Shankar IAS Summary: Climate Change Organizations - 2 | Environment for UPSC CSE PDF Download

Introduction

In the face of escalating climate challenges, specialized organizations are at the forefront of driving environmental sustainability. They play a pivotal role in shaping policies, conducting research, and implementing initiatives to address climate change on a global scale. Recognizing the significance of these organizations is crucial for policymakers and individuals navigating the complexities of environmental stewardship.

Bali Meet

The Bali Meet convened in December 2007, bringing together representatives from 190 countries party to a UN treaty on climate change.

Objectives

• The primary goal of the treaty was to encourage global efforts in reducing greenhouse gases causing climate change.
• Discussions in Bali centered around the post-2012 period, addressing the actions countries should take after the initial phase of the Kyoto Protocol concluded.
• Developed nations advocated for both developed and developing countries, including India and China, to undertake emission cuts beyond 2012, necessitating a significant revision of the existing UN treaty.
• The Bali meeting aimed to establish new principles guiding a post-2012 agreement.

Bali Roadmap

• The participating nations endorsed the Bali Road Map, a two-year process aimed at finalizing a binding agreement in Copenhagen in 2009.
• Components of the Bali Road Map included:
  • The Bali Action Plan (BAP)
  • The Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol negotiations and their 2009 deadline
  • Launch of the Adaptation Fund
  • Decisions on technology transfer
  • Measures to reduce emissions from deforestation

Bali Action Plan

• The Conference of Parties initiated a comprehensive process to implement the Convention through long-term cooperative action beyond 2012, addressing key areas such as:
  • A shared vision for long-term cooperative action, including a global goal for emission reductions.
  • Enhanced national/international action on mitigation of climate change.
  • Enhanced action on adaptation.
  • Enhanced action on technology development and transfer supporting mitigation and adaptation.
  • Enhanced action on the provision of financial resources and investment for mitigation, adaptation, and technology cooperation.

Cop 15 Copenhagen Summit

• The absence of a legally binding agreement at CoP 15 in Copenhagen resulted primarily from disagreements between developed and developing nations.
• The summit concluded with CoP acknowledging the Copenhagen Accord, a non-binding agreement involving Basic nations and the US.
• The Copenhagen Accord emphasizes the necessity for significant international emissions reductions to limit the global temperature increase to below two degrees Celsius.
• Under the Accord, developed nations commit to setting targets for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
  
• Developing countries agree to pursue nationally appropriate mitigation strategies to curb emission growth but are not obligated to reduce their carbon output.
• Recognizes the need to establish a mechanism, including REDD-plus, to facilitate the mobilization of financial resources from developed countries to support these efforts.
• Encourages incentives for low-emitting economies in developing countries to continue on a low-emission development path.
• Agrees that developed countries will raise $30 billion from 2010-2012 in new and additional resources, with a "goal" for the world to raise $100 billion per year by 2020. New multilateral funding for adaptation will be included.

Cop 16 Cancun Summit

•  The Cancun Agreements encompass decisions in both the Convention and Kyoto Protocol negotiation tracks.
• According to the Cancun Agreements, all Parties to the Convention, including both developed and developing nations, have committed to reporting voluntary mitigation goals for implementation. These goals will undergo measurement, verification, or international consultation, following agreed-upon international guidelines.
  

Cancun Agreements

• Industrialized countries' targets are officially recognized, and they are mandated to develop low-carbon development plans and strategies, assess how to achieve them (including through market mechanisms), and report their inventories annually.
• Actions by developing countries to reduce emissions are officially acknowledged, with the establishment of a registry to record and match these actions to financial and technology support from industrialized countries. Progress reports from developing countries are to be published every two years.
• Decisions include a commitment of $30 billion in fast-start finance from industrialized countries to support climate action in the developing world up to 2012, with an intention to raise $100 billion in long-term funds by 2020.

Mechanism of COP 16

• Technology Mechanism
  • The 16th session of COP established a Technology Mechanism, accountable to the Conference of the Parties (COP), to facilitate enhanced action on technology development and transfer supporting mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
• Green Climate Fund
  • Parties at COP 16 established the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as an operating entity of the financial mechanism of the Convention. The GCF will support projects, programs, policies, and activities in developing country Parties and will be governed by the GCF Board. The World Bank serves as the interim trustee, pending a review three years after operationalization.
• Adaptation Fund
  • The Adaptation Fund was created to finance concrete adaptation projects and programs in developing country Parties to the Kyoto Protocol vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. It is financed from the share of proceeds on clean development mechanism project activities and other funding sources.
  • The Adaptation Fund is supervised and managed by the Adaptation Fund Board (AFB), with secretariat services provided by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the World Bank serves as trustee on an interim basis.

