Minister for
Global Environmental Affairs, Ministry of the Environment, Japan
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Juan Elvira, Minister for the Environment, Mexico
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Professor Jerzy Buzek, former Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland and Member of the European
Parliament
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Alicia Montalvo, General Director, Spanish Climate Change Office, Ministry of Environment, Spain
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Patali Champika Ranawaka, Minister, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Sri Lanka
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Lamia Kamal-Chaoui, Head Urban Development Programme, OECD
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Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of UNFCCC
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Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-Habitat
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Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the IPCC
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Sylvie Lemmet, Director of the UNEP Division of Technology, Industry and Economics.
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Local Government Climate Roadmap
• The way to COP 15
• Every possibility will be used to continue the advocacy efforts:
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Bonn Talks, March-April 2009
Bonn Talks, June 2009
Bangkok Talks. September-October 2009
Pre-Cop in Copenhagen, November 2009
COP 15, December
• Specific LGs Events:
– The EcoProcura 2009 Conference: Climate Neutral through Procurement,
Reykjavik, Iceland, 25-27 March 2009
– Local Renewables Freiburg 2009 Conference, Freiburg, Germany from 27
to 29 April 2009
– Local Climate Change Roadmap: a time for mobilisation, planning and
action, Almada, Portugal, 28- 29 may 2009
– Local Government Climate Change Leadership Summit, 2-4 June 2009
– Copenhagen Climate Summit for Mayors, December 2009
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Local Government Climate Roadmap
• The way to COP 15
– Mobilising Local Governments & national dialogues
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Promoting Mayors Commitments:
• World Mayors and LG Agreement (www.globalclimateagreement.org)
• European Covenant of Mayors (www.eumayors.eu/)
• Copenhagen City Climate Catalogue (www.iclei.org/climate-commitments)
– Local Government Position (specific topics: CDMs, Access to Finance,
Carbon Trading, Adaptation…)
– Encourage LGs to be part of their National Delegations during COP 15
– Establishing and Preparing a LG Delegation
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"We have gathered here in Poznan to advocate the
need for an ambitious post-2012 climate mechanism
that should also recognise the role of cities and local
governments in climate action."
Municipal Commissioner of Thane, India, Mr Nadkumar
Jantre addressed COP 14 delegates during the high
level segment
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Contact us
Thank you for your attention!
Local Government Climate Roadmap
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.iclei.org/climate-roadmap
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