Progress of the International Climate Negotiations

The Road to an International Climate Agreement

National government representatives from around the world are currently in the process of negotiating a new universal climate change agreement, which is set to be adopted in Paris in 2015 and enter into effect in 2020.

The Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) is the body that was mandated by the UN during the last international climate summit in Durban, South Africa (Dec 2011) to develop an international agreement on climate change. At the fifth part of the second session of this ADP, held on 4-15 June 2014 in Bonn (Germany), the negotiations led to several reflections, proposals and draft documents. Following submission from government representatives, the Co-Chairs of the ADP have now made key material available in advance of the next negotiating session from 20 to 25 October 2014 in Bonn.

A non-paper (available here) containing bullet points, describes Parties’ views, proposals and possible solutions. A summary of the findings are contained below:

Time Line for the Agreement

A draft legal text of the proposed international agreement on climate change should be drawn up over the next nine months.

Structure of the Agreement

On mitigation of greenhouse gases: It was agreed that the agreement would contain a common goal to contribute to emission reductions consistent with the agreed limit to global temperature rise. This would ensure a limit to global average temperature rise below 2/1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. The reduction should equal 50 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050.

On allocation finance to adaptation or mitigation measures to climate change: It was agreed that financing for adaptation and mitigation measures would be set out on a 50:50 basis (i.e. 50% would go to adaptation measures).

The importance of the CBDR Principle: The agreement will respect the principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (the UNFCCC). The UNFCCC is the international environmental treaty negotiated at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit) held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Although the treaty was not legally binding on other member states it provided a framework for negotiating specific international treaties (called «protocols») that could set binding limits on greenhouse gases.

The principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR) was an integral part of the UNFCCC. It recognises historical differences in the contributions of developed and developing States to global environmental problems.  Whether historical responsibilities or actual capabilities define Parties’ contributions in the new agreement (how to account for each country’s responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions), the CBDR principle remains crucial to the integrity and stability of the climate regime.

The translation of this principle into actual commitments by each Member State is certainly key to reach the level of ambition needed to address climate change.

Publicación del Informe Anual del 2013 del PNUMA

El Programa de Naciones Unidas para el Medio Ambiente (PNUMA) ha publicado su informe anual del 2013 (Informe del PNUMA), que se centra en los logros del PNUMA en áreas claves tales como el cambio climático; los desastres y conflictos; el manejo de los ecosistemas; el manejo medioambiental; las sustancias nocivas y desechos peligrosos; la eficiencia de los recursos; y el consumo y la producción sostenibles (CPS).

En el tema del cambio climático el informe del PNUMA destaca, entre otros, los siguientes puntos: los resultados de su ‘Informe Gap de Emisiones 2013’ y el ‘Informe Gap de Adaptación de África’, a saber:

–        El Informe Gap de Emisiones 2013 del PNUMA demostró que, aunque los países cumplan con sus compromisos climáticos actuales, es probable que las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero en el año 2020 sean del orden de 8 a 12 giga toneladas de CO₂, por encima del nivel que proporcionaría una oportunidad viable de permanecer en la ruta de menor costo para mantener al mundo por debajo del objetivo del aumento de 2° C de temperatura durante este siglo;

 –        El Informe Gap de Adaptación de África detalla la carga financiera correspondiente: los costos de la adaptación para África podrían alcanzar los $350 mil millones por año en el año 2070, si el objetivo de 2° C es excedido de manera significativa, mientras que el costo sería de $150 mil millones menos

Esfuerzos para hacerle frente al cambio climático:

«El informe anual del 2013 del PNUMA ha sido publicado, e indica que si todas las bombillas ineficientes en todo el mundo fuesen reemplazadas por dispositivos de bajo consumo, la demanda mundial de electricidad se reduciría en un 5% por ciento y las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero se reducirían, según las estimaciones, en 490 millones de toneladas de CO₂ al año, lo que equivale al cierre de 250 grandes centrales eléctricas alimentadas por carbón.»

