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2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference

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United Nations Climate Change Conference
Date30 November 2015 (2015-11-30)–
12 December 2015 (2015-12-12)
LocationLe Bourget in the suburbs of Paris, France
Also known asCOP 21/CMP 11
ParticipantsParties to the UNFCCC
WebsiteVenue site
UNFCCC site

The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP 21 or CMP 11 was held in Paris, France, from 30 November to 12 December 2015. It was the 21st yearly session of the Conference of the Parties to the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 11th session of the Meeting of the Parties to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol.[1]

The conference reached its objective, to for the first time achieve a global agreement on reduction of climate change in the Paris Agreement, which was adopted with acclamation by nearly all states.[2] The agreement will become legally binding if at least 55 countries that represent at least 55 percent of global greenhouse emissions[3][4][5] become a party to it through signature followed by ratification, acceptance, approval or through accession in New York between 22 April 2016 to 21 April 2017. It is expected to take effect in 2020.[6] According to the organizing committee,[7] the expected key result was to limit the global warming, by 2100, compared to pre-industrial to below 2 degrees Celsius. The goal to limit temperature increase with 2 degrees was however supplemented in the adopted version of the Paris Agreement,[3] with the statement that parties "pursue to" limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.[8] A 1.5°C goal will require a zero level in emissions sometimes between 2030 and 2050 according to some scientists.[2] However, no detailed timeplan or country-specific goals for emissions were stated in the final version of the Paris Agreement - as opposed to the previous Kyoto protocol. A zerolevel should be reached during the second half of the century according to the agreement.

Prior to the conference, 146 national climate panels publicly presented draft national climate contributions (so-called Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, INDCs). These suggested commitments were estimated to limit global warming to 2.7 degrees Celsius by 2100.[9] For example, the EU suggested INDC is a commitment to a 40 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 compared to 1990.[10] Before this meeting, an assembly has talked about global warming in Mediterranean in Marseilles, France, during the MedCop21 on 4 and 5 June 2015. A pre-COP meeting was held in Bonn, 19 to 23 October 2015, with environment ministers from around the world.

Background

Shows the top 40 CO2 emitting countries and related in the world in 1990 and 2012, including per capita figures. The data is taken from the EU Edgar database.

According to the organizing committee, the objective of the 2015 conference is to achieve, for the first time in over 20 years of UN negotiations, a binding and universal agreement on climate, from all the nations of the world.[11] Pope Francis published an encyclical called Laudato si' intended, in part, to influence the conference. The encyclical calls for action against climate change. The International Trade Union Confederation has called for the goal to be "zero carbon, zero poverty", and the general secretary Sharan Burrow has repeated that there are "no jobs on a dead planet".

Role of China and the U.S.

Think tanks such as the World Pensions Council (WPC) have argued that the keys to success lie in convincing U.S. and Chinese policy makers: “as long as policy makers in Washington and Beijing [don’t] put all their political capital behind the adoption of ambitious carbon-emission capping targets, the laudable efforts of other G20 governments […will] remain in the realm of pious wishes”[12]

Location and participation

The location of UNFCCC talks is rotated by regions throughout United Nations countries. The 2015 conference was held at Le Bourget from 30 November[13] to 11 December 2015.

France serves as a model country for delegates attending COP21 because it is one of the few developed countries in the world to decarbonize electricity production and fossil fuel energy while still providing a high standard of living.[14] As of 2012, France generated over 90% of its electricity from zero carbon sources, including nuclear, hydroelectric, and wind.

The conference took place two weeks after a series of terrorist attacks took place in central Paris. Security was tightened ahead of the event accordingly, with 30,000 police officers and 285 security checkpoints deployed across the country until after the conference ends.[15]

Negotiations

COP 21: Heads of delegations
Delegates
Enrique Peña Nieto, François Hollande, Angela Merkel, Michelle Bachelet
Press conference at the Chinese pavilion.

The overarching goal of the Convention is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit the global temperature increase to 2 °C (3.6 °F) above pre-industrial levels.[16] However, Christiana Figueres acknowledged in the closing briefing at the 2012 Doha conference "the current pledges under the second commitment period of the Kyoto protocol are clearly not enough to guarantee that the temperature will stay below 2 °C and there is an ever increasing gap between the action of countries and what the science tells us."

During previous climate negotiations, countries agreed to outline actions they intend to take within a global agreement by 1 October 2015. These commitments are known as Intended Nationally Determined Contributions or INDCs.[17] Together, the INDCs would bring down global warming from an estimated 4–5+ °C (by 2100) to 2.7 °C, and reduce emissions per capita by 9% by 2030, while providing hope in the eyes of the conference organizers for further reductions in the future that would allow meeting a 2 °C target.[18]

Draft declarations

As is usual before such major conferences, major NGOs and groups of governments have drafted and published a wide variety of declarations they intend to seek a consensus on, at the Paris conference itself. These include at least the following major efforts:

