Professional Documents
Culture Documents
August
2012
Prepared
by:
Gabriela
Fischerova,
Regional
Climate
Change
policy
Advisor,
UNDP
BRC
GENERAL INFORMATION The Bangkok climate change conference will comprise of three parallel sessions: The second part of the first session of Ad hoc Working Group on Durban platform ADP1 The second part of the fifteenth session of the AWG LCA 17 The second part of the seventeenth session of the AWG-KP
Additionally,
five
workshops
under
the
AWG
LCA
will
be
organize1,
(for
more
details
see
footnote)
and/or
www.unfccc.int.
Due
to
the
financial
constrains,
all
three
meetings
are
organized
in
informal
manners,
and
hence
there
will
be
no
formal
plenary
meetings,
no
interpretation
or
webcast
services
and
no
official
documents
during
the
session.
As
there
are
also
space
limitations
on
the
place,
there
will
be
no
side
events
or
exhibitions
during
the
meetings.
The
above-mentioned
sessions
will
be
preceded
by
preparatory
meetings
of
the
Group
of
77
and
China,
the
African
States,
the
small
island
developing
States
and
the
least
developed
countries
from
24
to
29
August
2012.
The
talks
will
take
place
at
the
United
Nations
Conference
Centre
(UNCC),
of
the
United
Nations
Economic
and
Social
Commission
for
Asia
and
the
Pacific
(UNESCAP)
Rajdamnern
Nok
Avenue
and
Klong
Phadung
Krungkasem
Road,
Bangkok,
Thailand.
They
will
start
untraditionally
on
Thursday
30
August
and
finish
on
Wednesday
5
September
2012.
Registration
of
participants
can
be
(for
the
first
time)
done
ONLY
via
online
registration
system
(https://onlinereg.unfccc.int/onlinereg/index_observers.html)
by
Designated
Contact
Points
or
Heads
of
Organizations.
The
same
system
will
be
used
also
for
registration
for
COP18.
ADP
1
In
Durban
2011,
Parties
have
agreed
that
newly
established
Ad
hoc
Working
Group
on
Durban
Platform
-
ADP
should
aim
to
develop
a
protocol,
another
legal
instrument
or
an
agreed
outcome
with
legal
force
under
the
Convention
applicable
to
all
Parties
and
was
supposed
to
start
its
work
as
a
matter
of
urgency
in
the
first
half
of
2012,
complete
its
work
as
early
as
possible
but
not
later
than
in
2015,
1
1. Workshop on financing options for the full implementation of result-based actions relating to REDD+, including modalities and procedures for financing these result based actions (30 August) 2. Workshop on a framework for various approaches (31 August morning) 3. Workshop on the new market-based mechanism (31 August afternoon) 4. Workshop on quantified economy-wide emission reduction targets by developed country Parties (2 September morning) 5. Workshop to further the understanding of the diversity of nationally appropriate mitigation actions by developing country Parties, underlying assumptions, and any support needed for implementation of these actions
and plan its work in the first half of 2012 including, inter alia, on mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology development and transfer, transparency of action and support, and capacity-building (Decision 1/CP.17). During its first session held in Bonn from 17 to 25 May 2012, the ADP agreed on its Bureau, adopted its agenda and initiated two work-streams, one addressing matters related to paragraphs 2 to 6 (process to develop new instrument) of the of decision 1/CP.17 and another addressing matters related to paragraphs 7 and 8 (ways to enhance mitigation ambition) of that same decision. Co-chairs are currently consulting with Parties on ways to approach the ADP`s two workstreams when it reconvenes in Bangkok. The work in Bangkok will be based on submissions made by Parties before Bonn session and on views expressed during the first part of the ADP 1. Co-chairs are also inviting Parties to provide additional inputs on how to advance the work of ADP. Further information on the approach to be proposed by co-chairs will be made available on the UNFCCC website. AWG LCA With new ADP, some Parties believe that many issues from AWG LCA agenda should be dealt with in this new subsidiary body, especially in light of the paragraph 1 of the decision 1/CP.17 according to which AWG LCA is supposed to reach agreed outcome and be terminated by COP18. However, many Parties believe that there is a need for continuation either within the existing setting by extending mandate of AWG LCA or by transferring all unfinished issues to the ADP or to the Subsidiary body for Implementation (SBI) or Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technical Advise (SBSTA). In Bangkok, work will continue in several spin-off groups on tasks mandated by COP 17, including on: shared vision; developed country mitigation; developing country mitigation; REDD+; sectoral approaches; various approaches, including markets; and review. Many issues are already dealt with under other bodies or have their specific process (such as Green Climate Fund, Adaptation, Technology Mechanism), however, progress is expected on the selection of the host of Climate technology Centre and Network (CTCN) with currently three shortlisted candidates (Consortium of UNEP and other institutions; GEF; Det Norske Veritas) and even if the seat of Green Climate Fund is not officially on the agenda, it is expected that interested Parties (Germany; Mexico; Namibia; Poland; Republic of Korea; and Switzerland) will continue with their efforts to get support for their offers. AWG KP As there is general agreement that the COP18 should deliver the formal adoption of the second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, the Bangkok session is likely to deal with the main unresolved issues: legal issues of transition from first to second commitment period; and carry-over of surplus units from the first commitment period. 3
Analysis
and
Summary
of
the
UNFCCC
Climate
Change
Conference
in
Bonn,
Germany,
14
25
May
2012
The
meeting
was
the
first
negotiating
session
since
a
last-minute
deal
was
struck
in
the
final
hours
of
the
Durban
Conference
last
year.
