Transcript The UNFCCC Process - Climate Action Network Australia
The UNFCCC Process
Trish Harrup, Greenpeace
The Convention
• UN Framework Convention on Climate Change • Signed by Heads of State at Rio Earth Summit 1992 • 192 Nations have ratified the Convention • Including USA
Objective of the Convention
• Article 2: Ultimate objective: to achieve the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would
prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference
with the climate system
Principles of the Convention
• Article 3:
common but differentiated responsibilities
and respective capabilities…developed country Parties should take the lead in combating climate change and the adverse effects thereof
UNFCCC Structure
• Conference of the Parties (COP) – establishes yearly meetings to review progress and make further decisions • UNFCCC Secretariat • Two Subsidiary Bodies • SBSTA Scientific and Technical Advice – focus on setting policy • SBI Implementation –how to implement
Commitments of the Convention
• Developed countries to return their emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000
Kyoto Protocol
• Adopted in 1997 • Industrialized countries committed to reduce their combined emissions
by at least 5%
compared to 1990 levels by the period 2008-2012 • Legally binding
Negotiating Groups
• European Union (EU) – 27 countries, Sweden currently holds the Presidency • G77 plus China - >130 developing countries, includes sub groupings – AOSIS – OPEC – LDCs – AU
Negotiating Groups continued
• Umbrella group – Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Ukraine, Iceland • Environmental Integrity Group – Switzerland, Mexico, South Korea
Plenary Contact groups Closed contact group Statements from Parties Agree agenda Allocate time Most negotiating Friends of the chair Take disputes into a small group if negotiating stalls Closed contact group Contact Group New text Media / Public record Lead negotiators NGO observers No media NGO observers No NGOs Only “pink” badge Negotiators with disputes Open to NGOs Plenary Once agreed or to force dispute onto public record All
Bali Action Plan
• Agreed a two year work plan to get to outcome at COP 15 • Established two processes – AWGKP – future commitments for Annex 1 – AWGLCA – long term vision, developing countries
2009
• AWG LCA • Draft negotiating text released in May • By the end of Bonn II in June • 200 pages • 2,500 brackets
2009
• AWG KP • Still no negotiating text • Chairs text
Meeting schedule
• Bangkok – 28 September to 9 October • Barcelona – 2 to 6 November • Copenhagen COP – 7 to18 December • COPbis
Other international Fora
• MEF – Major Economies Forum – little progress, no A1 target • G8 – limit temperature rise to no more than 2 degrees C and cut 80% by 2050 • G20 – Climate finance • UN Summit on CC – Heads of State