CAN Intervention - AWG-LCA Opening Plenary - 4 October 2010
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ECO 6, Bangkok 2011, English version
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CAN Submission - LCA Agenda Proposal - April 2011
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LCA
This process must deliver concrete action to ambitiously address the climate change challenge. We need an agenda and a work plan to deliver on that by Durban.
The agenda discussions are important because they frame what countries want to, and will be able to, achieve in Durban.
CAN agrees with the sentiment expressed by many countries in the LCA opening last night, including EU, Australia, Norway, AOSIS, Singapore, Egypt, Chile on behalf of a number of Latin American countries, Pakistan, Philippines and China that we should use 2011 to BOTH implement the Cancun Agreements AND fill in the gaps that clearly resolve the issues that address the challenge of climate change (gigatonne gap, finance sources and others) that remain. This is easily possible by merging the various proposals for agendas as outlined below .
The priority issues for 2011 are italicised under the relevant heading. Where time allows, additional issues can be addressed in 2011. Issues that parties have agreed to address in other agendas (such as SB) should be focused there.
1. Opening of the session
2. Organisational matters
a. Adoption of the agenda
b. Organisation of the work of the session
3. Preparation of an outcome to be presented to the Conference of the Parties for adoption at its seventeenth session to enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention through long-term cooperative action now, up to and beyond 2012.
3.1 a shared vision for long-term cooperative action
a) Global goal for emission reductions and global peaking
[Item 3 of the supplementary provisional agenda]
3.2 Mitigation
a) Registry
[Item 7 of the supplementary provisional agenda]
3.2.1 Mitigation commitments or actions by developed country Parties
a) Work programme on enhanced measurement, reporting and verification for Parties included in Annex I to the Convention
[Item 5 of the supplementary provisional agenda]
b) Quantified economy-wide emission reduction targets to be implemented by Parties included in Annex I to the Convention.
[Item 4bis of the supplementary provisional agenda]
c) Options and ways to increase the level of ambition of developed country Party economy-wide emission reduction targets
[Item 17(c) of the supplementary provisional agenda]
3.2.2 Nationally appropriate mitigation actions by developing country Parties
a) Work programme on enhanced measurement, reporting and verification for Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention
[Item 6 of the supplementary provisional agenda]
b) Nationally appropriate mitigation actions to be implemented by Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention.
[Item 4ter of the supplementary provisional agenda]
3.2.3 Policy approaches and positive incentives on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries; and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries
a) Financing options for the full implementation of mitigation action in the forest sector
[Item 8 of the supplementary provisional agenda]
3.2.4 Cooperative sectoral approaches and sector-specifc actions, in order to enhance the implementation of article 4.1.c of the Convention
3.2.5 Various approaches to enhance cost effectiveness of mitigation actions
Combined sub-items for 3.2.4 and 3.2.5:
a) Market-based and non-marked-based mechanisms
[Item 11 of the supplementary provisional agenda]
b) Agriculture
[Item 17(d) of the supplementary provisional agenda]
3.3 Enhance action on adaptation
a) Adaptation Committee
[Item 4 of the supplementary provisional agenda]
3.4 Enhanced action on technology development and transfer
Arrangements to fully operationalize the Technology Mechanism
[Item 12 of the supplementary provisional agenda]
3.5 Capacity Building
[Item 13 of the supplementary provisional agenda]
3.6 Enhanced action on the provision of financial resources and investment
a) Standing Committee
[Item 9 of the supplementary provisional agenda]
b) Scaled-up, new and additional, predictable and adequate funding to developing countries,in accordance with paragraph 97 of the Cancun Agreements
[Item 9 of the supplementary provisional agenda]
c) Review of information provided by developed countries on the resources provided to fulfil fast-start finance commitments
[Item 17(b) of the supplementary provisional agenda]
4. Review: further definition of its scope and development of its modalities
[Item 14 of the supplementary provisional agenda]
5. Legal options for an agreed outcome with the continued mandate of the AWGLCA
[Item 16 of the supplementary provisional agenda]
6. Other matters
a) International aviation and maritime transport;
[Item 17c of the supplementary provisional agenda]
b) any other matters
7. Work Programme 2011
CAN expects Bangkok to agree a detailed work programme for 2011, containing
- the number of sessions this year;
- What issues will be dealt with and when;
- Number, timing and content of technical workshops;
- Invitations for submissions from Parties and observers;
- Technical papers, etc.