Las evaluaciones mencionadas anteriormente pueden parecer rigurosas pero hay esperanza al final del túnel, siempre que logremos realizar una exitosa transición a una economía verde. El informe del PNUMA destaca las diversas opciones políticas desarrolladas por esa agencia para ayudar a apoyar esa transición. Como organización acreditada ante el PNUMA, GFDD está encantada de apoyar e informar sobre estas opciones, las cuales incluyen:

–        La reducción de contaminantes: la Coalición del Clima y Aire Limpio para Reducir los Contaminantes del Clima de Vida Corta (CCAC), organizada por el PNUMA, ofrece una oportunidad para obtener ganancias rápidas a través de la reducción de Contaminantes Climáticos de Corta Vida. La evidencia científica indica que las medidas para reducir estos contaminantes, en particular el metano y el carbón negro, podrían disminuir la velocidad del calentamiento que se espera hacia el año 2050 en hasta un 0.5° C y proporcionar beneficios conjuntos relacionados con la salud, así como con la seguridad alimentaria y energética;

–        La transición a las energías renovables: la promoción de la energía eficiente y renovable, y en particular su contribución a la Iniciativa de Energía Sostenible para Todos (SE4ALL), una iniciativa del Secretario General cuyo objetivo es proporcionar, hacia el año 2030, acceso universal a los servicios energéticos modernos, doblar la tasa global de mejoría de la eficiencia energética y doblar la energía renovable;

 –        Aumentar la capacidad de resistencia frente al cambio climático: el PNUMA está ayudando a 34 países en desarrollo para poner en marcha proyectos concretos de adaptación, y ha promovido el  establecimiento de opciones de adaptación basadas en los ecosistemas (AbE) para mejorar las transformaciones de resistencia de las comunidades frente al clima y las funciones de los ecosistemas. Por ejemplo, en Mozambique un proyecto apoyado por el PNUMA restauró manglares y e introdujo el cultivo de peces y cangrejos para aumentar la resistencia en el distrito de Xai-Xai, un área propensa a la erosión costera y a las inundaciones.

Las iniciativas destacadas aquí demuestran que la cooperación internacional puede ser ampliada, y es, en muchos sentidos, el comienzo de los esfuerzos acelerados para hacerle frente a un importante reto global que no puede ser ignorado.

Para leer más acerca de los demás logros del PNUMA por favor descargue el informe completo que se encuentra disponible aquí.

 

Lanzamiento del Programa de la Cumbre del Clima de la ONU

Cumbre del Clima, 23 de Septiembre de 2014

El 23 de septiembre de 2014, la ONU celebrará la Cumbre del Clima en la sede de la ONU en Nueva York. El evento ayudará a los Estados Miembros a prepararse para las negociaciones sobre el clima de la CMNUCC que tendrá lugar en París, en diciembre de 2015, en el que tratarán de llegar a un acuerdo internacional sobre el cambio climático.

 El Programa de la Cumbre del Clima

El Grupo Intergubernamental de Expertos sobre el Cambio Climático (IPCC) , el organismo internacional de oficio más alto en la determinación de la ciencia que se relaciona con el cambio climático y el calentamiento del planeta, llegó a la conclusión de que no hay duda de que el clima del planeta se está calentando . El IPCC afirma que los seres humanos son uno de los principales contribuyentes al cambio climático, y que tenemos que trabajar continuamente para reducir las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero y mantener esas reducciones con el fin de luchar contra el cambio climático. Para obtener más información sobre los últimos hallazgos del IPCC , por favor haga clic aquí .

Con base en estos hallazgos, la Cumbre del Clima de la ONU – puesto en marcha por el Secretario General de la ONU , Ban Ki- Moon- se dividirá en cuatro secciones para asegurar la eficacia de las deliberaciones de los Estados Miembros durante la Cumbre: El Pleno, las Plataformas de Acción , Sesiones Temáticas y una Plataforma de Interacción .

El Pleno

El Pleno permitirá que los jefes de Estado y representantes de gobierno hagan anuncios y puedan traer ideas progresivas a la mesa sobre el cambio climático a sus niveles nacionales, respectivamente.

Plataformas de Acción

Las Plataformas de Acción permitirá a los líderes de los sectores público privado y de organizaciones no gubernamentales a que proporcionen información sobre las medidas que están dispuestos a tomar y las acciones que deben ser tomadas por todos.

Sesiones Temáticas

Las sesiones temáticas permitirá la mezcla de políticas y prácticas de todo el mundo.

Plataforma de Interacción

La Plataforma de Interacción se está estableciendo para asegurarse de que las acciones sean realmente tomadas después de la Cumbre .

