Copenhagen Cancun Durban What happens at the UN Climate Negotiations?

Kjell Khne 28.8.2011

UN Climate Negotiations - History I

1990: First IPCC Report Summarizing climate science 1992: UN "Earth Summit" in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Outcomes: Agenda 21, Convention on Biological Diversity, UNCCD, & UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Objective: avoid dangerous interference with the climate system Principle: common but differentiated responsibilities Annex I / Non-Annex-I 1997: Kyoto Protocol Later USA dropped out

UN Climate Negotiations - History II

2007 COP13 Bali, Indonesia Bali Roadmap - 2 tracks Kyoto Protocol & Long-term Cooperative Action AWG-KP & AWG-LCA include USA & non-Annex-I deadline Copenhagen 2009 COP15, Copenhagen, Denmark Copenhagen Accord: offer whatever you like Results: 2020 targets COP16 Cancun, Mexico: "Institutionalize Copenhagen Accord" COP17 Durban, South Africa: Green Climate Fund?

UN Climate Negotiations - How it works I

Written Text Counts 193 governments, one text Consensus needed (but Cancun Agreement, although Bolivia did not agree) Text is written in small informal groups Negotiators have to be creative - texts get very complicated (impossible to understand for outsiders) Negotiator is NOT decision-maker, gets instructions from superior (minister, president)

UN Climate Negotiations - How it works II

Talking & Media Statements in plenary often known positions, procedure questions Stakeholders (NGOs, Youth, Business,...) only observe, sometimes allowed to make a 1-minute-statement, no important role (only direct lobbying, watchdog of own government) Side Events, visited by negotiators, media and observers for introducing new topics Media are often bored Youth Actions! common

UN Climate Negotiations - Results

Kyoto Protocol (1997) 2008-2012 -5% (Annex I) Copenhagen Accord (2009) Meager pledges Some money (100bn USD/year in 2020) Dirty industries/countries pushing for: CDM, CCS, REDD+ Clean Development Mechanism (offsets) Carbon Capture and Storage (dreaming) Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (+ A, B, C) - in developing countries (offsets)

UN Climate Negotiations - Challenges

Roadblock:

USA (highest per capita emissions + historical responsibility) vs. China 1.5C/350ppm is the goal!

Emergency Pathway vs. Climate Action Tracker Stop short of tipping points (but where are they?) End the fossil age transformation not reduction

(mis)perception: mitigation=economic loss, limit on development Fossil fuels still lifeblood of the economy - transformation to a climate friendly (=zero emissions, 100% renewable) economy not yet underway Leave it (almost all) in the ground not on the agenda

UN Climate Negotiations - Plant-for-the-Planet

3-Point-Plan to Save Our Future Stop talking photos Trees for climate justice with COP16 delegates in Cancun Side event in Bonn COP17 Campaign