8. Report of the session
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Bangkok Developed Countries Mitigation Workshop CAN Presentation
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Bangkok Developed Countries Mitigation Workshop CAN Presentation
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Observations on Current Developed Country Mitigation Pledges: CAN Presentation to Developed Country Mitigation Workshop
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Tove Ryding from Greenpeace International delivers the CAN presentation on Developed Country Mitigation Pledges to the Mitigation Workshop on April 3 in Bangkok.
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A Tale of Two AWGs
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While waiting (and waiting) for the AWG-LCA to begin, ECO thought it prudent to educate itself on the topic that seemed to be keeping everyone up late into the evening. Turns out that one word was holding everyone up: “Agenda”.
What does it really mean? Why does such a seemingly simple word cause such consternation and hungry dinner-less evenings?
Merriam-Webster defines “agenda” in two ways. First, it says an agenda is “a list or outline of things to be considered or done”. Seems pretty straightforward to us. ECO outlined this list of needed things to be considered in yesterday’s edition. Dear delegates, it was so easy – We even devoted a whole page so it could be easily presented!
However, the second definition from Merriam and Webster began to shed a light on what may have been delaying the evening’s events. The second definition interprets “agenda” as: “an underlying often ideological plan or program.”
In the AWG-KP, earlier in the day, the agenda in both senses of the word was clear. Agree to a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol and fix its loopholes. As was said, time and again, the politics must be dealt with so the details can be agreed.
But, what ideological plan should the AWG-LCA use to underpin its work? This too, is actually simple, despite the long discussions. Take the steps necessary to implement what’s been agreed, and move forward towards increasing ambition and achieving a comprehensive fair, ambitious, and legally binding agreement as soon as possible.
With this in mind, ECO welcomes the proposals made to include the critical elements missing from the Cancun Agreements, such as increasing the level of ambition in order to close the gigatonne gap, identifying sources of finance to fill the fund. ECO further agrees with many parties that items on elaborating further measuring, reporting, verification guidelines, and agreeing on the legal options for an agreed outcome should be included as well.
It was a long night of lists and ideology. ECO hopes today will be a day of agreement and action.
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ECO’s Agenda for Adoption
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3. (TOO NARROW) Global goal for emission reductions and global peaking.
Expand this item to include a discussion on an equitable effort sharing agreement as this will allow Parties to agree on ambitious and science-based long-term goals by Durban.
3bis. (CURRENTLY MISSING) Mitigation.
While the workshops have been useful in clarifying assumptions (and clarity is an important first step), action must follow. There must be space on the negotiating agenda to feed-in and build on information and recommendations that comes out of the workshops in order to close the gigatonne gap by Durban. The Secretariat’s technical paper and further submissions from Parties will also help. The scope of this agenda item should include the AOSIS proposal to examine options and ways to increase the level of ambition.
4. (OPERATIONALIZE) Adaptation Committee.
50% of future resources in the Green Climate Fund should be earmarked for adaptation.
5. (OPERATIONALIZE) Work programme on enhanced measurement, reporting and verification for Parties included in Annex I to the Convention.
5bis. (CURRENTLY MISSING) Compliance by developed countries with their commitments.
Strong domestic enforcement of commitments is always welcome but there must be an international minimum that ensures that all countries fulfill their international obligations. This is especially helpful when there is no domestic law to speak of (here’s looking at you: USA, Canada, Australia....).
6. (OPERATIONALIZE) Work programme on enhanced measurement, reporting and verification for Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention.
7. (OPERATIONALIZE) Registry.
8. (RESOLVE) Financing options for the full implementation of mitigation action in the forest sector.
9. (OPERATIONALIZE) Standing Committee.
9bis (CURRENTLY MISSING) Innovative Sources of Financing.
ECO supports the African Proposal to urgently scale-up new, additional, predictable and adequate funding to support the mitigation and adaptation activities of developing countries. A key way to ensure such funding levels will be met is to identify and implement innovative sources, such as levies on international transport.
9ter. (CURRENTLY MISSING) Review of information provided by developed countries on their fast-start finance commitments.