Five
bodies
convened,
including
the
36th
sessions
of
the
Subsidiary
Body
for
Implementation
(SBI)
and
of
the
Subsidiary
Body
for
Scientific
and
Technological
Advice
(SBSTA),
the
15th
session
of
the
Ad
Hoc
Working
Group
on
Long-term
Cooperative
Action
under
the
Convention
(AWG-LCA),
and
the
17th
session
of
the
Ad
Hoc
Working
Group
on
Further
Commitments
for
Annex
I
Parties
under
the
Kyoto
Protocol
(AWG-KP).
Importantly,
Bonn
also
hosted
the
first
session
of
the
Ad
Hoc
Working
Group
on
the
Durban
Platform
for
Enhanced
Action
(ADP).
Additionally
the
following
events
took
place:
first
meeting
of
the
Durban
Forum
on
Capacity
Building;
and
5
workshops
on:
equitable
access
to
sustainable
development;
quantified
economy-wide
emission
reduction
targets
and
related
assumptions
and
conditions
of
the
developed
country
Parties';
further
clarification
of
the
understanding
of
the
diversity
of
nationally
appropriate
mitigation
actions
by
developing
country
Parties,
underlying
assumptions,
and
any
support
needed
for
implementation
of
these
actions;
a
framework
for
various
approaches
the
new
market-based
mechanism;
and
a
workshop
on
options
and
ways
for
increasing
mitigation
ambition
and
possible
further
actions
With five negotiating tracks meeting simultaneously, parties faced a specific challenge the organization of work. The last three years of negotiations have established numerous new bodies, mechanisms, committees and other means to discuss and implement activities to address climate change. In Bonn, negotiators needed to organize the massive landscape of overlapping groups to ensure that issues were thoroughly addressed without being weighed down by duplicative or conflicting workstreams. For example, currently adaptation is discussed though several tracks: National Adaptation Plans and Loss and Damage under the SBI, Nairobi Work Programme under SBSTA, Adaptation Committee under the Convention and the Adaptation Fund under the Kyoto Protocol. Throughout the two weeks, negotiators worked to clarify the various workstreams on adaptation and other topics to avoid confusion and delays. While the organizational issues seem mundane, the procedural decisions made in Bonn will shape the negotiations for years to come. The workshops above contributed to the negotiating process with clarifying further the positions of the Parties and trying to propose solutions, and this format will continue to be used in the forthcoming sessions in Bangkok. 4
Kyoto
Protocol
In
Bonn,
negotiators
had
more
productive
discussions
on
the
operational
and
legal
issues
for
establishing
a
second
commitment
period
of
the
Kyoto
Protocol
that
will
begin
in
2013.
Parties
focused
on
three
key
topics:
the
length
of
the
commitment
period,
the
number
of
Assigned
Amount
Units
(AAUs)
that
will
be
carried
over
from
the
first
commitment
period
to
the
second,
and
how
to
ensure
seamless
continuity
so
that
there
are
no
legal
gaps
between
commitment
periods.
