Bali Climate Change Conference
December 5th 2007 02:23
Representatives from over 180 countries are meeting in Bali, Indonesia for a climate change conference from December 3-14, 2007. The conference is hosted by the Conference of the Parties to the UN’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its subsidiaries.
The UNFCCC has three goals for the Bali conference: negotiations on a climate change deal for after 2012 (when the Kyoto Protocol expires), set the agenda for negotiations, and reach an agreement on when negotiations will conclude. Negotiations will have to conclude by 2009 to avoid a gap after the Protocol expires in 2012. The conference will also cover mitigation, adaptation, technology, and financing.
The Framework Convention on Climate Change was adopted in 1992, and the Kyoto Protocol on December 11, 1997. There is a distinction between the two: the Framework encouraged developed countries to curb greenhouse gas emissions, but the Protocol commits them to it. Detailed rules for the Protocol’s implementation was adopted in Marrakesh in 2001, and called the Marrakesh Accords.
Most countries agreed to the Protocol, but the U.S. and Australia, among other countries, did not. The U.S. is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. Australia finally agreed to the Protocol on Monday, December 3, 2007.
The Protocol requires developed countries to lower greenhouse gas emissions and meet targets within five year period of 2008-2012. The reductions must add up to five percent of 1990 emissions.
The Protocol allows flexibility in meeting emission reduction targets which include Emissions Trading, Joint Implementation, & Clean Development Mechanism. All three allow countries to earn and trade emissions credits through projects they build and finance.
Six greenhouse gases are targeted by the Protocol: Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs); and
Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).
“While the launch of negotiations and a clear deadline of 2009 to end the negotiations would constitute a breakthrough, anything short of that would constitute a failure,” Indonesian Environment Minister and President of the Conference Rachmat Witoelar said.
“It is critical that we act and we act now,” he added. “It is imperative to start the process in Bali. We need to send a strong statement to the international community that we at the Bali negotiations can act with the requisite sense of urgency and import.”
“Governments agreed to take action on mitigation and adaptation in the UNFCCC, but to date, the negotiations on climate change have focused on mitigation,” said Sálvano Briceño, Director of the ISDR secretariat. “Adaptation needs to be a main priority for reducing the vulnerability of societies to inevitable climate change impacts.”
“We cannot wait,” he added. “We already have the tools to reduce the impact of climate-related hazards and we need to use them now.”
The UNFCCC has three goals for the Bali conference: negotiations on a climate change deal for after 2012 (when the Kyoto Protocol expires), set the agenda for negotiations, and reach an agreement on when negotiations will conclude. Negotiations will have to conclude by 2009 to avoid a gap after the Protocol expires in 2012. The conference will also cover mitigation, adaptation, technology, and financing.
The Framework Convention on Climate Change was adopted in 1992, and the Kyoto Protocol on December 11, 1997. There is a distinction between the two: the Framework encouraged developed countries to curb greenhouse gas emissions, but the Protocol commits them to it. Detailed rules for the Protocol’s implementation was adopted in Marrakesh in 2001, and called the Marrakesh Accords.
Most countries agreed to the Protocol, but the U.S. and Australia, among other countries, did not. The U.S. is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. Australia finally agreed to the Protocol on Monday, December 3, 2007.
The Protocol requires developed countries to lower greenhouse gas emissions and meet targets within five year period of 2008-2012. The reductions must add up to five percent of 1990 emissions.
The Protocol allows flexibility in meeting emission reduction targets which include Emissions Trading, Joint Implementation, & Clean Development Mechanism. All three allow countries to earn and trade emissions credits through projects they build and finance.
Six greenhouse gases are targeted by the Protocol: Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs); and
Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).
“While the launch of negotiations and a clear deadline of 2009 to end the negotiations would constitute a breakthrough, anything short of that would constitute a failure,” Indonesian Environment Minister and President of the Conference Rachmat Witoelar said.
“It is critical that we act and we act now,” he added. “It is imperative to start the process in Bali. We need to send a strong statement to the international community that we at the Bali negotiations can act with the requisite sense of urgency and import.”
“Governments agreed to take action on mitigation and adaptation in the UNFCCC, but to date, the negotiations on climate change have focused on mitigation,” said Sálvano Briceño, Director of the ISDR secretariat. “Adaptation needs to be a main priority for reducing the vulnerability of societies to inevitable climate change impacts.”
“We cannot wait,” he added. “We already have the tools to reduce the impact of climate-related hazards and we need to use them now.”
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