Climate Change Policy and Action: Supporting the Role of Local Communities

Susan StoneConservation InternationalAugust 1, 2012

Outline

1. Climate Change Polices: What is the world is doing about Climate Change?

2. Mitigation and Adaptation Action: How can policy help to reduce climate change and its impacts?

3. How is the international community supporting mitigation and adaptation action?

4. How do local stakeholders participate in policy and decision making

1. Climate Change Polices: What the world is doing about Climate Change?

Implications of Climate Policy• Policies are plans of action that countries, regions, and/or

communities agree to follow

• International agreements can set rules that guide actions of the governments of many countries and their institutions

• Climate mitigation and adaptation policies determine how much we need to reduce GHG emissions (“targets”) AND what activities the global community will pursue to achieve mitigation and adaptation goals

• National policies are also necessary to guide actions within countries

Mitigation Adaptation

,,,the process of stopping or lessening climate change by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that come from industrial activities and forestry and agricultural activities

… adjusting to new conditions that are happening now or may happen in the future. Both eco-systems and people need to adapt to new conditions.

• Climate mitigation and adaptation policies determine how much we need to reduce GHG emissions (“targets”) & how to adjust to a new climate

• AND what activities the global community will pursue to achieve mitigation and adaptation goals

Climate Policy to Action

Mitigation: REDD+Reducing Emissions from

Deforestation and Degradation plus the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (UNFCCC Decision 2 (COP13)

Adaptation:

National Adaption Programs of Action

&National Adaptation Plans

of Action

Areas of Action

The Role of the United Nations

• Most international policy, agreements and conventions are done through the United Nations (UN).

• Through the UN, countries are working to agree to provide a response to this global threat that will impact every country.

Climate Change – early concern

• Studies at Mauna Loa, Hawaii began in 1957

• Climate change discussed on national and international levels for many years

• 1979 — The first World Climate Conference (WCC) takes place.

• Climate change first studied systematically through the establishment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988

…to Systematic Study

• Role of IPCCTo assess scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant for the understanding of climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

• The overall policy framework for efforts to address climate change.

• Adopted at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 together with the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) and the Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD);

• Entered into force on 21 March 1994.• As of May 2012, UNFCCC has 195 parties.

UNFCCC Core Principles

1. Based on equity and “common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities”

• i.e., developed countries should take the lead

2. Special consideration for developing countries disproportionately burdened by climate impacts

3. Precautionary principle to anticipate, prevent or minimize the causes of climate change

• lack of scientific agreement should not postpone action

4. Countries promote sustainable development and integrate climate measures into national programs

– “at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (human-induced) interference with the climate system.”

– "such a level should be achieved within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.“

Key focus of UNFCCC: build consensus to take joint action

UNFCCC Objective: stabilize the amount of GHG in the atmosphere

UNFCCC: The Actors

SecretariatAdministrative body of the UNFCCC

PartiesCountries bound by the Convention

ObserversAccredited groups (IGOs, NGOs, Business Alliances, etc…) allowed to attend and speak but not to participate in the decision makingOver 1,409 NGOs and 86 IGOs Over 1,409 NGOs and 86 IGOs are admitted as observers.

The Parties:Annex I and Non Annex I

Annex IAnnex IDeveloped Countries + Economies in Transition

Non Annex INon Annex IDeveloping Countries

Nearly Universal Participation: 195 Parties

Annex II 49 LCDs

Groups of countries with common interests working on climate change:

Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Group of 77 (G77) plus China The European Union Umbrella Group: several developed countries, including the US,

Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, and Japan The Rainforest Coalition, a group of 33 developing countries

with tropical rainforests

The Role of the UNFCCC

The UNFCCC creates a space for governments around the world to discuss and take action on the challenge posed by climate change. Within the UNFCCC, governments:

•Gather and share information on greenhouse gas emissions, national policies and best practices• Launch national strategies for addressing greenhouse gas emissions•Share information and research on adaptation to the impacts of climate change such as sea level rise, droughts and flooding.•Support national adaptation planning, including the provision of financial and technological support to developing countries

Conferences of the Parties (COP)

• Annual meeting of the UNFCCC to assess progress in dealing with climate change, and beginning in the mid-1990s, to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol to establish legally binding obligations for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

• The First COP was in Berlin in 1995

• Major COPs include Kyoto - 1997 (Accord), Bali-2007 (Action Plan), Copenhagen - 2009 (Declaration), and the most recent in Durban - 2011 (Platform)

All countries must agree in order for a decision to be made in the UNFCCC.