ECO supports the LDC Proposal and reminds developed countries that their FSF reports are due in May!!
10. (REMEMBER KYOTO) Market-based and (FOCUS ON THE ‘F’s) non-market-based mechanisms.
Time is of the essence and thus Parties are reminded that any markets developed under the LCA must COMPLEMENT, and not undermine, those under the Kyoto Protocol. These mechanisms should be based on large segments of the economy of the host countries (rather than being project based)and must be as strict as (or stricter, as we have learned some valuable lessons with KP mechanisms) the Kyoto rules to ensure environmental integrity. On the non-market side, Parties should focus on phasing out HFCs as well as eliminating fossil fuel subsidies.
10bis. (CURRENTLY MISSING) International aviation and maritime transport
Countries should resume their negotiations on how international aviation and maritime can contribute to global emissions reductions and innovative sources of finance. After all we need all the “gigatonnes” we can get!
11. (TOO NARROW) Arrangements to fully operationalize the Technology Mechanism.
Ignoring the tough issues, namely IPRs, does not make them go away (if this were so, the battle to stop climate change would have been won long ago!) Commissioning a study on whether or not and how IPRs are a barrier to technology transfer, followed-up by a technical workshop would go a long way this year in advancing the discussion.
12. Capacity-building.
13. (OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE) Review.
Preparing for a robust review in 2013-2015 which will enable Parties to go even further in their mitigation and adaptation efforts is crucial. This item must remain on the agenda and significant time devoted to it.
14. Issues relating to Parties with economies in transition and Parties with special circumstances.
15. (OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE) Legal options.
In 2010, it was a struggle to even get legal issues discussed in the LCA. In 2011, it’s officially on the agenda and needs to be ever present in the discussion, as it is the end goal after all. On the Kyoto side, their legal issues group needs to resolve any issues related to the provisional application of amendments as this is now the only way to ensure there is no gap between the first and second commitment periods.
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Plan (and then DO) the work: Don’t bicker over the agenda
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ECO has been impressed with the quality of both the presentations and Q&A sessions in the workshops over the past two days, and hopes parties will keep focused on content in the coming days. Alas, we hear, parties are gearing up for a multiple day discussion about the agenda over the next three days, rather than developing a robust work programme for all of 2011. ECO has been around the block enough times to know that parties are very good at talking about what to talk about. So we will insist on a prompt 6pm finish today, with adopted agendas, for both the LCA and KP. To help ensure parties adhere to this deadline and turn up on Wednesday ready to work, ECO has put together its own LCA agenda (see page 3) as well as some thoughts on what is to be agreed by the end of this week.
The provisional Agenda is missing some key elements (namely a mitigation negotiating space, consideration of innovative sources of finance, international transport and compliance for developed countries). Parties need to fill those gaps, and then agree to a work plan to fill the real gaps in ambition and financial support by the end of 2011!
Cancun was a modest success as it buried the ghost of Copenhagen. However, the Cancun Agreements postponed important issues that underpin the success, or otherwise, of efforts to fight catastrophic climate change. In 2011 ECO expects parties to be up and ready to BOTH implement the Agreements AND fill in the gaps (gigatonne, finance and others) that remain! You must be able to run and chew gum at the same time. Even ECO can do it (and ECO isn’t the most coordinated).
By the end of the week, ECO expects a detailed work programme for 2011 that will deliver on both. This work programme must include elements like:
- The number of sessions this year;
- What issues will be dealt with and when;
- Number, timing and content of technical workshops;
- Invitations for submissions from Parties and observers;
- Technical papers, etc.
Of course, the specific requirements will vary according to the agenda item. By way of example, ECO expects parties to produce MRV rules by Durban that, will drastically increase the length of the Cancun Agreements! So the work plan needs to enable informed discussions and the negotiation on such rules.
With so much to discuss and plan out, there is no time to waste bickering about the agenda. Progress can and must be made in technical forums on these issues this year, while retaining strong linkage and political oversight by the overall LCA negotiations and making progress on the remaining crunch issues.
If parties implement and operationalize all of the agreements made in Cancun (including, and improving, the Kyoto Protocol), we can build a robust regime. However, good architecture alone will not produce the level of ambition needed. Concrete steps need to be made in 2011 to close the gigatonne and finance gaps in order to avoid dangerous and devastating climate change.
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