Strøtanker om bæredygtighed

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I videoen herover¹ taler Ed King fra RTCC (Responding To Climate Change) med lederen af FNs klimaforhandlinger Christiana Figueres om udfordringerne og perspektiverne for de forestående to ugers forhandlinger ved COP18 i Doha.

Hun lægger ud med, at klimaudfordringen i de amerikanske valgs slutfase, hvor alle medier var rettet mod USA, med Sandy blev tydeliggjort. Men at det ikke med et slag ændrer alt. Siden COP 17 i Durban er der fortsat blevet arbejdet på, at COP18 kan levere resultater. Først og fremmest skal Kyoto-aftalens anden fase fastlægges endeligt, da den nuværende fase udløber med udangen af 2012. Dernæst er der en stor gruppe af aftaler (The Bali Action Plan), som har været længe under vejs, som skal endeligt stadfæstes. Og for det tredje, er der det nye “barn” fra Durban – en stor global aftale, som skal være i gang fra 2020 og være færdigforhandlet senest i 2015. Det er denne samlede pakke, som der har været arbejdet på siden COP17 i Durban, og Figueres er, som hun siger det  i videoen (2:45 ff.) “cautiously but certainly optimistic that they will take that package forward in Doha.”

Figueres giver under vejs et godt overblik over, hvor mange faktorer, som skal spille sammen, for at nærme sig en global klimaaftale.

Onsdag udsendte UNFCCC og Figueres et sidste briefing document, som opregner de vigtigste punkter for forhandlingerne² – jeg har kopieret hovedpunkterne ind nedenfor.

I forbindelse hermed understregede Figueres nødvendigheden af, at verdens lande styrkede deres indsats, hvis det – som verdens ledere vedtog ved COP15 i København – skal lykkes at holde den samlede globale opvarmning under 2ºC.

Blogindlægget Klimaforhandlinger i Bonn har links omkring det mellemliggende klimamøde i Bonn i juni, mens Optakt til COP18 har links om de mange positioner og bevægelser fra klimamødet i Bangkok i september op til COP18, som starter 26. november.

Se indlæg tagged COP18 video, COP18 noter, COP18 links, COP18, COP17, COP16, COP15.

UN climate chief Christiana Figueres, (Ed King video-interview) Vimeo 14.11.2012.¹

Climate action must be accelerated at Doha talks, warns UN climate chief, RTCC 21.11.2012.

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The key objectives that governments have set themselves for COP 18 in Doha

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1) To ensure the seamless continuation of the Kyoto Protocol as of 1 January 2013.

The Kyoto Protocol is the only existing and binding agreement under which developed countries commit to cutting greenhouse gases. The treaty underwrites international political trust that developed nations remain responsible to lead emission cuts, and it preserves the important accounting and legal systems inside the Protocol as working models which may inform future agreements.

Key issues under the Protocol that need to be decided in Doha include:

(a) the length of the second commitment period and how to convert targets into so-called “quantified emission limitation and reduction objectives” (QELROs), the unit of binding reduction commitments.

(b) the legal formulation of the amendment to the Protocol, including how to carry over unused emission credits of economies in transition into the second phase of the Protocol.

2) To plan the work under the Durban Platform

Given that much more effort will be needed to cut emissions than is captured under the many existing national pledges to cut and limit emissions, governments decided last year in Durban to reach a universal climate change agreement covering all countries from 2020, to be adopted by 2015, and to find concrete ways before 2020 to increase efforts beyond the existing pledges. In Doha, their objective is to plan the work so that:

a) this task is delivered and the timetable is met.

b) different national circumstances are addressed in an effective, fair, ambitious agreement.

3) To complete the Bali Action Plan

Governments decided in Durban at the end of last year to complete the 2007 Bali Action Plan, covering the areas of mitigation (curbing greenhouse gas emissions), adaptation to climate change, and the finance, technology and capacity-building which developing countries require to build their low emission, climate-resilient futures.

In Doha, governments need to decide which elements of the Bali Action Plan have been achieved and/or implemented, what additional decisions can be taken in Doha and which elements may need to continue to be further addressed.

4) To complete new infrastructure and chart the way forward on long-term climate finance

Governments are presently completing the new infrastructure to channel technology and finance to developing nations and have agreed to move toward the full implementation of this infrastructure and support in Doha. This includes:

a) endorsing the decision on the location of the Green Climate Fund and the work plan of the newly established Standing Committee on Finance.

b) formally deciding on the location and mode of operation of the Technology Mechanism’s Climate Technology Centre and Network.

Other key issues and expected results at Doha:

Adaptation

– Governments will look at ways to further strengthen the adaptive capacities of the most vulnerable, also through better planning. A particular focus will be on better protection against loss and damage caused by slow onset events such as rising sea levels.

– The Adaptation Committee, composed of 16 members, will report to the COP on its efforts to improve the coordination of adaptation actions at a global scale.

Support of developing country action

– Governments are to complete a registry to record developing country mitigation actions that seek recognition or financial support. The registry will be a flexible, dynamic, web-based platform.

Actions on forests

In Doha, governments will take work forward to measure deforestation, and to ensure that efforts to fight deforestation are supported.

Carbon Capture and Storage

– Ways to ensure the effectiveness and environmental integrity of projects under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism that capture and store carbon emissions will be considered in Doha.

Agriculture

– Governments will further consider the crucial role of agriculture in the global effort to adapt to climate change and curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Development and transfer of technology

– Countries meeting in Doha are to take forward work on enabling the development and transfer of technologies that can help developing countries adapt and curb their emissions.

Avoiding negative consequences of climate action

– In some cases, the implementation of actions that reduce emissions could result in negative economic or social consequences for other countries. In Doha, governments will discuss measures to address such consequences in a special forum.
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Fra: UNFCCC Executive Secretary: Doha’s COP18/CMP8 climate change conference must deliver objectives to speed up inadequate climate action, Press Release 21.11.2012 (pdf).²