La ONU Destaca Nuevas Iniciativas

Aunque las Naciones Unidas seguirá poniendo de relieve la necesidad de soluciones empresariales y las iniciativas más grandes que están siendo utilizados en las ciudades , la ONU también estará buscando nuevas iniciativas que tienen un impacto aún mayor, como las nuevas reducciones de las emisiones de carbono y los créditos de carbono. Los esfuerzos deben hacerse a todos los niveles , ya que » abordar con eficacia el cambio climático requiere una acción de todos los niveles de la sociedad y de todos los sectores , con los esfuerzos que sean pequeños y grandes » , dijo Christina Figueres , la Secretaria Ejecutiva de la UNFCCC.

Preguntas al lector

1.  ¿Cómo podemos contribuir a la reducción de las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero de forma individual ?
2.  ¿Cree que la ONU está haciendo un buen trabajo en el trabajo sobre el Cambio Climático ?
3.  ¿Qué medidas implementaría usted para reducir nuestras emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero y ayudar a bajar las tasas de contaminación?

Release of UN Climate Summit Programme

Climate Summit
September 23, 2014

On September 23, 2014, the UN will hold the Climate Summit at the UN Headquarters in New York. The event will help Member States prepare for the UNFCCC climate negotiations due to take place in Paris in December 2015, where they will seek to reach an international agreement on climate change.

The Climate Summit Programme

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the highest officiating international body for determining science that relates to climate change and the warming of the planet, concluded that there is no doubt that the planet’s climate is warming. The IPCC stated that humans are one of the top contributors to climate change, and that we must continuously work to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and maintain those reductions in order to battle climate change. For more information on the IPCC’s latest finding please click here.

Based on these findings, the UN’s Climate Summit – called into place by the Secretary General of the UN, Ban Ki-Moon- will be divided into four sections to ensure the efficiency of deliberations of Member Nations during the Summit: The Plenary, Action Platforms, Thematic Sessions and an Outreach and Engagement Platform.

The Plenary

The Plenary will allow heads of state and government representatives to make announcements and bring progressive ideas to the table on climate change action at their domestic levels, respectively.

Action Platforms

The Action Platforms will allow leaders of the public, private, and NGO sectors to provide information on actions they are willing to take, and actions that should be taken by all.

Thematic Sessions

The Thematic Sessions will allow for the intermingling of policies and practices around the world.

Outreach and Engagement Platform

The Outreach and Engagement Platform is being established to make sure that actions are actually taken after the Summit.

UN Stresses New Initiatives

Although the UN will continue to highlight the need for entrepreneurial solutions and larger initiatives that are being used in cities , the UN will also be looking at new initiatives that have a even larger impact, such as new carbon emission reductions and carbon credits. Efforts need to be done at all levels since “effectively addressing climate change requires action from all levels of society and from every sector, with efforts that are both small and large”, said Christina Figueres, the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Questions to the Reader

1.  How can we all contribute to lowering greenhouse gas emissions individually?
2.  Do you think the UN is doing a good job at working on Climate Change?
3.  What measures would you implement to lower our greenhouse gas emissions and help lower pollution rates?

Emissions Trading: the focus of China’s bold climate policy agenda

For the past 7 years, recognizing its responsibility for contributing 20% of the world’s climate pollution, China has been actively been working to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Be it from the launch of its National Climate Change Strategy in 2007, to the announcement in its 12^th Five Year Plan in 2010 calling for the creation of 7 regional emissions trading schemes (ETS), China has kept its promises and is rapidly implementing this policy tool across the country.

Contrasting the scope of these trading schemes with the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), the cornerstone of the European Union’s key tool for reducing industrial GHG emissions cost-effectively, this blog provides an overview of the ETS as a policy tool and analyzes the differences between the Chinese schemes and their European counterpart.

What is climate change policy?

Climate change policy was first born at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992. The conference led to the establishment of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol.

The Kyoto Protocol considers 6 GHGs (Carbon dioxide (CO2); Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs); and Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)) and requires developed countries to commit to legally binding GHG emission reductions. For developed countries like the USA this has translated to a commitment to reduce these emissions by 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, for the EU this has meant a reduction commitment of 20% below 1990 levels by 2020.

