COP 21 the role and expectations of civil society Lutz Ribbe - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

COP 21 – the role and expectations of civil society

Brussels, Nov 19, 2015 EESC/ CoR – Conference on COP 21

Lutz Ribbe EESC Sustainable Development Observatory sdobservatory@eesc.europa.eu

COP 21 in Paris – opinion of the EESC

• Comments on COM (2015) 81 final: “The Paris Protocol – A

blueprint for tackling global climate change beyond 2020”

• Adopted in the plenary session on July 2nd

EESC opinion, adopted on July 2nd

• 1. expectations ...
• 2. role ....

... of civil society

COP 21 in Paris – situation

• In 1992, 23 (!) years ago – at the “Rio conference” – the

“United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)” was set up

• Article 2: objective is to stabilise "greenhouse gas

concentrations ... at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system" ...

COP 21 in Paris – situation

• 21 (!) years of negotiation with extreme little result ...
• ... but increasing GHG emission:

from 30,8 Mrd t (1992) 43,4 Mrd t (2011): ca. 50%

• climate change is visible today (!), effects human being, the

environment and our economy

COP 21 in Paris – opinion of the EESC

The EESC agrees with the EU ...

• legal binding agreement which is both fair and ambitious
• the principle of common but differentiated responsibility,

INDC`s are crucial (what about the EU-28?)

− Most countries have to reduce their GHG emissions, − Some have to go straight towards a low carbon economy

• financial arrangements (100 billion $/ a)
• issues surrounding technology transfer
• rules on monitoring the agreement

EESC thoughts on ... “ambitious”

• UNFCCC does not spell out exactly what "dangerous

anthropogenic interference with the climate system" means.

• COP 16(in 2010): political agreement to limit the global

temperature increase to less than 2 degrees Celsius

• Any scientific basis to show that the objective will be

achieved?

EESC thoughts on ... “ambitious”

• Serious consequences already today; much below

“2 degrees”

• EESC: “The 2oC limit therefore cannot be seen as a target to

be reached, but rather as a ceiling to be undercut as much as possible”

• ^^

EESC thoughts on ... “INDC`s”

• Agreement in Lima to present them by end of march
• Mid of July: just 46 parties, incl. EU
• EU: not 28 INDC`s, but just one
• ... who will be responsible in the EU???

EESC thoughts on ... “climate fund”

• 100 bill $ for the “climate fund” is seen as “essential”
• IMF working paper on energy subsidies

5 300 000 000 000 $/ year 14 500 000 000 $/ day 604 000 000 $/ hour Any negotiation at the COP 21 on that?

EESC thoughts on ... “climate fund”

• 100 bill $ to compete with 5,3 trillion $?!?!
• IMF: stop these “perverse” subsidies

57% reduction of fossil-fuel-related deaths 24% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions

EESC thoughts on ... “Paris/ COP” in general

• Negotiation not just because of climate problems ...
• ... pave the road to the low carbon economy
• EU: still frontrunner? (discussion on carbon leakage, jobs losses)
• EESC: “... risk that Europe could lose its past technological,

and thus economic, lead in renewable energy and green technology” (low carbon leakage)

Failure or partial failure of COP??

“... in reality, the battle for future markets in green technologies started a long time ago, and it is a battle that Europe needs to fight, whether or not COP 21 produces results.”

EESC opionion, adopted on July 2nd

• 1. expectations ...
• 2. role ....

... of civil society

COP 21 in Paris – opinion of the EESC

Role of civil society:

• 1. exert public pressure on the negotiator:

all major changes are “bottom-up”/ driven by civil society

(see: fall of iron curtain in Europe, energy transition, organic farming ...)

• 2. disseminating good practices and knowledge of positive

developments

• 3. implementing climate protection decisions
• not a decision will save the climate, but the implementation

COP 21 in Paris – opinion of the EESC

• “The new climate policy cannot and must not be imposed

"from above", but needs to be based on broad support from all stakeholders and to be implemented "from below“”.

• No reference in the COM Document nor a intensive and

structured dialogue on the role of civil society/ cities ...

• ... and we miss a coherent EU policy

Juncker: Europe should become Nr 1 in RES in the world

But: how????

Changing the future of energy: civil society as a main player in renewable energy generation EESC Study

EESC Sustainable Development Observatory

sdobservatory@eesc.europa.eu rayka.hauser@eesc.europa.eu nuno.quental@eesc.europa.eu http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.sdo-observatory-red

Report publication: January 2015 FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Understanding:

• RES/ energy transition is much more than just a technical

question! It`s on the structure of the energy production, it`s on market and money

• we can combine energy production and regional

development!

• Need for EU, national and regional policies and strategies for

empowering local/ regional renewable energy generation

Ownership distribution of installed renewable electricity generation capacity in Germany (2012). Source: Blog "German Energy Transition"

An example: the German Energiewende:

In 2014:

• More than 30% of

electricity from renewable sources (3% in 1990).

• More than 1000 energy

cooperatives.

• More than 50 % of the

currently installed capacity (73 GW) are civic energy installations.

Summary

• It`s time for urgent action
• Civil society is “ahead” of the politicians …
• …. we may not allow them not to act!
• The EESC supports the EU COP 21 negotiation strategy
• There is no strategy for implementing the decisions …

Summary

• Civil society/ regions/ cites will have to play a crucial role
• … and interested and ready being a major driver of the

energy transition and climate protection…

• … contributing with human resources, funds and creativity;

Summary

• aware of the opportunities for local socio-economic

development offered by renewable energy; but also about the problems of the transition

• frustrations with bureaucratic hurdles, fears about current

policy reforms

• No consistently implemented, targeted policy support for

civic renewable energy at any level

• … we will not allow them to hinder us becoming active
• political willingness?

… COP 21 is just a starting point