Background paper

18th

Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework

Convention on Climate Change

Doha, Qatar

26 November – 7 December 2012

Prepared under the programme Strategic Initiative to Address Climate Change in Least

Developed Countries (Boots on the Ground)

Bratislava, Slovakia, November 2012

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This technical summary was prepared by Gabriela Fischerova, Regional Climate Change Policy

Advisor, under the global UNDP project “Integrating Climate Change into National Policies and

Programming” supporting the programme “Strategic Initiative to Address Climate Change in

Least Developed Countries” (aka ‘Boots on the Ground’) with the aim to provide a quick

orientation in the development of individual agenda items under each subsidiary body sessions

and the specific areas of discussion in the ad hoc working groups held in UN Climate Conference

in November - December 2012 in Doha, Qatar. The document is based on official UNFCCC

documents published on the web site of the UNFCCC, and on the non-papers and informal

summaries distributed during the earlier sessions.

The views expressed in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the

views of, and should not be attributed to, the UNDP.

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Table of Contents

Summary of the negotiation process.........................................................................................4

Logistic Information .................................................................................................................7

Sessions ..................................................................................................................................7

High-level Segment ................................................................................................................8

Registration and visa .............................................................................................................8

Credentials .............................................................................................................................9

Key Issues for Doha ................................................................................................................ 10

Key political issues for Doha ................................................................................................... 11

Second Commitment period under the Kyoto protocol ..................................................... 11

AWG LCA and AWG KP termination ............................................................................... 13

Work of ADP ....................................................................................................................... 15

Key technical issues for Doha ................................................................................................. 19

Mitigation ............................................................................................................................. 19

Adaptation ........................................................................................................................... 20

Finance ................................................................................................................................. 21

Technology ........................................................................................................................... 21

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Summary of the negotiation process

With the first commitment period of the Kyoto protocol coming to the end by December 31

2012, and still increasing global emissions of greenhouse gases, upcoming climate change

conference in Doha may set up an important milestone for future international climate change

legal regime. Alongside two main outcomes expected, securing the second commitment period

of the Kyoto Protocol and starting the substantial work on the post-2020 new legally binding

instrument applicable to all parties, many other important decisions are to be taken on different

technical and methodological issues concerning adaptation, mitigation, technology transfer,

reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation to create the framework of the

post-2012 climate change regime.

No less than seven bodies will have to fit their work into two weeks. And we have to bear in

mind that the good part of the second week is devoted to the high-level segment, when ministers

and other senior officers from all around the world will come and try to resolve the most difficult

and tangled questions from political (such as whether to close the two ad hoc working groups) to

very technical (such as what type of safeguards should be used while reducing emissions from

deforestation and land degradation).

With 89 agenda items (and 101 sub-items) the complexity of the whole process is nearing the

tipping point of capacities of both organizers and delegates. This document aims to provide a

basic orientation and short overview of the key issues to be discussed and decided in Doha for

those who do not follow the negotiations on daily basis or need only ad hoc information on the

up-coming event.

Key issues: There are three major outcomes expected from Doha which may be labeled as

‘political’. These are:

• Second commitment period (CP2) of the Kyoto Protocol

• AWG LCA and AWG KP termination

• ADP work

Kyoto Protocol track (AWG-KP)

At pre-ministerial meeting held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, 21 – 23 October 2012, five

elements were define as remaining issues for adoption of the second commitment period:

1) Which text to use – the text from Durban (1/CMP.7) or also post-Durban inputs?

2) The length of the second commitment period (5 years (AOSIS, LDCs, Africa) or 8 years

(Annex I Parties))

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3) Ensuring “legal continuity” from 1 January 2013 (To prevent “gap” from 1 January

2013 until CP2 entry into force)

4) Ensuring “operational continuity” from CP1 to CP2 (“Eligibility”: two facets – for CP2

Parties and non-CP2 Parties, implications for carbon market)

5) “Carry-over”&”surplus” of tradable units from CP1 to CP2 (Most relevant to assigned

amount units – AAUs)

Convention track (AWG LCA)

The mandate of the working group expires in Durban and in order to terminate its work,

remaining unresolved issues will either be completed or new platform(s) where the work will

continue needs to be identified.

