“Durban Climate Change Conference”:
Support grows for Durban
· The EU plan for a global climate change pact with binding targets by 2015 was supported by a group of 48 least developed countries, 43 small island states and some developed countries.
· U.S. climate change envoy informed that Washington
· Pressure could shift to the developing world's biggest polluters including China and India
· Brazil 's chief negotiator informed that Brazil
· Some delegates warned that the talks could break down on 9th December, 2011 as the dates and precise legal form of a treaty still have to be decided.
· U.S.
· The United States
· Britain's climate envoy informed that they are interested in a roadmap to a single overarching global agreement if it is not reached they will not agree to an agreement in Durban and will wait to a point where a credible agreement could be reached.
· Governments decided to adopt a universal legal agreement on climate change as soon as possible, but not later than 2015 under a new group called the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action.
· 35 industrialized countries agreed for a 2nd commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol from January 1, 2013.
· Parties to this 2nd commitment period will turn their economy-wide targets into quantified emission limitation or reduction objectives and submit them for review by May 1, 2012.
· A significantly advanced framework for the reporting of emission reductions for both developed and developing countries was also agreed, taking into consideration the common but differentiated responsibilities of different countries.
Green Climate Fund
· Countries have started to pledge to contribute to start-up costs of the fund, so it can be ready in 2012, and at the same time can help developing countries get ready to access the fund.
· A Standing Committee to keep an overview of climate finance in the context of the UNFCCC and to assist the Conference of the Parties comprising of 20 members, represented equally between the developed and developing world will be formed.
· A focused work programme on long-term finance was agreed, which will contribute to the scaling up of climate change finance going forward and will analyze options for the mobilization of resources from a variety of sources.
Adaptation
· The Adaptation Committee, composed of 16 members, will report to the COP on its efforts to improve the coordination of adaptation actions at a global scale.
· The most vulnerable are to receive better protection against loss and damage caused by extreme weather events related to climate change.
Technology
· The Technology Mechanism will become fully operational in 2012.
· The full terms of reference for the operational arm of the Mechanism - the Climate Technology Centre and Network have been agreed upon, along with a clear procedure to select the host. The UNFCCC secretariat will issue a call for proposals for hosts on 16 January 2012.
· Support of developing country action
· Governments agreed a registry to record developing country mitigation actions that seek financial support and to match these with support. The registry will be a flexible, dynamic, web-based platform.
Other key decisions
· A forum and work programme on unintended consequences of climate change actions and policies were established.
· Under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism, governments adopted procedures to allow carbon-capture and storage projects. These guidelines will be reviewed every five years to ensure environmental integrity.
· Governments agreed to develop a new market-based mechanism to assist developed countries in meeting part of their targets or commitments under the Convention. Details of this will be taken forward in 2012.
Source: http://unfccc.int/files/press/press_releases_advisories/application/pdf/pr20111112cop17final.pdf
Jayanthi takes on rich nations
· Minister of Environment and Forests, Government of India, took on Canada and small island nations on 9th December, 2011 for terming India
· According to EU negotiators an agreement was possible only after the new climate treaty came into effect after ratification by each country after 2020.
· India had been branded as a ‘deal-breaker’ at the summit for not agreeing to legally binding treaty but was support by other Basic group members including China , Brazil and South Africa
· A senior South African negotiator admitted that there was an overwhelming support for a climate treaty by 2015.
· India
· She pointed out three flaws in the declaration texts:
· There was no emission reduction target for developed nations,
· No time for ratification of the second commitment period of the protocol
· No indication of how the gap in the implementation will be avoided.
Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/Africa/Jayanthi-takes-on-rich-nations/Article1-780686.aspx
Durban Agreements a step towards a global agreement, but risk of exceeding 3°C-warming remains – scientists.
· Despite the groundbreaking establishment of the Durban Platform to negotiate a new global agreement by 2015, the world continues on a pathway of over 3°C warming with likely extremely severe impacts.
· The agreement in Durban
· However, the agreement will not immediately affect the emissions outlook for 2020 and has postponed decisions on further emission reductions.
· Global mean warming would reach about 3.5°C by 2100 with the current reduction proposals on the table.
· A warming over 3°C could bring the world close to several potential global-scale tipping points, such as:
o Possible dieback of the Amazon rainforest
o Corals reefs being irreversibly replaced by algae and sea grass
o Irreversible loss of the Greenland ice sheets of many centuries to thousands of years
o Risk of release of methane hydrates in ocean floor sediments further adding to the warming
o Permafrost thawing due to fast rising arctic temperatures
· The costs for adaptation and the residual damages from climate change would be extreme in West Africa and South Asia , with residual damage of 3.5% of regional GDP for 2°C warming and 5-6% for 3°C warming.
· Adaptation costs for a 2°C warming would be half of those associated with a 3°C temperature rise.
A Snapshot Of A Warming World: http://climateactiontracker.org/assets/CAT-Infographic-20111211.pdf
· Concerns that measures for climate change mitigation may create distortions to competitiveness are the main obstacle for many countries in moving ahead with mitigation efforts.
· Australia faced opposition to the introduction of its carbon tax due to fear of alleged competitiveness loss and the same reason could be preventing the US
· The EU considering the lack of progress in addressing the crucial source of greenhouse gas emissions, international transport, through international cooperation has imposed a tax on flights operating in European airspace from 2012, irrespective of the origin of the airline.
· Developing countries claim that the principle of common but differentiated responsibility is being side-stepped by the EU and the island states that rely on air transport for trade are concerned about the effects on the competitiveness of their trade, including tourism.
· Other issues that tie trade and climate change are subsidies, standards, labels and free allocation of emissions allowances.
· Critics argue that discussing trade in the context of the UNFCCC is complicated, and that climate negotiators are not trained on trade issues.
· Discussions on trade and climate change needs to take place in WTO although some issues deserve a forum for discussion in the context of the UNFCCC.
· Developing countries are particularly concerned about the use of unilateral trade measures such as border carbon measures and levies on transport and carbon foot-printing.
Posted By:
Ramesh Kumar Jalan, Ph.D.
Resource Person & Moderator
Climate Change Community, Solution Exchange,
United Nations Development Programme
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