Cop 17 Durban Summit

•  India presented two key demands at the Durban Summit — maintaining the principle of equity in any new climate regime and launching a new global deal after 2020.

Outcome

• A new deal is set to be finalized by 2015 and launched by 2020.
• The second phase of the Kyoto Protocol was secured.
• The Green Climate Fund was launched, although currently empty. Additionally, a mechanism for green tech development was established.
• Equity regained prominence in future climate talks.
• Adaptation and transparency mechanisms were established.
• The summit ensured 10 years of economic growth without carbon containment.
• Intellectual Property Rights and technology were not firmly anchored in the new deal.
• Loopholes for the developed world were not entirely closed.
• Agriculture was brought into the climate change discussion by developed nations.

Doha Outcomes Cop 18 2012

Governments committed to working towards a universal climate change agreement by 2015, applicable to all countries and effective from 2020.

Amendment of the Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol, the sole existing and binding agreement where developed nations commit to quantitative greenhouse gas reductions, was amended to ensure seamless continuity.

• An 8-year second commitment period began on January 1st, 2013.
• The Kyoto Protocol's Market Mechanisms - Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Joint Implementation (JI), and International Emissions Trading (IET) - were extended.
• Access to these mechanisms remained uninterrupted for all developed countries with targets for the second commitment period.
• The measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) framework for developed countries were enhanced with the adoption of common tabular format tables for biennial reports, strengthening transparency and accountability.
• Parties included in Annex I with second commitment period targets could carry over surplus assigned amount units (AAUs) without limit, but restrictions were imposed on their use and quantitative limits on acquisition from other Parties.

Completion of new infrastructure

In Doha, progress was made in finalizing new infrastructure to channel technology and finance to developing nations, moving towards its full implementation and support.

• Songdo, Republic of South Korea, became the host of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the work plan of the Standing Committee on Finance.
• A UNEP-led consortium was designated as the host of the Climate Technology Center (CTC) for an initial five-year term.
• The CTC, along with its associated Network, serves as the implementing arm of the UNFCCC Technology Mechanism. The constitution of the Climate Technology Center Network (CTCN) Advisory Board was also agreed upon by governments.

Warsaw Outcomes Cop 19 2013

Governments accelerated the timeline for developing the 2015 agreement.

• Nationally determined contributions would be presented transparently and clearly.

Closing the pre-2020 ambition gap

Governments committed to strengthening measures to close the "ambition gap" before the new agreement takes effect in 2020. The ambition gap refers to the disparity between current pledges and what is necessary to limit the global temperature increase to below a maximum average of 2 degrees Celsius.

Cutting emissions from deforestation - "the Warsaw Framework for REDD+":

*Governments reached agreements on strategies to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, acknowledging that global deforestation contributes to approximately 20 percent of CO2 emissions. The decisions aim to promote forest preservation and sustainable forest use, offering direct benefits to communities in and around forests. Additionally, the framework establishes a mechanism for results-based payments if developing countries demonstrate successful forest protection.

Progress towards accountability

 The framework for measuring, reporting, and verifying mitigation efforts, including those of developing countries, is now fully operational. This agreement is significant as it enables better measurement of countries' mitigation, sustainability, and support efforts.

Technology to boost action on climate change

The Climate Technology Center (CTCN), established in Cancun in 2010, has transitioned to the operational stage, ready to support developing countries based on their requests for technology-related assistance through their national designated entities.

Lima Outcomes Cop 20 2014

• The Lima Climate Conference marked significant milestones in the international climate process.
•  Pledges from both developed and developing countries, prior to and during COP, surpassed the initial $10 billion target for capitalizing the new Green Climate Fund (GCF).
• The Lima Ministerial Declaration on Education and Awareness-raising urged governments to incorporate climate change into school curricula and integrate climate awareness into national development plans.

Steps Forward on Adaptation

• Progress was achieved in elevating adaptation to the same level as the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, primarily through National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).
• The launch of the NAP Global Network, involving Peru, the US, Germany, the Philippines, Togo, the UK, Jamaica, and Japan, was a significant development.
• The Lima Adaptation Knowledge initiative, a pilot project in the Andes, highlighted the successful capture of adaptive needs in communities. The idea of replicating this initiative in Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States, and Africa gained support.

 More countries accepted the Kyoto Protocol Doha Amendment, with Nauru and Tuvalu submitting their instruments of acceptance. However, acceptance from 144 countries is required to bring it into force.

New climate action portal

Peru launched the Nazca Climate Action Portal with UNFCCC support, aiming to enhance the visibility of climate actions among cities, regions, companies, and investors, including those involved in international cooperative initiatives.

