Climate

History of climate change talks, the UNFCC & COP-15

How we have come to COP-15- in a nutshell

Author : Arun
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History of Climate Change Talks

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How We Have Come to COP-15 in a Nutshell

1979

The

First World Climate Conference

1988

Establishment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to assess scientific, technical and socio- economic information relevant for the understanding of climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation.

1990

In its

First Assessment Report

IPCC

UN General Assembly

1992 EARTH SUMMIT - or - UNFCCC

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - UNFCCC- adopted by consensus in May 1992, was opened for signature at the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro (June 1992). Called EARTH SUMMIT. The UNFCCC entered into force on 21 March 1994 and now has 192 parties.

1994-1995

The UNFCCC, came into force in March 1994, sets the objective of stabilizing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG) at levels that would prevent "dangerous" human interference with the climate system. The Convention divides countries into two main groups: those that are listed in its

Annex I

non-Annex I

COP's START

The highest decision-making authority of the UNFCCC is the

Conference of the Parties (COP)

Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technical Advice (SBSTA)

Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI)

1995 COP 1 BERLIN

At the first

COP

(Berlin, Mar./Apr. 1995

1996 - COP 2, Geneva, Switzerland

US leads in encouraging gradual policies towards climate crisis, little committment.

1997 – COP 3 - KYOTO PROTOCOL

  1. Industrially developed countries become legally bound to reduce Green House Gas emissions. Agreement by rich nations to reduce emissions to below 1990 levels during 2008-2012.

  2. Financial mechanisms for industrially developed nation – juggling carbon costs....

  3. CDM Clean development mechanisms for non- Annex 1 countries = developing nations.

1998 - COP 4, Buenos Aires

Countries re-hash issues, stalling, 2 year plans made.

1999 - COP 5, Bonn, Germany

It was primarily a technical meeting, and did not reach major conclusions.

2000 - COP 6, The Hague, Netherlands

Political issues, US starts haggling over carbon credits, sinks, compliance fines and financing, etc. Issues obscured.

COP 6 continues in Bonn, Germany

US under Bush decides to reject Kyoto Protocol. More useless politics. Firms up carbon credits, etc.

2001 - COP 7, Marrakesh, Morocco

Operational rules for international

2002 - COP 8, New Delhi, India

2003 - COP 9, Milan, Italy

2004 - COP 10, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Not much real happening. Delegates more like 'Climate Tourists' enjoying the diplomatic travel, sight seeing, etc.

2005 – COP-MOP Montreal

MOP – Meeting of Parties

The issue on "Reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries (RED)" entered the UNFCCC agenda.

This Montreal Agreement established the

AWG-KP (Ad Hoc working group on Kyoto Protocol

COP 13.

2006 - COP 12/MOP 2, Nairobi, Kenya

COP 12/MOP 2 took place between 6 and 17 November 2006 in Nairobi, Kenya. At the meeting, the phrase climate tourists was coined to describe some delegates who attended "to see Africa, take snaps of the wildlife, the poor, dying African children and women".

2007- COP 13/MOP 3, Bali, Indonesia

COP 12

COP/MOP 2

IPCC 4th Assessment Report

Bali Action Plan

Long term cooperative action: (AWG-LCA) was established as a new subsidiary body to conduct the negotiations aimed at implementation of the Convention now, up to and beyond 2012. These negotiations will take place during 2008 (leading to

COP 14/MOP 4

COP 15/MOP 5

2008 - COP 14/MOP 4, Poznań, Poland

Delegates agreed on principles of financing for a fund to help the poorest nations cope with the effects of climate change. EU agrees to bankroll emissions reductions for Annex 2 countries.

Approved a mechanism to incorporate forest protection into efforts

Over 2008 several climate change talks on the future climate change agreements were held, within the

Bali road map: Bangkok/ March; Bonn/June; Accra/August.

2008 - Balking about Bali

The EU agreed at the Bali climate summit in December 2007 to bankroll clean technology in developing countries if they agreed to take appropriate actions to curb emissions growth.

The fragile deal was reached after marathon talks.

But EU politicians are now asking for more action for their money. They want developing countries to produce plans to cut emissions across their entire economy before getting cash help from the EU.

Yvo de Boer, secretary of the UN climate programme (UNFCCC) told BBC News: "Quite frankly the language from (EU) ministers re-writes some of the fundamental agreements we made in Bali.”

2009- Bangkok, Thailand – youth feel no confidence in process.

From 28 September to 9 October 2009, the first part of the seventh session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (

AWG-LCA 7

The first part of the ninth session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP 9) are take place

These sessions form part of ongoing negotiations to enhance international climate change cooperation. under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol.

As at

October 2009, UNFCCC had 192 parties.

Other 2009 events:

WORLD CLIMATE CONFERENCE-3:

.

climate prediction services.

FOURTH MEETING OF THE LEADERS’ REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MAJOR ECONOMIES FORUM ON ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE:

GREENLAND DIALOGUE FOLLOW-UP (Annual Climate Summit):

2009 - COP 15/MOP 5, Copenhagen, Denmark

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