Overview of the work under the LCA as presented by the Chair at pre-ministerial meeting:

Shared vision: Long-term goal; Peaking; Context

Mitigation: Developed countries (Clarification, ambition, comparability)

Developing countries (Clarification)

REDD+ Financing

Framework for various approaches – New market based mechanism:

modalities

Sectoral approaches: General framework, international aviation and

maritime

Response measures

Adaptation: Financing adaptation (linkages with means of implementation)

NAPs for non-LDCs

Economic diversification

National and regional centres

Finance: Continuity of finance (between 2012 and 2020)

MRV on finance

Arrangements between COP and GCF

Fast start finance – linkages to the work on long-term finance

Technology: Further guidance to TEC and CTCN

Linkages with financial mechanism

IP

Capacity building: Monitoring and indicators

Review: Scope and process

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Other matters: Economies in transition

Annex I with special circumstances

Ad hoc working group on Durban platform (ADP):

The work will continue under the two workstreams as define in the agenda:

1. Matters related to paragraphs 2 to 6 (workstream on vision) – planning the work for 2013,

indicating major reference points for the work up to 2015

2. Matters related to the paragraphs 7 and 8 (workstream on ambition gap) – advance work

on bridging the current mitigation gap and delivering a new agreement in 2015

Set of questions were prepared by co-chairs based on the discussion in Bangkok for both

workstreams to assist with streamlining the discussion. Clear and agreed calendar identifying

elements of work and immediate practical activities for 2013 should be also agreed in Doha.

Apart from political issues there are still many technical matters to be discussed and if possible

resolved, such as

• Mitigation – NAMAs, new market based mechanism, sectoral approach

(agriculture), REDD+, CCS

• Adaptation – National adaptation plans, loss and damage, Nairobi Work

Programme

• Finance – GCF relation to the COP, continuity of climate finance (mid-term

finance)

• Technology – Host of Climate Technology Centre and Network, Intellectual

Property Rights (IPR)

• Response measures

• Capacity building

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Logistic Information

Sessions

The 18th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change will be

hosted by the Government of Qatar and held from 26 November to 7 December 2012 in the

Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha, Qatar. The conference will comprise sessions of the

following bodies:

• The 18th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 18) to the UN Framework

Convention on Climate Change from 26 November to 7 December

• The 8th

Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto

Protocol (CMP 8) from 26 November to 7 December

• The 37th session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 37) from 26 November

to 7 December

• The 37th session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice

(SBSTA 37) from 26 November to 7 December

• The second part of the 17th session of Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments

for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP 17-2) from 27 November*

• The second part of the 15th session of Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term

Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA 15-2) from 27 November*

• The second part of the 1st session of Ad Hoc Working Group on Durban Platform

(ADP 1-2) from 27 November*

* The end date of the working groups will be decided

Several preparatory meetings will take place before the conference:

Group Date

Least developed countries 20 to 21 November 2012

Small island developing States 22 to 23 November 2012

African Group 22 to 23 November 2012

Group of 77 and China 24 to 25 November 2012

The preparatory meetings will not be held at the conference centre but in Sheraton Doha Resort

& Convention Hotel, Al Corniche Street, Kuwait.

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There are no workshops scheduled for the conference.

The informal consultations of the AWG KP Chair on eligibility issues relating to second

commitment period with interested parties are planned to be held on 12 – 13 November 2012 in

Bonn, Germany. More information about consultations can be found in the following document:

http://unfccc.int/files/meetings/ad_hoc_working_groups/kp/application/pdf/awgkp_eligibilityann

ouncement_15102012.pdf

High-level Segment

The high-level segment, to be attended by ministers and other senior officials, will be

inaugurated during the afternoon of Tuesday, 4 December. Statements by ministers and other

heads of delegation will be heard in joint meetings of the COP and CMP on 5 and 6 December.

