STATE OF NEGOTIATIONS

ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Hira Jhamtani

ISSUES

• UNFCCC & KYOTO PROTOCOL• ARE COMMITMENTS KEPT? • ISSUES IN CURRENT

NEGOTIATIONS• WHAT OF DEVELOPING

COUNTRIES?

UNFCCC

And

Kyoto Protocol

• UNFCCC - the only international institution withmandate for climate change action under the UN

• Objective - stabilize GHG concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system

• concentration should be achieved within a timeframe sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally

• Kyoto Protocol - first legally binding instrument for Annex 1 (developed countries) with reduction targets of 5.2 per cent below the 1990 level by 2008–2012

• First Commitment Period 2008-2012.

• Non-Annex I – or developing countries no commitments to reduce GHG emission but must take actions to implement sustainable development.

• Flexibility Mechanism in KP :– To help Annex I achieve their commitments – Through emission trading, among Annex I

countries:• Joint Implementation (JI)• Emission Trading (ET)

– Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) between Annex I and non-Annex I

– This is market mechanism, the so called carbon market.

• The US is not a party to KP

• Australia ratified in 2007.

• Common but Differentiated Responsibility: Convention Art 3.1 “The Parties should protect the climate system for the benefit of present and future generations of humankind, on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.”

PRINCIPLES

• Common but Differentiated Responsibility: Convention Art 3.1 “The Parties should protect the climate system for the benefit of present and future generations of humankind, on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.”

PRINCIPLES

Translated in Article 4.7 :“The extent to which developing country Parties

will effectively implement their commitments under the Convention will depend on the effective implementation by developed country Parties of their commitments under the Convention related to financial resources and transfer of technology and will take fully into account that economic and social development and poverty eradication are the first and overriding priorities of the developing country Parties.”

PRINCIPLES

Article 10 c of KP provides for : “the transfer of or access to environmentally sound technologies, know-how, practices and processes pertinent to climate change, in particular to developing countries, …”

• Others: specific needs of DCs; precautionary approach; right to promote SD; sustainable economic growth

PRINCIPLES

COMMITMENTS

EMISSIONS• GHG inventory of Annex I parties shows by 2002 their emissions had increased 8.4 per cent over the 1990 level (UNFCCC 2006)• Eu-15 emissions (without UK and Germany) actually increased 10% between 1990 and 2005.• Even in Japan, emission levels are rising

COMMITMENTS

ADAPTATION FINANCING • Adaptation cost estimated at least $50bn each year in developing countries• the USA, European Union, Japan, Canada, and Australia should contribute over 95 per cent of the finance needed. • but, rich countries are planning multi-billion dollar adaptation measures at home, but to date they have delivered just $48m to international funds for least-developed country adaptation

(Oxfam International)

COMMITMENTS• Technology transfer has as yet to be implemented in any significant manner• Existing mechanism for technology transfer such as ODA and FDI have not progressed much in technology transfer. • Negotiations on technology transfer and finance very difficult with developed countries trying to avoid implementation commitment. • E.g. Refuse Multilateral Technology Development Board.

Thus there is a large “development deficit” in terms of unfulfilled finance and technology obligations

ISSUES

2nd PERIOD COMMITMENT for Annex 1 :• By 2009, determine level of GHG emission reduction for post 2012 • Has been twisted as if it is “post Kyoto”, “kyoto has expired” etc. • Has been used to pressure “larger” developing countries to commit to emission reduction global 50% GHG reduction by 2050 Shared vision

• Reality: • industrialized countries today emit more

than 60% of the GHG.

• historic contribution since the beginning of industrial revolution > than two-third of total global emissions.

• 25 per cent of the global population residing in industrialized countries emits the bulk of GHG but also consumes the bulk of resources.

LONG-TERM COOPERATIVE ACTION:

Developed C: want to put new issues (competitiveness); commitment of developing countries; “revise the architecture of UNFCC & KP; global goal for emission cut

LONG-TERM COOPERATIVE ACTION:

Developing C: enhancement of implementation; fulfil commitments; no new obligations on developing countries

COP 13 in BALI decides:

1. Operationalisation of Adaptation Fund – World Bank as temporarty Trustee

2. Establish “strategic programme” for technology transfer under the GEF. Developed countries refused to establish any clear mechanism for TT.

COP 13 in BALI decides: 1. Continue negotiations on 2nd period of

commitment (AWG- KP)2. Establish AWG-LCA to discuss long-term

cooperative action under four bldg blocks: a. Mitigationb. Adaptationc. Technologyd. Finance

COP 13 in BALI decides:

1. AWG-LCA Will deliberate, under UNFCCC until 2009 Copenhagen

2. To put equal weight to mitigation and adaptation

3. A decision on Forest – REDD methodology for calculations etc.

POST- BALI :

1. AWG-LCA heavily loaded2. AWG-LCA may become the most powerful

body in the next 2 years

3. (e) Shared vision added on by developed Countries

COMMITMENTS

International Energy Agency (lEA) projections indicate that aggregate carbondioxide emissions of developed countries will continue to increase over the nextthree decades, despite their obligations under the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol.According to these projections, even in 2030 emissions from developed countrieswill constitute the larger part of global emissions. It is true that carbon dioxideemissions of developing countries will rise more rapidly than those of industrializedcountries, but this is imperative in order to meet the challenges of povertyeradication which developing countries face. It is also true that per capita emissionsfrom developing countries will remain far below the level of industrialized countrieseven thirty years from now. In view of this, it is industrialized countries, which needto undertake greater effort in meeting the international commitments made bythem.8. Energy is a critical input for development

COMMITMENTS

The non-binding nature of developing countries’ obligations and the recognition of their finance and technology needs are in recognition of their

negligible historical role in the build up of Greenhouse Gases in the atmosphere, their low development levels and their need for development.However there are now strong pressures by developed countries to have

the developing countries to increase the level and scope of their obligations. For example, the US has explained that a major reason for its non-membership of the Kyoto Protocol is that major developing countries

do not have to undertake the binding commitments. The US tried in Bali to remove the categorization of developed and developing countries in the

approach to mitigation actions (proposing instead other criteria), but did not succeed.

BILA

BERTINDAK

SEKARANG