Copenhagen Conference Roundup
The 15th UN Climate Conference concluded late last month with the ambiguous adoption, or ‘noting’, of a ‘Copenhagen Accord’. This political document was delivered at the end of two weeks of tense and often confusing negotiations. Its exact legal status – and hence its implications – remain the subject of debate and it leaves unanswered many of the difficult questions that have bedeviled climate negotiations for much of the past two years. Download full report now.
Despite this, the Copenhagen Accord represents an important milestone in international efforts to address climate change. For the first time, the US, China and all other major economies have committed to take concrete and verifiable action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; new money has been put on the table; and a long-term objective – keeping the average global temperature increase to below 2° above pre-industrial levels – has been adopted.
While many details are still to be determined, the Accord contains the seeds for a new, country-driven, ‘bottom-up’ approach to tackling climate change that could potentially offer an effective route to accelerated global emission reductions. The risks, however, are considerable. In the absence of any internationally agreed medium- and long-term emission targets, backed by a legally-binding agreement, much will depend on whether governments embrace a ‘race to the top’ mentality or succumb to lowest common denominator climate policies. The next 12-24 months will be critical in determining which path countries choose.
The key points of the Accord are as follows:
- On the politics: acknowledgment of the seriousness of the problem and need for urgent, collective action in line with existing principles (e.g. CBDR1)
- On the science: endorsement of the IPCC’s recommendation that global temperature increase be kept below 2oC.
- On adaptation: agreement that developed countries will provide adequate and predictable financial, technical and capacity-building support to developing countries.
- On developed country mitigation: agreement that Annex I parties will commit to quantified economy-wide emission reductions by 2020 (although with no individual or aggregate targets given), with targets submitted to the UNFCCC by 31 January 2010. These targets, as well as financing to support developing country climate action, are to be monitored, reported and verified.
- On developing country mitigation: agreement that non-Annex I parties will implement mitigation actions that are monitored, reported and verified. These actions are to be submitted to the UNFCCC by 31 January 2010. Action by the poorest and most vulnerable countries is voluntary.
- On Monitoring, Reporting, Verification (MRV): agreement that unilateral developing country mitigation action will be subject to domestic MRV’ing with “international consultation and analysis” that respects “national sovereignty”; agreement that mitigation action supported by developed countries will be subject to international MRV’ing. Both developed and developing country MRV’ing will be subject to existing and to-be-agreed UNFCCC guidelines.
- On finance levels: commitment by developed countries to provide US$30 billion in short-term financing between 2010 and 2012 and to mobilize US$100 billion per annum by 2020. This will be from public, private, multilateral and alternative sources. Funding will be used for mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer and capacity-building in developing countries.
- On financial architecture: agreement to establish a ‘Copenhagen Green Climate Fund’ which will receive a significant proportion of the above finance flows. Also the establishment of a ‘High Level Panel’ to study the contribution of potential sources of revenue.
- On ‘REDD plus’: agreement that a mechanism to mobilize funds to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) and support conservation is needed.
- On technology: agreement to establish a ‘technology mechanism’ to accelerate the transfer and development of mitigation and adaptation technologies.