The high-level segment will conclude on Friday, 7 December with the adoption of decisions and

conclusions by the COP and the CMP.

The duration of each statement is limited to three minutes. Statements on behalf of groups, where

the other members of the group do not speak, are strongly encouraged and additional time will be

provided for these.

The list of speakers is open from Wednesday, 3 October to Friday, 9 November 2012.

Registrations should be made using the form1 and should be addressed to the External Relations

Officer, Conference Affairs Services, telephone: +49 228 815 1611 or +49 228 815 1306, fax:

+49 228 815 1999, e-mail: sessions@unfccc.int. This applies to both parties and observers.

Registration and visa

Registration and visa application are managed through the electronic systems. Registration

on-line is the only official channel to register participants for the sessions:

1 Registration form is at the page 21 of the information note:

http://unfccc.int/files/parties_and_observers/notifications/application/pdf/notification_to_parties_and_observer_states_cop_18-

cmp_8.pdf

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https://onlinereg.unfccc.int/. The secretariat will not accept nominations by any other

method such as e-mails, letters and faxes.

The visa can be obtained via following link:

http://www.cop18.qa/en-us/delegateinformation/obtainingvisa.aspx

Credentials

As the amendment of the Kyoto Protocol is expected to be adopted, special attention is given

to the credentials of the representatives of Parties.

Only Parties with valid credentials will be able to participate in the adoption of amendments to

the Kyoto Protocol. In the event of a vote, those Parties that have not submitted their credentials

or have submitted credentials that are not valid will not be allowed to participate in the voting. In

addition, if the secretariat is requested to confirm whether a quorum to take decisions is present,

the quorum will be determined on the basis of Parties that have submitted valid credentials.

Therefore, the credentials of representatives of Parties, as well as the names of alternate

representatives and advisers, shall be submitted to the secretariat no later than 24 hours after the

opening of that session. Credentials must be issued by the Head of State or Government or by the

Minister of Foreign Affairs.

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Key Issues for Doha

There are three major outcomes expected from Doha which may be labeled as ‘political’ and

several of more of ‘technical’ nature. These are:

Political:

• Second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol

• AWG LCA and AWG KP termination

• ADP work

Technical:

• Mitigation – NAMAs, new market based mechanism, sectoral approach

(agriculture), REDD+, CCS

• Adaptation – National adaptation plans, financing adaptation, Nairobi Work

Programme

• Finance – GCF relation to the COP, continuity of climate finance (mid-term

finance), monitoring and reporting on finance

• Technology – Host of Climate Technology Centre and Network, Intellectual

Property Rights (IPR)

• Response measures

• Capacity building

Major part of the discussion will be carried out in contact groups established by individual

bodies (COP, CMP, SBs…) preparing texts for adoption by final plenary of the conference. The

issues the negotiators cannot resolve will be left for the decision and adoption by ministers

during high-level segment in the second week of the conference.

The items above are interlinked and conditioned so that the progress or lack of progress in one

could seriously affect the progress of discussions on the other one, therefore, it is important to

understand substance and linkages among individual agenda items and possible consequences of

failures and successes.

In the following text, each of these items is shortly explained and the current situation in

negotiations described.

The detailed agenda for each session and any additional information can be found at

http://unfccc.int/meetings/doha_nov_2012/meeting/6815.php

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Key political issues for Doha

Second Commitment period under the Kyoto protocol

Adoption of the second commitment period is embedded in the article 3, paragraph 9 of the

Kyoto protocol2. While for the first commitment period (2008 – 2012), 38 developed country

parties of the KP were committed to reduce or limit their emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs)

(without the US who did not ratify the KP), now already three other parties have declared that

they do not intend to commit themselves to any 2nd

CP under the KP: Canada, Japan, and Russia.

