UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol:

key issues

12 July 2010

Szentendre, Hungary

Maria Khovanskaya

Climate Change Topic Area

REC

Outline

1. General overview: current issues

2. UN Framework Convention on Climate Change:1. Annexes of the Convention;2. Subsidiary Bodies of the Convention

3. Kyoto Protocol1. Annexes to the Protocol;2. Subsidiary Bodies3. GHG accounting and monitoring for Parties from different Annexes4. Flexible mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol

4. Regional groups

5. Lobbying country groups in the climate negotiation process

6. More exciting topics on future – te other preseners today and omorrow

A bit of history…1988 – International Panel on Climate Change established

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

(Signed 1992, entered into force 1994)

1997 – COP 3: Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC signed

2001 – COP 7: Marrakesh Accords (rulebook for the Kyoto Protocol implementation)

2005 – Kyoto Protocol entered into force; AWG-KP established

2007 – COP 13: Bali Action Plan, AWG-LCA established

2009 – COP 15: COP 15/CMP 5

Copenhagen Accord as a non-UNFCCC document

UNFCCC & KP - Structure

COP, COP/MOP, SBSTA, SBI, AWG-lCA, and AWG-KP are led by an elected bureau of officers with representatives from the five UN regional groups + AOSIS

UNFCCCConference of Parties - COP

Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice

(SBSTA)

Subsidiary Body for Implementation

(SBI)

Secretariat

AWG-LCAAd HocAd Hoc Working Group on Working Group on

Long Term Cooperative ActionLong Term Cooperative Action

AWG-KPAd Hoc Working Group on

Further Commitments from Annex I Parties

Kyoto ProtocolConference of parties Serving as meeting of Parties - CMP

CDM EB JISC Compliance

UNFCCC: a freestanding entity

Main objective; overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by climate change.  It recognizes that the climate system is a shared resource whose stability can be affected by industrial and other emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases

Signed 1992,entered into force1994. Ratified by 192 Parties

The Parties to the UNFCCC: 1. 1. Gather and share information on GHG, national policies and best practices 2. Launch national strategies for addressing GHG emissions and adapting to expected impacts, including the provision of financial and technological support to developing countries  3. Cooperate in preparing for adaptation to the impacts of climate change Conference of Parties (COP) – supreme body of the UNFCCC. Decisions of the COP are binding documents for the Parties

UNFCCC is NOT a UN subsidiary

UNFCCC: Annexes

Annex I:committed return their greenhouse-gas

emissions to 1990 levels :

Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Demark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania ,Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, USA, and European Community

Annex II:special obligation to provide financial resources and facilitate technology transfer to developing

countries

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxemburg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, USA, and European Community

Non-Annex I

Without historic responsibility for carbon pollution

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia….China, Brazil, India, South Africa…and others

UNFCCC: subsidiary bodies and agenda

Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA)

Technology & Technology Transfer (EGTT), Education and

Outreach, Observation, CCS, New Gases, LULUCF, REDD,

Nairobi Work Programme on Adaptation, Interface IPCC

Subsidiary Body for Implementation Reporting & Review, Adequacy of Commitments, Capacity

Building, Financial Mechanisms, Budgets, Meetings

UNFCCC – ongoing processAd-Hoc Working Group on Long Term Cooperative Action under

the UNFCCC (AWG-LCA): UNFCCC implementation beyond 2012

Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC:binding targets promote cooperation

Drafted in 1997, signed in 1998, entered into force in 16 February 2005 after the Parties possessing at least 55% of global GHG emissions have ratified the Protocol

Ratified by 191 countries

Main objective: binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the range of 0% (not exceeding: Russia, Ukraine) - 8%

Supreme Body – Conference of Parties serving as a Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP)

Flexible Mechanisms – the way to cost effective GHG emission reductions

Kyoto Protocol: Annexes

ANNEX A:

GHG gases and emission sources

Greenhouse gases

Carbon dioxide C02), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N20), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs), Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)

Sectors/source categories

Energy

Industrial processes

Agriculture

Waste

Other

ANNEX B (37 Parties)

Bulgaria* 92%

Croatia* 95%

Czech Republic* 92%

Estonia* 92%

European Community 92%

Hungary* 94%

Latvia* 92%

Lithuania* 92%

Poland* 94%

Romania* 92%

Slovakia* 92%

Slovenia* 92%

And others

Kyoto Protocol Subsidiary Bodies and Agenda

1. CDM Executive Board

2. Joint Implementation Steering Committee (JISC)

3. Compliance Committee: Enforcement Branch Facilitative Branch

4. Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP).

Kyoto target and Kyoto quota: how much a country has the rights to emit (Annex B)

0102030405060708090

100

Baseyear 2008 2012

1990 level

Target

92%

Kyoto Quota 2008-2012

Kyoto quota is measured in Assigned Amount Units1 AAU = 1 CO2 equivalent

Source: Claire Breidenich, UNFCCC, presentation at REC workshop, October 2006

Kyoto Protocol accountingKyoto Protocol accounting

>=<

Emissions2008 - 2012

Secretariat compilation

and accountingdatabase

Article 3.1 complianceassessment

Review and compliance processes

National systems

Annex I Partysystems

Emissionsinventories

Reportingprocess

National registries

Kyoto Protocol units

Assigned amount

2008 - 2012

Eligibility requirements

Reporting of an new EU MS (Annex I, Annex B) under the UNFCCC and KPTypes of reports by period of submission

National Communications (every 5 years);

Initial report to establish assigned amount (once prior to commitment period);

Report on demonstrable Progress (once in 2006);

Inventories for GHG emissions by sources and removals by sinks (annually);

Annual report (submitted only in the first committment period, annually)Small trick: the Annual report is not mandatory in the years 2008-2009. However, to get full eligibiity it is…still mandatory.