2. Mitigation and Adaptation Action: How can policy help to reduce climate change and its impacts?

1997 COP 3: The Kyoto Protocol

1997 COP 3 (Kyoto) delegates agreed to a Protocol: the legal mechanism in the climate convention

Prescribed developed country emissions reductions for the first commitment period (2008-2012)

Developed countries to reduce overall emissions of 6 GHGs by 5.2% (average) below 1990 levels

Outlines emission reductions required during a certain period (2008-2012)

The Bali Action Plan

Shared vision and 4 key elements 1. mitigation 2. adaptation 3. finance 4. technology

Established Bali RoadmapA long term cooperative action framework to

discuss future GHG mitigation targets and strategies under the Convention post 2012

2009 COP15 Copenhagen

• Copenhagen Accord• Not UNFCCC document, but recognized by COP• Agreement to keep below 2 degrees C • REDD+ paragraph

2010 COP 16 Cancun

Cancun Agreements - historic step forward for international cooperation

Some important accomplishments are establishment of:• a REDD+ agreement,• the Cancun Adaptation Framework,• the Green Climate Fund, and• the Technology Mechanism

2011 COP 17 DurbanEstablishment of the Ad-hoc Working Group on the Durban

Platform for Enhanced Action

Some important accomplishments include:• Second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol from

2013 –term to 5-8 years.• Creation of the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action

– process to for an agreed outcome with legal force that is binding for all parties

• Operationalization of the Green Climate Fund

COP 18 Dohasince long term finance and market mechanisms are going to be core issues to be discussed in Doha.since long term finance and market mechanisms are going to be core issues to be discussed in Doha.since long term finance and market mechanisms are going to be core issues to be discussed in Doha.since long term finance and market mechanisms are going to be core issues to be discussed in Doha.since long term finance and market mechanisms are going to be core issues to be discussed in Doha.since long term finance and market mechanisms are going to be core issues to be discussed in Doha.

Long term finance and market mechanisms are going to be core issues to be discussed in Doha.

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Climate Policy Timeline

1990 1995 2000 2005

05/92: UNFCCC established

1988: IPCC

begins

11/97: Kyoto

Protocol adopted 12/05: COP11

Kyoto enter into force; intro REDD

11/01: Marrakesh Accords signed

1994: UNFCCC enter into force

12/07: COP13 Balipost-2012 roadmapdecision on REDD

2010 2015

2012: Kyoto first commitment period ends

12/09: COP15 Copenhagen

2011: Durban Platform

4. How is the international community supporting climate action?

What are national governments doing?

Creating national mitigation and adaptation plans National Adaptation Programmes of Action & National

Adaptation Plans Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions - REDD+ Readiness

Planning & Demonstration Other national climate plans

Using finance and technology from the international community Working to safeguard ecosystems for emission reduction and

adaptation benefits

How does the international community support climate change action in developing countries?

• Funds have been created to help developing countries adapt and mitigate– Global Environment Facility (GEF)– Kyoto Protocol’s Adaptation Fund– Multi-lateral Banks (World Bank, Inter-American

Development Bank, etc…)– Developed Country aid– Private companies , foundations and donors

• Technology Transfer

Key Points to Remember

• The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the international body that organizes countries to make policies about climate change.

• Only country governments can make decisions about policies at the UNFCCC, but many other organizations attend meetings to observe and influence decision-making.

Key Points to Remember

• Groups of countries with similar interests often work together to promote policies that are in their best interests.

• Country governments work to implement UNFCCC climate change policies and recommended actions and also develop their own national plans to address climate change.

• Indigenous peoples’ organizations work to influence decisions at the UNFCCC.

Key Points to Remember

• Mitigation actions help stop or lessen climate change.

• Adaptation action helps countries adjust to changes that have already happened or that may happen in the future.

• Funding, mainly provided by developed countries, is available through the World Bank’s Global Environmental Facility and other sources to support mitigation and adaptation action in developing countries.

Supporting the role of

indigenous peoples and

local communities:

Full and Effective Stakeholder

Engagement and Participation

Access to Information Freedom of ExpressionVoices

Participation AccountabilityTransparency

CooperationCommunication Engagement

Education

Civil Society Women Migrants Youth Private Sector Government

Build spaces for shared learning and dialogue among stakeholder groups

Dialogue

Action

Information Sharing

Discussion Skill Building

Flow of information and participation

How are indigenous peoples engaging in international climate policy?

Indigenous Peoples Organizations Representation on National Delegations United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Engagement in National Policy Valuing traditional knowledge and practice

Photo Courtesy of: Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim

Working at the Global LevelOrganized through the Inuit Circumpolar Council

The purpose of the summit was to enable Indigenous peoples from all regions of the globe to exchange their knowledge and experience in adapting to the impacts of climate change, and to develop key messages and recommendations for the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen, Denmark in December 2009.