Lately (not yet under the UNFCCC process), Australia announced its willingness to sign up for

the second commitment period while New Zealand has announced that it will take its next

commitments under the Convention Framework.

This means that any potential CP2 would include parties responsible for less than 40% of

developed countries emissions in 2008 and less than 25% of the global emissions. Many of them

also consider the CP2 as transitional to a global treaty. Therefore, in order to reach the ultimate

objective of the UNFCCC (to achieve … stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the

atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate

system) more actions are needed to curb the emissions from all major economies.

At pre-ministerial meeting held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, 21 – 23 October 2012, five

elements were define as remaining issues for adoption of the second commitment period:

1) What will be the basis for negotiations: text from Durban (1/CMP.7) or also post-Durban

inputs?

2) Length of the second commitment period (5 years (AOSIS, LDCs, Africa) or 8 years

(Annex I Parties))

3) Ensuring “legal continuity” from 1 January 2013 (To prevent “gap” from 1 January

2013 until CP2 entry into force)

2 3.9. Commitments for subsequent periods for Parties included in Annex I shall be established in amendments to

Annex B to this Protocol, which shall be adopted in accordance with the provisions of Article 21, paragraph 7. The

Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to this Protocol shall initiate the consideration of such

commitments at least seven years before the end of the first commitment period referred to in paragraph 1 above.

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4) Ensuring “operational continuity” from CP1 to CP2 (“Eligibility”: two facets – for CP2

Parties and non-CP2 Parties, implications for carbon market)

5) “Carry-over”&”surplus” of tradable units from CP1 to CP2 (Most relevant to assigned

amount units – AAUs)

There is major consensus that even though the second commitment period may not have the

desired reduction effect it is vital for keeping continuity in the mitigation efforts of developed

countries, to provide (limited) level of certainty for private sector and trust and basis for the

future structure; and also the understanding that securing the second commitment period has to

agreed and adopted in Doha. Before doing so however, a couple of technical issues have to be

resolved:

a) Text for negotiations – In Durban, Parties adopted the decision 1/CMP.7 with annex

containing the textual proposals for Kyoto protocol amendments. Since Durban, the

discussion progressed during the Bonn meeting in May and then in Bangkok, in September.

The Chair of the AWG KP has prepared the proposal to facilitate the negotiations

(FCCC/KP/AWG/2012/CRP.1) in the form of text for decision and amendments to the

Kyoto protocol has restructured and streamlined the content of the non-papers without

adding her own textual input

b) The length of commitment period – there are two options; either 5 years (2013 – 2017) or

8 years (2013 – 2020). Both options have their pros and cons and their supporters. While

developed countries favour the 8 years period arguing that after 2020 the commitments will

seamlessly transit to a new agreement to be negotiated under the Ad hoc working group on

Durban Platform, developing countries prefer 5-year period in order to avoid getting

“locked” in low ambitious agreement for longer period.

c) Implementation gap between first and second commitment period – if the amendments

of the Kyoto protocol are adopted in Doha, it still takes some time for them to be legally in

force due to ratification process. As the first commitment period ends on 31 December

2012 (some three weeks after the closure of the COP18) there will be the gap between first

and second commitment periods. In order to avoid legal disturbances, parties proposed

several options for the text to be inserted into the Kyoto protocol or as a text of the decision

to make sure that the provisions of the protocol will be applied continually without

interruption by all parties. Most of the options are based on the “provisional application”

clause differentiating only in the formulations.

d) Eligibility for participating in flexible mechanisms – as it is already known that some

parties while having the quantified emission limitation or reduction objectives (QELROs)

defined and assigned amount units allocated to their accounts in the registry for the first

commitment period will not take commitments in the second commitment period. The

current provisions of the protocol and decisions handling with the flexible mechanisms did