Submissions of the Parties under various Decisions of COPs and COP/MOPs (as hoc basis)

Current reporting obligations of the non-Annex I PartiesConvention (Articles 4.1 and 12): all Parties must report on the steps they are taking or envisage undertaking to implement the Convention . 

In accordance with the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities", the required contents of these national communications and the timetable for their submission is different for Annex I and non-Annex I Parties. 

Each non-Annex I Party shall submit its initial communication within three years of the entry into force of the Convention for that Party, or of the availability of financial resources

Core elements of the non-Annex I National Communications:

emissions and removals of greenhouse gases (GHGs) – year 1990 or 1994 for the initial NC and year 2000 for the Second NC ;details of the activities a Party has undertaken to implement the Conventionnational circumstancesvulnerability assessment,financial resources and transfer of technology, and education, training and public awareness

Bi-annual reporting on the state of transposition of the environmental EU Directives into national legislation

Kyoto Flexible Mechanisms: playing with the Quota, looking for eligibility

1. Joint Implementation (JI) – project based mechanism: Regulated by the Art. 6 of the Kyoto Protocol Can occur only between Annex B Parties Regulatory body – JISC (JI Steering Committee) Resulting units – ERU (Emission Reduction Units) Required simultaneous transfer of AAUs as back up Track 1 and Track 2 (CDM like)

2. Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) – project based mechanism: Regulated by the Art. 12 of the Kyoto Protocol Can occur between Annex B Party and non-Annex B Party Regulatory boy – CDM Executive Board Resulting Units CERs (Certified Emission Reductions) Simultaneous transfer of AAUs is NOT required

3. International Emission Trade – market mechanism Regulated by Art. 17 Traded Unit – AAU Green Investment Scheme possible

Negotiation lines

UNFCCC

Kyoto Protocol

SBI

SBSTA

AWG-KP

AWG-LCA

Regional Grouping(elections to the Bureau of Officers)

African States

Asian States

Eastern European States

Latin American and the Caribbean States

Western European and Other States (Australia, Canada, Iceland, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and USA)

+AOSiS

Party Grouping: interests lobbying1. G-77 +China – tremendous negotiation power

Alliance of Small Island States Least Developed countries

2. European Union: Gathering of EU-27 every morning to discuss and coordinate An EU member which holds the presidency negotiates for all the group European Community is a Party, the only non-country Party to the Protocol but without

voice In 2008-2012 EU will have to meet obligations made by EU-15

3. Environment Integrity group - a recently formed coalition comprising Mexico, the Republic of Korea and Switzerland.

4. Umbrella group (non-EU developed countries)

5. Central Group–2 (former CG-11)

6. Mountainous Land-Locked Countries (Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan)

7. OPEC

8. CACAM (problem with status – non-Annex I but “developing” or not?)

Open Balkan Group – is it a history already?

More history: main achievements and failures

COP Year Location Main Achievements

COP 1 1995 Berlin, Germany Berlin Mandate

COP 2 1996 Geneva, Switzerland

The findings of the IPCC Second Assessment Report accepted

COP 3 1997 Kyoto, Japan Kyoto Protocol drafted

COP 4 1998 Buenos-Aires, Argentina

2-year Action Plan

COP 5 1999 Bonn, Germany Technical meeting

COP 6-a and COP 6-bis

2000-2001 The Hague, Netherlands

+Bonn, Germany

After the failure in the Hague, the agreements in Bonn have been reached on flexmex, carbon sinks, compliance

COP 7 2001 Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech Accords – rulebook for KP implementation

COP 8 2002 New Delhi, India New Delhi Working Programme on the Article 6 of UNFCCC

COP 9 2003 Milano, Italy

History: cont

COP 10 2004 Buenos-Aires, Argentina

COP 11/

MOP 1

2005 Montreal, Canada First MOP, JISC established

COP 12/

MOP 2

2006 Nairobi, Kenya Nairobi Working Programme on Adaptation

COP 13/

MOP 3

2007 Bali, Indonesia Bali Action Plan

COP 14/

MOP4

2008 Poznan, Poland Operationalization of Adaptation Fund

COP 15/

MOP 5

2009 Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen Accord: successor failure – still to be decided

Other international Organization within and outside UN:

UN Secretary General UN Department of Economic and Social Affaires UN Habitat UN Industrial Development Organization World Bank World Health Organization World Trade Organization Food and Agriculture Organization And others

International Processes: Climate Change

United Nations

GEFUNFCCC

Assessment FinanceConvention

IPCC

UNEP WMO

COP is supreme body of UNFCCC

UNFCCC is a freestanding entity - not a “subsidiary” of UN

Climate change diplomacy: main issues

How to create solid scientific basis for climate change science (observations, models, projections, forecasts)?

How to establish reliable system of Greenhouse gases (GHG) accounting, monitoring and reporting?

How to mitigate the emissions of GHG?

How to adapt to the consequences of climate change?

How to involve all the stakeholders into solving the climate change problem?

What is the most appropriate institutional set-up?

How to finance the whole process?

Main message

Climate Change does not belong to one sector, one industry, one stakeholder group, one Ministry or even one Party grouping!

Communicate!

Thank you for your attention

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