11 Dec 2009

COP 15 Daily Summary

The fifth day of the conference, Friday, December 11, consisted of contact groups and closed Working Groups meetings as both the COP and CMP channels were suspended by Tuvalu’s demands during the previous couple of days. This day also saw the Association of Small Island States (AOSIS) presenting their own draft text for a treaty, which embraces the 350ppm target which scientists are now saying, is the upper safe limit for CO2 concentration in the atmosphere (the current level is 389ppm. Other treaty texts still refer to the outdated 450ppm target).

ADAPTATION

See information about adaptation funds in the JI/CDM and Finance sections.

REDD+

There has been impressive movement by some developed nations on setting the framework of REDD+ and the associated Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF). Thursday, France clashed with other EU states in advocating strong baselines under this system for all nations. French climate ambassador, Brice Lalonde, called accounting methods proposed by EU nations most dependent on forestry “sloppy, and even fraudulent.” He went on to state that “the EU cannot embrace fraudulent methods and then turn around and ask developed countries to accept something that they are not willing to impose on themselves.” Coming up to Copenhagen, France worked with REDD+ countries (especially those of South America) to establish viable methods for that program as well. (click here to read more)

During Thursday it was highlighted in many side events that the implementation of a final REDD+ system will be complex due to differences in country and local-level needs in forest conservation. The same concerns were voiced by nation after nation. Primarily, concerns fall under two themes: 1. protection of indigenous peoples’ rights and 2. distribution of funds from federal government to localities.

Though many countries seem convinced that they will benefit from the REDD+ programme, indigenous voices continue to warn that money from national-level carbon credits might not make it to them. In this view REDD+ is intertwined with human rights laws. To this point there has been discussion of adopting “pro-poor policies,” that protect the most marginal of indigenous peoples. Yet, that seems to be a clocked way of calling for total national reform to protect indigenous people in 37 countries, some of which qualify as the most unstable in the world. And well, some of those nations still hope to get credits for forest plantations that are not cut but used for generation of products, like palm oil.

There remain a lot of loose ends to address in the second week of the Copenhagen negotiations. The next days will show if there is a holistic vision of REDD+ that can viably be tailored to meet the individual and complex needs of the 37 nations it covers.

JI/CDM

Negotiations on Joint Implementation were again very efficient during the fifth day of the conference. Parties agreed on most of the draft text proposed by the chair, the main point of contention remaining regarding the allocation of part of the share of proceeds to the Adaptation Fund, a request support by China but opposed by developed countries. The draft will be finalised tomorrow.

No substantial progress was achieved regarding the Clean Development Mechanism.

Regarding response measures, it seems that the Saudi proposal for the establishment of a forum in charge of the monitoring of adverse effects resulting from developed countries policies and measures is gaining importance. The proposal, opposed by developed countries which prefer to use existing reporting channels, is present in the official draft version of the LCA (Long-term Co-operative Action) text which came out today.

Lex de Jonge, Chair of the CDM Executive Board, gave a press conference, during which focused on the Executive Board’s proposal to create an independent panel which would expedite the CDM project approval process.

FINANCE

Negotiations are ongoing under the LCA track. Positions are now quite clear with regard to long term institutional arrangements. The EU distinguishes between a body that is overarching and not directly linked to a central pot of money, and one that manages a fund with a preference for the first option. G77 wants a body strongly linked to a fund, while the USA do not see any need for an overarching institution and only see the need for a fund.

On short term commitments, the news of the day is undoubtedly the European Union’s announcement of its fast start pledge. The EU will provide 2.6 billion USD (1.8 billion euro) a year for the period 2010-2012, to support immediate needs in terms of adaptation, mitigation and capacity-building in developing countries. This represents 35% of the global estimated need for fast start pre-2012. Priority will be given to adaptation and capacity-building in Least Developing Countries and money will be allocated through existing channels.

DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

Within the European pledge, which totals 7.9 billion dollars (5.4 billion euro) over 3 years, the UK commits to ~800 million USD (550 million euro) a year until 2012, making it the largest donor.

The US and EU finally agreed a twin track agreement which will extend Kyoto Protocol until a new treaty is signed.

Also on Friday, Yukio Hatoyama, the Japanese Prime Minister, threatened to back out of the country’s pledge if the Kyoto Protocol is extended without setting emission reduction goals for the United States and China.

Other Daily Updates

Slideshow

Video Highlights

Sopris Foundation hosts a run-down of the Copenhagen Climate Conference, highlighting the off-shore wind farm outside of Copenhagen along with the role of China’s economy in COP15 negotiations.

Highlights of Day 5: 11 Dec 2009