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not prejudge such situation, some parties feel there is a need for organizing the carbon

market and flexible mechanisms in such way that only parties with commitments under the

second commitment period may be eligible to participate in the mechanisms. The issue will

have implications to the carbon market both in case the rules will change for 2nd

CP and

also in case the rules remain: Russia on one hand has rather substantive surplus of the

AAUs and also large potential for joint implementation projects and on the other hand,

Japan is the biggest buyer of units form all three flexible mechanisms (JI, CDM, IET) and

neither of these two countries is intending to take commitments under the 2nd

CP. So if they

are or they are not a part of the market it will have a great influence on the volume and

price of units.

e) Carry-over of surplus of assigned amount units from the first commitment period –

according to Article 3, paragraph 133, Party may transfer all unused assigned amount units

from the first commitment period to the second commitment period. There is around 6 000

Mt CO2eq left among Annex I parties (most of them from Russia, Ukraine, and some of the

EU new member states). This might seriously undermine the mitigation efforts of the

second commitment period as the carry-over adds around 20% of the assigned amount to

the emissions capped according to current pledges of Annex I Parties. The proposal is to

allow for using the surplus units only for fulfilling commitments of the second commitment

period if the emissions exceed the assigned amount of that period (e.g. they cannot be used

for international emission trading, or used for cancellation if the party has the assigned

amount units for the second commitment period). The issue of AAUs carry-over is closely

linked to the eligibility of parties who do not intend to take commitments under the second

CP in the flexible mechanisms (clean development mechanism, joint implementation and

international emission trading).

AWG LCA and AWG KP termination

In Bali, at the COP 13, parties have established the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term

Cooperative Action under the Convention4. The mandate of the group was extended several

times in order to allow parties to complete the work assigned to the group. In Durban last year,

3 3.13. If the emissions of a party included in Annex I in a commitment period are less than assigned amount under

this Article, this difference shall, on request of that party, be added to the assigned amount for that party for

subsequent commitment period

4 Decides that the process shall be conducted under a subsidiary body under the Convention, hereby established and known as the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention, that shall complete its work in 2009 and present the outcome of its work to the Conference of the Parties for adoption at its fifteenth session

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the COP 17 decided on the termination of the AWG LCA work5 and at the same time,

established the Ad hoc Working Group on Durban Platform.

The mandate of the AWG LCA had been extended by one year several times since Bali (in 2009,

2010 and last time in Durban in 2011). However, many developing countries feel that the work

of AWG LCA is not finished while developed countries argue the potential of the working group

is exhausted and all unfinished issued are either placed in other bodies (permanent like SBI or

SBSTA) or newly created for the purpose of dealing with the specific issues (like Joint Forum

for potential consequences or Adaptation Committee, Standing Committee, Technology

Executive Committee, etc.) or they can be taken further under the Ad hoc working group on

Durban Platform.

At the ministerial pre-COP meeting, the Chair of AWG LCA outline main outstanding issues

under the chapters of the outcome of AWG LCA as adopted in Durban. These are:

5 Decides to extend the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention for one

year in order for it to continue its work and reach the agreed outcome pursuant to decision 1/CP.13 (Bali Action

Plan) through decisions adopted by the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth sessions of the Conference of the

Parties, at which time the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention shall

be terminated;

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Although these issues are under the agenda of the AWG LCA, a lot of detailed technical work

was and will continue to be carried out under the agenda of subsidiary bodies (SBSTA: Nairobi

work Programme on Adaptation, Forum on Response measures, Report from the Adaptation

Committee, report of the Technology Executive Committee, methodological issues such as

biennial reports, carbon capture and storage, etc.; SBI: registry for NAMAs, national Adaptation

Plans, loss and damage, capacity building, etc.).

AWG KP mandate established in 2005 in Montreal at COP 11 will expire after the adoption of

the amendment of the Kyoto Protocol on second commitment period and all issues where further

work is needed will be transferred either to SBs or to the ADP.