Lima Work Programme on Gender

The Lima conference established a Lima Work Programme on Gender to promote gender balance and sensitivity in developing and implementing climate policy.

UNFCCC NAMA Day

* A special event focused on actions to reduce emissions through "nationally appropriate mitigation actions" (NAMAs), plans of developing countries supported by developed countries. The UNFCCC secretariat set up a registry to match requests for and offers of support.

Climate action on the ground celebrated by the UN

The UNFCCC secretariat's Momentum for Change Initiative recognized outstanding climate solutions worldwide, including a new category for Information and Communication technology.

Paris Climate Change Conference Cop 21 2015

Objectives of the Paris Agreement:

• To keep the global average temperature increase well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
• To strive to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, acknowledging that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.
• The Agreement emphasizes achieving the global peaking of emissions by the second half of the century, recognizing the extended timeline for developing country Parties.
  

Nationally determined contributions

• The Paris Agreement mandates all Parties to present their best efforts through "nationally determined contributions" (NDCs) and enhance these efforts over time. This includes regular reporting on emissions and implementation efforts. In 2018, Parties will assess collective progress and prepare for NDC updates. A global stocktake will occur every 5 years to evaluate progress toward the Agreement's purpose and guide further actions by Parties.
• The Paris Agreement became effective on November 4, 2016, with the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA 1) held in Marrakech, Morocco, from November 15-18, 2016. By the close of the Marrakech conference, it had been ratified by 111 countries representing over three-fourths of global emissions.
•  While the agreement outlines parties' basic obligations and establishes new procedures and mechanisms, full operationalization requires further details, collectively known as the "Paris rulebook."

Article 6

Article 6 introduces three distinct mechanisms for "voluntary cooperation" towards climate goals. Two mechanisms are market-based, and a third is based on "non-market approaches." Article 6.2 governs bilateral cooperation through "internationally traded mitigation outcomes" (ITMOs), potentially including emissions cuts measured in CO₂ tonnes or renewable electricity kilowatt hours. Article 6.4 establishes a new international carbon market for trading emissions cuts created globally. Article 6.8 provides a formal framework for climate cooperation between countries without trade involvement, such as development aid.

Marrakech Climate Change Conference - Cop 22 2016

In addition to developing the Paris rulebook, parties took various actions and made announcements on several issues at the Marrakech Climate Conference in 2016.

Finance

The Paris Agreement mandates developed countries to provide biennial reports on financial support, including public interventions and future support projections. Discussions in Marrakech included considerations on how to account for public finance, questioning whether the accounting should apply only to flows from developed to developing countries or include broader flows of public finance.

Global Stocktake

Parties initiated discussions on structuring the global stocktake, covering format, inputs, timeline, duration, output, and its connection to other elements of the Paris architecture.

"Orphan" issues

A contentious matter in Marrakech involved addressing so-called "orphan" issues mentioned in the Paris Agreement but not assigned to any specific body for further consideration. These issues include common timeframes for NDCs, rules around NDC adjustment, and the development of a new collective finance goal post-2025. Parties tasked the APA with continued consideration of these matters.

Adaptation Fund

The fate of the Adaptation Fund established under the Kyoto Protocol was deliberated. While developed countries preferred channeling support through the Green Climate Fund, developing countries advocated for keeping the Adaptation Fund operational. Parties decided the fund should serve the Paris Agreement, pending governance and other decisions.

2018 Facilitative Dialogue

Anticipating the delayed enforcement of the Paris Agreement, parties planned an early stocktake through a facilitative dialogue in 2018. Consultations on organizing the dialogue were assigned to the COP 22 and COP 23 presidencies, with a report due at COP 24.

Mid-century Strategies

The Paris Agreement encourages countries to submit long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies. Canada, Germany, Mexico, and the United States were the first to submit mid-century strategies in Marrakech. The 2050 Pathway Platform was launched to assist other countries in developing their strategies.

Finance (Reiterated)

Developed countries presented a roadmap for mobilizing $100 billion annually in public and private finance for developing countries by 2020. The Standing Committee on Finance released its second biennial assessment, indicating a 15 percent increase in global climate finance in 2013-14, reaching an estimated $741 billion in 2014. New financial pledges were announced for the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), the Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency, and World Bank climate finance for the Middle East-North Africa region.

Loss and Damage

Parties conducted the first review of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage, addressing unavoidable climate impacts. The mechanism, under the Paris Agreement, aims to help vulnerable countries cope with such impacts, with a review scheduled for 2019 and subsequent reviews on a five-year cycle, aligning with global stocktakes.