Respect for Rights

Free, Prior and Informed Consent - FPIC

FPIC is the right of indigenous peoples to give or withhold their free, prior and informed consent to actions that affect their lands territories and natural resources.

GIZ-RECOFTC (2011)

ILO 169

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Consent is part of a recurring process, described by various indigenous peoples as ‘living consent,’‘living consent,’ which requires :

• continual monitoring• maintenance • reaffirmation • throughout the various stages of a

project.

• Decisions to withhold consent are not necessarily forever binding and can also be revisited by rights holders as situations change or become more favorable.

“Originally developed in the context of indigenous rights, FPIC is increasingly linked to the right of all people to their land and territories based on customary and historical connection to them”.Colchester, M., and M.F. Ferrari. 2007. Making FPIC – Free, Prior and Informed Consent – Work:Challenges and Prospects for Indigenous Peoples. Forest Peoples Programme, Moreton-in- Marsh, UK.

FPIC is necessary to ensure:Full effective participation of all -indigenous peoples and project-affected communities - in policies, programs and activities that affect them.

Supporting the role of

indigenous peoples and

local communities:

Actions at the local level to

support participation

Indigenous Advisory Group:Advising CI’s Programs on

Indigenous Issues

• Paulo Celso de Oliveira is a member of the Pankararu people; he practices law in Brasilia, Brazil. As the first indigenous lawyer in Brazil, he works to defend the rights of indigenous peoples in his country. (He works for FUNAI)

• • Mina Susana Setra, a Dayak woman from Indonesia, represents her country – and her people –

as the Director for Foreign Affairs for the Indigenous Peoples Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN).

• • David James is a former schoolteacher, a member of the Arawak community, and the only

indigenous lawyer in Guyana.• • Ramiro Batzin serves as the president of the indigenous organization Sotz’il, and as a

representative of the Mayan peoples on a national indigenous peoples and climate change mesa (roundtable) in Guatemala. (out of all of them, he is most involved in UNFCCC)

• • Rogeliano Solis of the Kuna Yala people of Panama teaches Natural Sciences and advises on

issues of importance to the environment and people’s lives.• • Kanyinke Sena is an Ogik from Kenya, and in addition to being a lawyer, is a member of the UN

Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

• Members of the IAG

Indigenous Advisory GroupIn communities:IAG members, CI-Ecuador visit a family-owned forest conservation project in Ecuador that raises threatened plant species used in traditional medicine.

At COP 17 in Durban

IN Guyana: Meeting with Indigenous leaders and government to discuss climate policy and Guyana’s low carbon development strategy

Indigenous Leaders Conservation Fellowship

This year long fellowship has been created to provide opportunities for leaders and scholars from indigenous and traditional peoples communities and organizations to explore solutions to the impacts of climate change and thethreats to ecosystems and biodiversity that are affecting their lands, communities and livelihoods.

Name: Juan Cusanero ElíasCountry: GuatemalaIndigenous Peoples Group: Maya Kaqchikel

Name: Hindu Oumarou IbrahimCountry: ChadIndigenous Peoples Group: Mbororo

Name: Dominique BikabaCountry: Democratic Republic of CongoIndigenous Peoples Group: Bashi

Name: Akosita Denise RokomateCountry: FijiIndigenous Peoples Group: Fijian

• Mesa Indigena de Cambio Climatico de Guatemala

• Sotzil -Training of Trainers• Indigenous Fellowship• WB Development Market Place

Guatemala: Sharing Information & Building Skills

Sharing Resources to support local action

Peru REDD+ Stakeholder Engagement Analysis

Peru: Supporting Effective Participation

thank you

What are the challenges and opportunities related to achieving

effective flow of information , learning and participation to and from

local to national to global climate policy-makers?

References

• IPCC reports and papers www.ipcc.ch• UNFCCC website http://unfccc.int• Earth Negotiations Bulletin http://www.iisd.ca/process/climate_atm.htm• The Little REDD Book

http://www.globalcanopy.org/main.php?m=121&sm=174&ssm=192• REDD: An Options Assessment Report (Prepared for Government of

Norway by Meridian Institute 2009) http://www.redd-oar.org/• Moving Ahead with REDD (CIFOR, 2008)

http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/publications/pdf_files/Books/BAngelsen0801.pdf

• Policies to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) in Tropical Forests (Discussion Paper from Resources for the Future 12/2007) http://www.rff.org/Documents/RFF-DP-07-50.pdf