The final decision whether to streamline the negotiations under only one working group (ADP)

or to continue with one or two others (LCA and possibly KP) will depend on two issues:

a) Whether there is some progress under the ADP in Doha and whether the CP2 period of

the Kyoto Protocol is adopted; and

b) On political will to focus the efforts regarding future international climate regime towards

one agreement covering all major emitters.

At present it is hard to tell what option is more likely to happen as there are too many

uncertainties in respect of the development of negotiations in Doha in both tracks: Convention

(LCA) and KP.

Work of ADP

The ADP was created in Durban in 2011 as a UNFCCC forum for the newly launched process to

“develop a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the

Convention” applicable to all parties.

This new legal instrument should be completed by 2015 and should enter into force in 2020. It is

the first time that the considerations on GHG emissions reductions will cover all major emitters,

including US, China, India and other emerging economies.

The working group was asked to “…start its work as a matter of urgency in the first half of

2012…”6. However, for major part of two weeks in Bonn, parties were not able to adopt the

agenda and agree on the officers for this new body. Until the very last day of the session, the

possibility of voting (first time in the history of the UNFCCC was looming above the delegates.

6 Decision 1/CP.17

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This was partly due to rather ambiguous text of the decision when it comes to the expected

outcome and the work plan, and partly due to the fact that new protocol (or any other instrument)

should be legally binding across the whole spectrum of countries so some of the major

economies might have to share some part of burden to reduce emissions. This led also to the

division among usually rather homogeneous positions of developing countries: AOSIS singled

itself from G&&countries by requesting actions not only from developed but from some

developing countries as well. India, China, Brazil and some other more advanced developing

countries were hesitant on some aspects of the mandate for ADP, especially with regard to the

period: should it be 2012 – 2020 or post 2020. Irrespective of how countries lay out their

positions the outcome of the ADP very probably would not apply uniformly to developing

countries. Most of the other developing countries continue to stress the principle of common but

differentiated responsibility, and argue that the eradication of poverty remains their overriding

priority.

The officers were elected and the agenda for ADP was adopted in Bonn in the last minute. It was

decided that the work of ADP will follow two workstreams:

1. Matters related to paragraphs 2 to 6 (workstream on vision)

2. Matters related to the paragraphs 7 and 8 (workstream on ambition gap)

In Bangkok, in September 2012, the discussion progressed well. Many parties expressed their

views on what the new legal instrument should be. Even though the views are very different

(from flexible format, flexible dynamic targets to the strict Kyoto-like architecture including

numerical commitments) most parties agreed that the new instrument should built on the positive

features of the existing regime while include new approaches respecting basic principles of the

Convention. All agreed that the new agreement should be with universal participation and

enhanced actions.

In Doha, co-chairs of ADP hope that parties will:

• To continue planning the work of the ADP for 2013, in the context of a broader vision,

indicating major reference points for this work up to 2015

• To advance our substantive work on bridging the current mitigation gap and delivering a

new agreement by 2015

The Co-Chairs have prepared summaries of the two roundtable discussions in Bangkok and the

note “Reflections on the Bangkok session with a view to Doha and beyond”. The co-chairs

summarized points of interest for further discussion as follows:

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Workstream 1:

• How the principles of the Convention will be applied in the new agreement

• How national circumstances and changes thereof should be taken into account

• How the new agreement will be “applicable to all” in practice, including approaches to defining differentiated commitments

• Ways to incentivize full and ambitious participation and ensure effective implementation and compliance arrangements

• How the new agreement will strengthen the multilateral, rules based regime under the

Convention

• How the ADP will take into account relevant work being undertaken by other institutions and processes under the Convention

• Lessons learned from the implementation of the Convention and its Kyoto Protocol and other multilateral agreements

• Planning of the ADP’s work with a focus on 2013

Workstream 2:

• How to increase the ambition of existing pledges from Parties and encourage those who have not yet submitted their pledges to do so

• How international and national actions that are additional and are therefore

supplementary to the pledges that Parties have made can be strengthened, encouraged,

and supported by the Convention

• The role of means of implementation in increasing ambition

• How to catalyze actions and initiatives with the largest mitigation potential

• Ways to showcase ongoing initiatives and to share best practices

• Ways to undertake more in-depth work, including technical and quantitative analysis of options to increase ambition

• Ways to incentivize mitigation actions and ensure effective implementation

• Ways to ensure high-level engagement and stakeholder involvement

• How principles of the Convention will be applied in the context of enhancing ambition

Clear and agreed calendar identifying elements of work and immediate practical activities for

2013 should be also agreed in Doha. However, there are some voices (Brazil) suggesting that the

debate on ADP work “should be deferred until next year. COP in Doha should prioritize the

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extension of the Kyoto protocol and the rules for longer-term agreement rather than to be

distracted by the crucial but contentious issue of [global] emission reductions”.7

Work of ADP will be conducted in informal discussions, roundtables and contact group that can

take stock of the work. Secretariat also offers to arrange bilateral meetings between co-chairs and

groups of parties or individual parties. The request for such bilateral meeting should be made via

mail contact: secretariat@unfccc.int

7 Statement of the Brazil`s chief negotiator Luiz Alberto Figueiredo on 15 November 2012

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/nov/15/doha-carbon-cuts-climate-change?intcmp=122

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Key technical issues for Doha

Mitigation

The mitigation is discussed under the AWG LCA agenda item 3 (b) Enhanced

national/international action on mitigation of climate change. Basically two broad groups of

mitigation action are discussed:

• Mitigation action to be taken by developed countries (which mostly reflect the discussion

under the Kyoto protocol); and

• Nationally appropriate mitigation actions by developing countries (NAMAs).

Related to the mitigation action, there are many technical sub-points to be resolved, such as the

registry where the action will be registered and matched for support; new market based

mechanism (NMM), which is still not defined, but some broad rules are already proposed. Even

there is yet no consensus on whether the NMM should be a part of the future regime, modalities

will be subject of discussions but no major progress on this issue is expected in Doha. Sectoral

approaches currently deal with two sectors: agriculture; and International aviation. Both are

significant contributors to the emissions of green house gases on the other hand both are very

sensitive from economic and/or development point of view. The progress is widely expected in

the Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) where SBSTA

will continue its work on developing modalities for a national forest monitoring system and for

measuring, reporting and verifying anthropogenic forest-related emissions by sources and

removals by sinks based on the document FCCC/SBSTA/2012/L.9/Rev.1. (Mechanism for

financing REDD activities will also be discussed, more info under the chanter Finance).

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) in geological formations as clean development mechanism

project activities – will be discussed under the SBSTA agenda item Methodological issues under

the Kyoto Protocol. This item is on the agenda since November 2005 and up to now parties

discussed and agreed that CCS activities may be included under the CDM under certain

conditions. At CMP7 in Durban, parties adopted modalities and procedures for CCS inclusion

into CDM, and agreed to continue their work in Doha on:

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(a) The eligibility of carbon dioxide capture and storage project activities which involve the

transport of carbon dioxide from one country to another or which involve geological

storage sites that are located in more than one country;

(b) The establishment of a global reserve of certified emission reduction units for carbon

dioxide capture and storage project activities, in addition to the reserve referred to in

paragraph 21(b) of the annex to this decision.

Response measures are discussed under the KP track and LCA track, and also in the Forum on

the impact of implementation of response measures established jointly under the SBSTA and

SBI. There are divergent views among parties whether the Forum should be the only platform to

discuss the matters of response measures, or the decision text should be negotiated and adopted.