The Kyoto Protocol does not compel developing countries to reduce their GHG emissions; this means China faces no legally binding obligation to reduce its emissions on an international level. That being said, China has confirmed its intention to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 40 to 45 percent below 2005 levels by 2020. This is where emissions trading,  as a policy tool, comes in to help the country address its ambitious target.

What is an emissions trading scheme?

Emissions trading is a market-based approach to controlling pollution. By creating tradable pollution permits, these markets attempt to add the profit motive as an incentive for good performance by polluting industries. Unlike traditional environmental regulation, the system is not solely based on the threat of penalties.

China’s regional Emission Trading Schemes form part of a market mechanism to achieve the country’s GHG emission control goal until 2020 with relevant low cost.

For more information about Emissions Trading please view this informational video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReOj12UAus4.

How the EU ETS and the Chinese ETS schemes work

Having been launched in 2005, the EU ETS predates the Chinese ETS schemes and covers over 10,000 polluting entities in 30 Member States.

Given this difference in size and coverage, we have felt it preferable to include below an analysis of these similarities and differences, as extracted from a recent report by Environomist.

Some similarities and differences between the schemes :

–           On the share of GHG emissions between countries/regions: The EU ETS has an advanced economy, which consumes large amounts of energy and therefore causes high GHG emissions: emissions from German, France, Britain, Italy, and Spain account for +50% of the total emissions of Europe. Compared to vastly differentiated emission reduction targets among member states in the EU ETS (i.e. Germany 21%, UK 12%) all the emission reduction targets of China’s ETS pilots fall into a band of 15% to 19.5%;

–          On the types of gases covered: The EU ETS monitors emissions of six types of GHGs, but handles all transactions in a unit of tons of CO2 equivalence. In all the domestic pilots except Shenzhen, only CO2 emissions are monitored, checked and dealt with at this stage;

–          On regulation: Environmental regulations in Europe are more stringent and reduce the tendency of industries moving to other countries due to high environmental compliance costs. In China energy-intensive enterprises may move to other provinces and cities to avoid the pressure from compliance costs, but this situation will be alleviated in 2015 with the inception of a nation-wide ETS;

–          On penalties: Both the EU ETS and the seven domestic ETS pilots all use penalty fines as the primary measure to enforce compliance. The EU ETS will fine 100 euro per unit ($138.69)when exceeding allowances. The China ETS penalties vary depending on the region. Here are some examples:

• Shanghai regulates different penalty measures according to different violations, for example, for not carrying out the report duty or for providing fake files, concealing important information or rejecting verification, the fine will be set from 10,000 CNY  ($1629) to 30,000 CNY ($4886);
• Hubei province will also fine at three times of that year’s average carbon allowance market price if an enterprise does not surrender enough allowances.

Conclusion: a national Emissions Trading Scheme?

In his first government work report delivered as Premier to the National People’s Congress last Wednesday, Mr Li referred to the record levels of air pollution that China has recently experienced. Pointing to the smog that has been affecting large parts of China, the Premier stated that “environmental pollution has become a major problem [for China], which is nature’s red-light warning against the model of inefficient and blind development”.

The issue of air pollution, which we previously reported on in a DREFF blog dated March 6, 2014 has been affecting the capital city of Beijing on both an economic and public health level. As The Climate Group report points out in a report on carbon pricing, the government has so far responded to this issue by introducing a new carbon tax of 5 to 10 yuan (80 cents to US$1.61) per ton, that would most likely not be incompatible with existing carbon markets. The efficiency of this new tool therefore remains to be seen.

In terms of the regional emissions trading scheme set out in the Environomist report, we know they form part of a larger national plan to lead the country towards a national carbon market in 2015. However, as indicated in The Climate Group report, each of the seven pilot regions were initially selected to reflect different levels of economic development, allowing the government to observe how carbon pricing would affect different parts of the country.

Even the EU ETS, which is often considered as a role model for emerging cap-and-trade systems in other regions, was initially beset with issues of price volatility and fraud. It is obvious that as a rapidly developing country China, needs to account for its share of the world’s GHG emissions. However, is a national ETS the most effective way forward? Only time will tell…

Questions for the reader:

–          Do you have an ETS in your country?
–          If so, what polluting industries are included? Have you noticed any changes in those industries?
–          If not, would you like to have one? What industries would you want to see included?