On
the
length
of
the
second
commitment
period,
developed
countries
argued
for
an
8-year
duration
while
Least
Developed
Countries
(LDCs)
and
the
Alliance
of
Small
Island
States
(AOSIS),
fearing
for
watered-down
commitments
in
such
a
long
timeframe,
argued
for
a
5-year
commitment
period.
Throughout
the
debate,
countries
called
for
increased
ambition
under
the
Kyoto
Protocol
and
equivalent
commitments
of
the
growing
list
of
countries
that
will
not
be
a
part
of
the
second
commitment
period,
namely
the
United
States,
Canada,
Russia,
and
Japan.
New
Zealand
and
Australia
have
argued
that
they
will
not
join
the
second
commitment
period
unless
emissions
reductions
pledges
are
made
by
emerging
economies.
statements from NGOs as the only entry point for private sector might not serve the process sufficiently to get private sector more involved. The GCF board's first meeting was held in Geneva, Switzerland on 23-25 August 2012 and started work on the board's organization and operations and the fund's first workplan.
A
map
from
Durban
to
Doha
The
Bonn
sessions
further
underscored
that
COP
18/CMP
8
in
Doha
will
focus
on
clarifying
and
operationalizing
the
structures
that
have
been
created
over
the
last
three
years.
Many
negotiators
have
described
the
upcoming
Doha
meeting
as
an
implementation
COP,
where
discussions
will
not
create
any
new
bodies.
As
part
of
this
effort,
negotiators
have
already
begun
examining
existing
implementation
arrangements
and
the
lessons
learned
from
the
GEF,
Adaptation
Fund,
bilaterally-funded
progammes,
and
other
initiatives.
In
Bonn,
meetings
such
as
the
Durban
Forum
for
Capacity
Building
and
workshops
on
Nationally-Appropriate
Mitigation
Actions
(NAMAs)
offered
negotiators
and
practioners
an
important
opportunity
to
learn
from
work
on
the
ground.
The
next
six
months
will
be
an
important
opportunity
to
further
share
these
experiences
and
examine
how
lessons
on
the
successes
and
challenges
can
be
applied
to
the
growing
landscape
of
opportunities
for
countries
to
address
climate
change.
Many
negotiators
have
that
Doha
will
be
an
important
opportunity
to
better
align
the
talk
with
the
walk.
Doha
will
also
represent
change
in
another
way:
both
Ad
Hoc
working
groups
under
the
Bali
Action
Plan
the
AWG-KP
and
the
AWG-LCA
are
scheduled
to
end
in
Doha.
The
difficulty
of
the
ADP
discussions
in
Bonn
signalled
that
the
delicate
balance
that
has
been
carefully
crafted
must
be
handled
with
care.
In
many
ways,
Doha
will
test
the
ability
of
countries
to
trust
the
process
and
each
other
enough
to
resolve
the
issues
of
the
AWG-KP
and
AWG-LCA
so
that
the
ADP
can
take
more
meaningful
steps
to
support
countries
on
climate
change.
There
are
still
quite
some
political
issues
to
be
resolved
at
Doha
COP,
mainly
with
regards
to
the
four
big
gaps:
1. The
ambition
gap
the
mitigation
pledges
of
both
developed
and
developing
countries
are
still
not
enough
to
assure
the
2C
target,
neither
after
2012
nor
beyond
2020;
2. The
financial
gap
in
general
to
cover
the
adaptation
and
mitigation
needs,
and
in
particular
the
fast
start
finance
expires
in
2012
and
the
GCF
is
still
not
operationalised
and
sourced;
3. The
commitment
periods
gap
to
assure
that
that
there
is
no
legal
gap
between
commitment
periods
as
currently
the
second
commitment
period
is
due
in
2013,
however
still
not
agreed.
4. The
legal
gap
the
transition
from
two
track
approach
to
defining
one
protocol,
another
legal
instrument
or
an
agreed
outcome
with
legal
force
under
the
Convention
applicable
to
all
parties.
Upcoming
Meetings
30
August
5
September:
UNFCCC
negotiations
in
Bangkok,
Thailand.
This
session
is
unconfirmed
due
to
funding.
22
23
October
in
Seoul,
Korea:
Pre-COP
meeting
Late
October/early
November:
Second
meeting
of
the
Board
of
the
Green
Climate
Fund,
Republic
of
Korea
26
November
7
December
in
Doha,
Qatar:
COP
18/CMP
8