While developed countries prefer the first option, developing countries proposed several texts for

the decision, dealing with unilateral measures, including tariff, non-tariff, and other fiscal and

non-fiscal border trade measures, against goods and services from developing country Parties on

any grounds related to climate change.

Adaptation

National adaptation plans were agree as a part of the Cancun Adaptation Framework with the

objective to reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change by building adaptive capacities

and resilience and to facilitate the integration of climate change adaptation into relevant new and

existing policies, programmes and activities, in particular development planning processes and

strategies, within all relevant sectors and at different levels, as appropriate. They should facilitate

country-owned, country-driven action, should be not prescriptive, nor result in the duplication of

efforts undertaken in-country. The initial guidelines on the basic groundwork, preparatory

elements, implementation strategy, and reporting, monitoring and review were adopted in

Durban, now the crucial question to be discussed is the issue of financing adaptation both

national adaptation plans and the implementation of adaptation measures.

In Doha, Parties will continue to discuss the text of the draft decision

(FCCC/SBI/2012/15/Add.2, page 18 - 21) in consideration of guidance on policies and

programmes to enable financial, technology and capacity-building support for the NAP process

for the LDC Parties at SBI 37, with a view to making recommendations to the COP at COP 18.

Nairobi Work Programme – was established as a five year programme in 2005 with the

objective to assist parties, in particular developing countries, including least developed countries

and small island states to improve their understanding and assessment of impacts, vulnerability

and adaptation to climate change; and to make informed decisions on practical adaptation actions

and measures. NWP mandate was extended by COP17 to 2013. In Doha, the SBI will consider

the progress in the implementation through considering following documents:

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• Report on the technical workshop on water and climate change impacts and adaptation

strategies;

• Compilation of case studies on national adaptation planning processes;

• Progress made in implementing activities under the Nairobi work programme.

Finance

During the Conference of the Parties (COP15) held in December 2009 in Copenhagen developed

countries pledged to provide new and additional resources, including forestry and investments,

approaching USD 30 billion for the period 2010 – 2012 and with balanced allocation between

mitigation and adaptation. This collective commitment has come to be known as ‘fast-start

finance’.

Following up on this pledge, the Conference of the Parties in Cancún, in December 2010, took

note of this collective commitment by developed country Parties and reaffirmed that funding for

adaptation will be prioritized for the most vulnerable developing countries, such as the least

developed countries, small-island developing states and Africa.

The fast-start finance is coming to an end in December 2012 and now the developing countries

call for additional pledges – mid-term finance – to cover the period between now and the year

2020 when the long-term finance and 100 billion USD pledged in Copenhagen in 2009 by

developed countries should be ready and accessible through Green Climate Fund.

With the Green Climate Fund Executive Board and Standing Committee established and working

(both bodies have met twice this year) and the decision on the host of GFC Secretariat taken (it

will be Songdo, Incheon City, Republic of Korea) now the focus is on more practical issues such

as what will be the relation between GCF and the COP; how the finance will be monitored and

reported and what might be the linkages between fast-start (and possibly mid-term) finance and

long-term financing. Discussion will be based on the reports form GEF, GCF, and Standing

Committee, Report on the workshops of the work programme on longterm finance

(FCCC/CP/2012/3) and on submission form parties. There is no formal document yet and only a

very preliminary text may be expected to come on this form Doha.

Technology

Technology mechanism established by Cancun Agreements in 2010 and consisting of

Technology Executive Committee (TEC) and Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN)

is close to the full function, with the TEC already working since 2011 and CTCN host selected –

UNEP-led Consortium – (host agreement to be signed at COP18 in Doha). At the last meeting of

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parties in Bangkok, the issue of intellectual property rights was raised again by developing

countries as one of the main barriers to technology transfer and they are requesting the issue to

be discussed while developed countries oppose this option arguing that there are other fora such

as WIPO and/or WTO to deal with it.

Due to very limited time available in Doha, it might be expected that the issue will be brought to

discussion again however, no progress would be reached.