Who supports the carbon neutrality/net zero long term goal?

8 February 2015

What is the long term goal (LTG)?

• Article 2 of the UNFCCC requires all Parties to avoid dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system

• All UNFCCC parties have committed to a long term goal to limit global warming to less than 20 C above pre-industrial levels and to consider strengthening this goal to 1.50 C

• Many Parties now want to translate the agreed 20C temperature goal into a more practical emissions-based phase out goal in line with the latest science

• A range of proposals have been put forward for inclusion in the text of the new agreement being negotiated for adoption in Paris in December 2015.

• These include formulations such as: carbon neutrality, net zero emissions or full decarbonisation by 2050, mid-century or well before 2100.

• Future ADP negotiations will consider precise language, placement, timeframe and how to recognize countries’ differing national circumstances in the context of the LTG

Who supports including the LTG in the 2015 Paris agreement?

• Support is widespread with proponents coming from every major regional negotiating group and cutting across developed/developing country lines

• Many other countries & groups have 2050 domestic goals/targets (e.g. USA and EU) and are open to considering a LTG in the Paris agreement

• Only Saudi Arabia has opposed the idea of translating the LTG into an element for Paris

What is the total number of countries supporting the LTG?

Representatives of nearly 120 countries have expressed support for inclusion of the LTG in the Paris agreement including:

• Nauru, on behalf of 44 members of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) at ADP meetings in Lima, COP 20

• Nepal, on behalf of 48 Least Developed Countries at COP 20, Lima

• The EU on behalf of 27 countries at the UNFCCC ADP in Geneva

• Norway, Switzerland, Mexico, South Africa, Chile, Costa Rica and Colombia have expressed support for LTG in the ADP and/or through their Heads of States at UN Secretary General’s Climate Summit, Sept 2014

“Today we have an obligation to succeed. The 2015 Paris conference must enable us to achieve a global agreement, an ambitious agreement that can ensure we reach what’s called carbon neutrality – that is, greenhouse gas emissions compatible with the planet’s absorption capabilities.”

President Hollande addressing the UN Climate Summit,

September 2015

Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group

“Mr. President…. the LDCs are still optimistic on achieving a climate neutral future before the end of the Century. Our Group understands that, in our journey of combating the climate crisis and reaching a climate neutral world, we must make the right choices here in Lima and next year in Paris. We have a historical opportunity to make things right through the new Paris Protocol.”

Statement delivered by Dr. Govinder Raj Pokhrel, Vice Chair, National Planning Commission, Nepal on behalf of 48 countries of LDC Group Opening of the High Level Segment COP-20/CMP-10Lima, Peru, 9 December 2014

“Total emissions need to reach zero between 2060 and 2080. This means we need urgent actions by all countries to reduce emissions.”

Statement made by Uganda on behalf of LDCs, ADP Ministerial, June 2014

Alliance Of Small Island States (AOSIS)

“We find it very important and worthwhile that paragraph 13 (a) refers to the need for long-term decarbonisation pathways. These are critical for getting on track towards our agreed long term goal. More specifically…We are very keen and happy to see the reference to net zero emissions and/or full decarbonisation by 2050, which the latest science is telling us is necessary to achieve our long-term goal.”

Statement delivered by Nauru, on behalf of the 44 members of the Alliance of Small Island States, Lima ADP negotiations, 3 November 2014

Individual countries who have supported inclusion of the LTG in the Paris 2015 Treaty

Country Group

1 Barbados AOSIS

2. Belgium EU

3. Bhutan LDCs

4. Chile AILAC

5. Colombia AILAC

6. Costa Rica AILAC

7. Denmark EU

8. Ethiopia LDCs/Africa

9 Finland EU

10. France EU

11. Gambia LDC/Africa

12. Georgia CACAM

13. Germany EU

14. Grenada AOSIS

15. Iceland Umbrella

16. Ireland EU

Country Group

17 Malawi LDCs/Africa

19. Marshall Islands AOSIS

20 Mexico Environmental Integrity Group

21. Monaco Environmental Integrity Group

22. Nauru AOSIS

23. Nepal LDC/Africa

24. Netherlands EU

25. New Zealand Umbrella

26. Norway Umbrella

27. Samoa AOSIS

28. South Africa Africa

29. Sweden EU

30. Switzerland Environmental Integrity Group

31. Trinidad & Tobago

AOSIS

32. Uganda LDCs/Africa

33. United Kingdom EU

Widespread Support From Negotiating Groups

AOSIS (44)AFRICAN GROUP (52)

Cook IslandsNauru *NiuePalauFijiGuyanaPapua New Guinea *SurinameBahamasBarbados *Grenada *JamaicaMarshall Islands *SingaporeSaint KitsSaint LuciaTongaBelizeDominicaMaldives (Chair)Cuba

EgyptMoroccoNamibiaSouth Africa *SwazilandTunisiaZimbabweCameroonCongoGhanaKenyaNigeriaAlgeriaLibyaCote d’Ivoire

BangladeshAfghanistanBhutan *CambodiaLao P.D.R.MyanmarNepal *Yemen

KiribatiTuvaluSolomon IslandsHaitiTimor-LesteVanuatu

Guinea-BissauComorosSao Tome & Principe

Cape VerdeMauritiusSeychelles

TogoBurkina FasoMauritaniaMozambiqueEquatorial GuineaRwandaSenegalSomaliaSudanSouth SudanTanzaniaMalawi *Zambia

LiberiaLesothoUganda *Angola (Chair)

BeninMaliBurundiChadDjiboutiEritreaEthiopia*GambiaGuineaCentral African RepublicD.R. CongoNigerSierra LeoneMadagascar

Trinidad and Tobago *Antigua and BarbudaSaint Vincent & the GrenadinesFederated States of MicronesiaSamoa *

ObserversU.S. Virgin IslandsNetherlands AntillesAmerican SamoaGuamPuerto Rico

LDCs (48)

Dominican Republic ✚

Colombia *Costa Rica *Chile *PeruGuatemalaPanama

AILAC (6)

* Countries who have supported inclusion of a long term goal•AOSIS + LDCs = 83 countries, are both + Not a full member of AILAC, associates with positions

Widespread Support From Negotiating Groups

Umbrella (9)

AustraliaCanadaIceland *JapanNew Zealand *

Norway *RussiaUkraineUnited States

EU (27)*Supports LTG/net zero goal as a whole

Austria Belgium *BulgariaCzech RepublicCyprus Denmark *EstoniaPoland

France *Germany *GreeceHungaryIreland *Italy Latvia

Netherlands *PortugalRomaniaSlovakiaSloveniaSpainSweden *United Kingdom *

Environmental Integrity Group (5)

Mexico *Switzerland *LichtensteinSouth KoreaMonaco *

CACAM (7)

AlbaniaArmeniaGeorgia *KazakhstanRepublic of MoldovaTurkmenistanUzbekistan

*Countries supportive of inclusion of a long term goal in the Paris agreement

Finland *LithuaniaLuxemburgMaltaEstonia

For resources and links relating to the long term goal (net zero): http://track0.org

@ontrack0

@farhanaclimate