Snapshot on the UNFCCC process Possible areas of focus for ITU Jose - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

www.i .itu.i u.int nt/climate Jose Maria Diaz Batanero jose.batanero@it u.i nt Corporate strategy division September 2011

Snapshot on the UNFCCC process

Possible areas of focus for ITU

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Climate Change is happening (and faster than initially thought)

 Climate science shows

an increase in the global average temperature of

• ur planet.

 The cause behind this

“global warming” is the emission on heat- trapping gases to the atmosphere (greenhouse gases – GHGs).

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The term “climate change” is applied to changes caused by anthropogenic processes

 Climate change was one of the environmental challenges

discussed at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Rio Earth Summit).

 The Summit linked together for the first time the “three pillars” of

sustainable development (social, economic and environmental), approving Agenda 21.

 The convention also opened for signature 3 UN conventions

(UNFCCC, UNCCD, CBD).

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The UNFCCC is the global mechanism that works toward tackling the causes and effects of CC

 Opened for signature in 1992. Entered into force on March 1994.  195 Parties (almost universal).  The goal of the Convention is to stabilize GHG concentrations

(at a level that will ensure livelihood).

 Establishes 2 tiers of “Common but differentiated

responsibilities”: Annex I and Annex II parties.

 Similar to most UN mechanism, the UNFCCC operates under the

principle of consensus.

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Through the UNFCCC parties have achieved a number of agreements to address climate change

Year COP Venue Outcome(s) 1995 COP-1 Berlin, Germany Berlin Mandate 1997 COP-3 Kyoto, Japan Kyoto Protocol 2001 COP-7 Marrakesh, Morocco Marrakesh Accords 2004 COP-10 Buenos Aires, Argentina Buenos Aires Programme of Work on Adaptation and Response Measures 2005 COP-11/CMP-1 Montreal, Canada Establishment of AWG-KP and Dialogue 2006 COP-12/CMP-2 Nairobi, Kenya Nairobi Work Programme on Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation 2007 COP-13/CMP-3 Bali, Indonesia Bali Road Map 2009 COP-15/CMP-5 Copenhagen, Denmark Copenhagen Accord 2010 COP-16/CMP-6 Cancún, Mexico Cancun Agreements

Milestones in the UNFCCC process COP-17, at Durban (South Africa, December 2011) will be the next milestone in the process

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Key Achievements of the Convention

 Dissemination of widespread information on climate

change;

 Establishing a public response to global climate change;  Changes in national policy framework;  Ratification of the Kyoto Protocol and establishment of

market based mechanisms to promote clean development.

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The Kyoto Protocol (KP)

 International agreement linked to the UNFCCC (only

parties to the Convention can ratify the KP).

 Adopted in 1997 at COP-3 in Kyoto, Japan.  Entered into force on 16 February 2005.  193 Parties.  Defines a commitment period of 5 years (2008-2012)

using 1990 as a base year.

 Establishes legally binding emissions targets for Annex I

parties.

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The KP introduces mechanisms to promote clean development

 Countries must meet their targets through national measures.  As additional means of meeting these targets, the KP introduces

three market-based flexible mechanisms:

 emissions trading (aka “the carbon market”);  clean development mechanism (CDM);  and joint implementation (JI).

 The key principle in these mechanisms is to prove

“additionality”.

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The need to define commitments after 2012

 Since 2005 parties have been aware of the need to define an

agreement on what to do after 2012 (expiration of KP).

 Two parallel tracks:

 2nd commitment period for KP after 2012;

(AWG-KP, established in 2005)

 Discussion of a new treaty (with a longer term commitment and

that defines targets for all countries). (AWG-LCA, established in 2007 – Bali Action Plan).

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The Bali Action Plan defined a new framework to address climate change

Shared vision Mitigation

• f climate

change Adaptation Technology development and transfer Science and data monitoring

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Although both tracks were supposed to be completed in 2009 (COP-15, Copenhagen), negotiations are still undergoing

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Copenhagen (COP-15) symbolizes the difficulty of reaching an agreement through consensus

 Parties produced a preliminary but non-binding agreement

(Copenhagen Accord) on:

 a certain targets of GHG emissions  aim for keeping global temperature rise below 2°C

 The Copenhagen Accord was never formally adopted, but ‘taken

note of’.

 As a consequence the work of the AWG is considered

“incomplete” and still continues.

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 Today, new studies have proved

that with the commitments reflected in the Copenhagen Accord the rise in temperature will be over 4°C (the emission gap).

 This scenario implies sea level

rise of over 6m by 2100.

 To achieve the goal of 2°C,

parties have to commit to 5 Gt of additional reductions.

The Copenhagen Accord was political (i.e. not based on scientific evidence)

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During the 2010 conference (COP-16) a certain progress was achieved over a number of issues

 COP-16 resulted in the Cancun Agreements

 Green Climate Fund;  Technology Mechanism (consisting of TEC and CTCN);  Cancun Adaptation Framework;  Fast-start finance.

 The Cancun Agreements reestablished trust in the process and

included a comprehensive package to help countries to adapt to climate change.

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What will the next 9 months hold?

 COP-17 Durban (December 2011)

 Key issues still under negotiation:

 Global temperature goal (and base year)  Commitments on GHG targets  Financing  …

 Rio+20 (June 2012) faces the challenge of dealing with

past issues that have yet to be addressed

 Green economy in the context of poverty eradication  Implementation of past (good) agreements

(Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development)

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Possible areas of focus for ITU

 Promote the use of ICTs to address the challenges of climate

change

 Monitoring: How to improve the collection and sharing of

climate data through ICTs?

 Mitigation: How ICTs can contribute to reduce the emission

gap?

 Adaptation: How can ICTs strengthen and support national

adaptation strategies?

 Capacity Building and technology transfer. How can ICTs

support the transfer of green technologies?

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Further information

 ITU and climate change: www.itu.int/climate  UNFCCC: http://unfccc.int/  The Kyoto Protocol:

http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php

 Rio+20: http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/

www.i .itu.i u.int nt/climate Jose Maria Diaz Batanero jose.batanero@it u.i nt Corporate strategy division September 2011

Snapshot on the UNFCCC process

Possible areas of focus for ITU