International policy frameworks and architectures on climate change Katharine Vincent

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International policy frameworks and architectures
on climate changeKatharine Vincent
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Background to an agreement on climate change

• In the late 1980s scientists brought climate
  change to attention of policy-makers in US
• WMO and UNEP established the Intergovernmental
  Panel on Climate Change in 1988
• Publication of the first assessment report led
  the UNGA to consider a framework convention
  (UNFCCC)

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UNFCCC

• Signed in 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit by
  practically every state (including the US)
• Commits countries to working together to address
  the issue of climate change BUT it has no binding
  targets or obligations they come in the form of
  protocols to the framework convention

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Kyoto Protocol

• Signed at Kyoto, Japan in 1997
• Commits developed countries to reduce their
  greenhouse gas emissions by 8-12 on 1990 levels
  by 2008-2012
• There are no commitments to reduce greenhouse gas
  emissions for developing countries (note this is
  why the US does not support Kyoto)

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Kyoto Protocol 2

• To enter into force, the protocol had to be
  ratified by a certain number of countries making
  up a certain of the 1990 greenhouse gas
  emissions
• The US is the biggest emitter and withdrew in
  2001 so it was thought the Protocol would never
  come into force

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How does the Kyoto Protocol work?

• To help countries meet their targets there are
  several flexible mechanisms within the Kyoto
  protocol
• joint implementation (where developed countries
  can fund projects in transition countries to
  improve energy efficiency etc, and have the
  carbon reductions offset against their targets)
• clean development mechanism (essentially the same
  thing but in developing countries)
• emissions trading (carbon trading), e.g. EU ETS

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The negotiation of the Kyoto Protocol

• Took 5 years after signing the UNFCCC for the
  first Protocol to be negotiated
• Took 8 years after signing the first Protocol for
  it to be ratified and come into force
• Primarily nation states, but several groupings
  (EU, G77, OPEC, the Umbrella Group)
• Negotiations take place at annual Conferences of
  the Parties (meetings of signatories to the
  UNFCCC) and now also Members of the Parties to
  the Kyoto Protocol

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COP/MOP history

• COP-1 (1995) Berlin, Germany
• COP-2 (1996) Geneva, Switzerland
• COP-3 (1997) Kyoto, Japan
• COP-4 (1998) Buenos Aires, Argentina
• COP-5 (1999) Bonn, Germany
• COP-6 (2000) The Hague, Netherlands
• COP-6.5 (2001) Bonn, Germany
• COP-7 (2001) Marrakech, Morocco
• COP-8 (2002) New Delhi, India
• COP-9 (2003) Milan, Italy
• COP-10 (2004) Buenos Aires, Argentina
• COP-11/MOP-1 (2005) Montreal, Canada
• COP-12/MOP-2 (2006) Nairobi, Kenya
• COP-13/MOP-3 (2007) Bali, Indonesia

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Who attends the COP/MOP?

• National government delegations who work in their
  own interests and that of any coalitions to which
  they belong (DEAT leads the South African
  delegation)
• NGOs and interest groups (CAN as an epistemic
  community)
• Business (can form an effective obstacle)

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What is negotiated at the COP/MOP?

• The rules of operation of the law, e.g.
• compliance and penalties for non-compliance
• technology transfer
• carbon sinks
• financial support for adaptation
• Often polarised into developed country/mitigation
  issues and developing country/adaptation issues

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Beyond the COP/MOP?

• International Secretariat of the UNFCCC is
  situated in Bonn, Germany
• Responsible for assisting with reporting
  requirements, e.g. National Communications
  (reports on status of GHG emissions by sector
  etc) and National Adaptation Plans of Action
  (NAPAs)
• Intermediate technical meetings (Subsidiary Body
  on Information-SBI and Subsidiary Body on
  Scientific and Technological Advice-SBSTA)

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Is the Kyoto Protocol a success?

• In terms of climate change no! Reductions are
  too small after sinks were incorporated after
  COP-6.5 (the 2003 UK Energy White Paper says that
  we need to reduce emissions by 60 by 2050 to
• stop dangerous climate change)
• In terms of global environmental governance
  yes! (for so many countries to negotiate
  international environmental law is a first)

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What will happen post-2012?

• Bali roadmap outlines 2 year process to finalise
  the post-2012 regime
• -based on nationally appropriate mitigation
  options by developing countries
• Continue with Kyoto? Expand Kyoto? Modify Kyoto
  based on carbon pricing? Focus on adaptation?

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Alternative regimes 1

• Washington Declaration (signed 2007)
• -Global cap-and-trade system to be in operation
  by 2009
• -supported by Canada, France, Germany, Italy,
  Japan, Russia, UK, US, Brazil, China, India,
  Mexico, South Africa

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Alternative regimes 2

• The G8 leaders in June 2007 agreed to aim to half
  greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with the
  specifics to be worked out by environment
  ministers and to include the big-emitting
  developing countries

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Alternative regimes 3

• The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development
  and Climate
• -to encourage projects aimed at clean energy
  capacity has no enforcement mechanism
• -supported by Australia, China, India, Japan,
  South Korea and the US

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Africa and the UNFCCC

• Most states are signatories to the UNFCCC
• Most states are signatories to the Kyoto Protocol
• -no reduction commitments under Kyoto first
  commitment period, highly likely South Africa
  will have a reduction commitment under Kyoto
  second commitment period
• Benefits from the flexible mechanisms (CDM)
  over 80 of CDM projects in Africa are in South
  Africa

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Sources of further information

• UNFCCC website
• http//unfccc.int
• Earth Negotiations Bulletin (reporting service
  covering negotiations COP/MOPs and SBI/SBSTA
  meetings)
• http//www.iisd.ca/enbvol/enb-background.htm