  • ICLEI at its World Congress, launched the new Transformative Actions Program (TAP) intended to progress local and subnational action ahead of COP21[19] to build on its 2005 COP11 (Montreal summit) commitments,[20] Triple Bottom Line framework arising from that, and other local efforts.
    • European capital and large cities for climate action en route to COP 21 Declaration, adopted 26 March 2015 by "representatives of EU capitals and large cities of 28 EU Member States at the Mayors Meeting organized by Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, and Ignazio Marino, Mayor of Rome, who argue that "urban areas exposed to climate change are also essential innovation testing zones",[21] which is the focus of the ICLEI mechanisms, metrics and 2005 declaration.
  • Private, corporate and private-public partnerships
    • At the World Summit of Regions for Climate (WSRC) in Paris 2014, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Founder of R20, invited a coalition of governments, businesses and investors to sign a draft "Paris Declaration" at World Climate Summit in Lima 2014, World Green Economy Summit 2015 in Dubai and COP21.[22]
    • The Shift project by French business organizations.[23]
  • Indigenous peoples efforts include:
  • Women's Earth and Climate Action Network seeking "powerful submissions by worldwide women" sharing "stories, struggles, solutions and action plans ... [a] women's climate justice mobilization"[31]
  • Countries of the Mediterranean Sea. Dam Bridge, Strait of Gibraltar, S.A. (PPEGSA). The first draft PresaPuente adapting to climate change is designed to protect the Mediterranean from the imminent rising waters caused by the polar thaw. More than 24 countries, over 500 million people, more than 15,000 islands and thousands of kilometres of coast which can be saved from flooding.
  • Solar alliance: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced at the 2015 G-20 Summit that he, along with French President François Hollande, intends to propose creating an alliance of solar-rich countries similar to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).[32][33][34] Ahead of the climate summit, the two leaders sent written invitations to over 100 countries to join the coalition proposed to be called the International Agency for Solar Policy and Application (InSPA).[35]
  • A vast range of other activities[36] in preparation to influence the major decisions at the conference.

Financing

The conference was budgeted to cost €170m (US$186.87m at the time). The French government said that 20% of the cost will be borne by firms such as EDF, Engie (formerly known as GDF Suez), Air France, Renault-Nissan and BNP Paribas.[37]

Demonstrations

Greenpeace activists, demanding 100% renewable energy at Climate March 2015 in Madrid.

Around the world, 600,000 took part in demonstrations in favour of a strong agreement. Paris had a ban on public gatherings in the wake of recent terrorist attacks, but allowed thousands to demonstrate on 12 December against what they felt was a too weak treaty. There were also illegal demonstrations in Paris, including a violent clash between police and anti-capitalist protesters on 29 November.[38][39]

Paris agreement

Main article: Paris Agreement

On 12 December 2015 the participating 196 countries agreed by consensus to the final draft[40] of a global pact to reduce emissions as part of the method for reducing greenhouse gas. In the 12-page Paris Agreement,[3] the members agreed to reduce their carbon output "as soon as possible" and to do their best to keep global warming "to well below 2 degrees C".[41] France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said this "ambitious and balanced" plan was a "historic turning point" in the goal of reducing global warming.[42]

Non-binding commitments, lack of enforcement mechanisms

The Agreement enters into force and thus will become legally binding on its member states after 55 parties who produce over 55% of the world's greenhouse gas become a party to the Agreement. There is doubt whether some, like the U.S., will agree to do so.[43]

See also

References

  1. ^ "19th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC". International Institute for Sustainable Development. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  2. ^ a b Sutter, John D.; Berlinger, Joshua (12 December 2015). "Final draft of climate deal formally accepted in Paris". CNN. Cable News Network, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  3. ^ a b c "Adoption of the Paris agreement—Proposal by the President—Draft decision -/CP.21". UNFCCC. 12 December 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 December 2015. Retrieved 12 December 2015. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ The Editorial Board (28 November 2015). "What the Paris Climate Meeting Must Do". New York Times. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  5. ^ Borenstein, Seth (29 November 2015). "Earth is a wilder, warmer place since last climate deal made". Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  6. ^ The 2015 international agreement, EC climate action, access date 30 October 2015
  7. ^ What is COP21? access date 30 November 2015
  8. ^ Sutter, John D.; Berlinger, Joshua (12 December 2015). "Final draft of climate deal formally accepted in Paris". CNN. Cable News Network, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  9. ^ New UN Report Synthesizes National Climate Plans from 146 Countries, UNFCCC 30 October 2015
  10. ^ Intended Nationally Determined Contribution of the EU and its Member States, 6 March 2015
  11. ^ "Issues and reasons behind the French offer to host the 21st Conference of the Parties on Climate Change 2015". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 22 May 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  12. ^ M. Nicolas J. Firzli (3 July 2015). "Climate: Renewed Sense of Urgency in Washington and Beijing". Revue Analyse Financière. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  13. ^ "France confirmed as host of 2015 Climate Conference". Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 22 November 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2014.
  14. ^ Guivarch, Celine and Hallegatte, S., 2C or Not 2C? 19 January 2012. FEEM Working Paper No. 87.2011. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1988201 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1988201
  15. ^ Justin Worland (Nov. 14, 2015), Paris Climate Conference to Proceed with Heightened Security After Attacks, Time Inc. {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ "Schedule of Events" (PDF). United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  17. ^ "What is an INDC? | World Resources Institute". Wri.org. 10 November 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  18. ^ Nick Nuttall, Global Response to Climate Change Keeps Door Open to 2 Degree C Temperature Limit, UNFCCC press office, 30 Oct 2015.
  19. ^ "ICLEI World Congress 2015 sees Mayors commit ahead of Paris COP 21 - Bridging the Gap". Transport2020.org. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  20. ^ "World Mayors and Municipal Leaders Declaration on Climate Change" (PDF). Archive.iclei.org. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  21. ^ "European capital and large cities for climate action en route to COP 21" (PDF). Stadtentwicklung.berlin.de. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  22. ^ "World Summit of Regions for Climate". Regions-climate.org. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  23. ^ "signs a declaration in preparation for the COP 21". The Shift Project. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  24. ^ "Asia Indigenous Peoples' Declaration on the 21st Session of the UNFCCC-Conference of Parties (COP21)". Aippnet.org. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  25. ^ "Indigenous Peoples of Africa Co-ordinating Committee". IPACC. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  26. ^ "Looking ahead COP21: State of negotiations on the Indigenous Peoples' agenda". Ipcca.info. 11 September 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  27. ^ "Indigenous Peoples Seek Presence in Post-2015 Development Agenda | Inter Press Service". Ipsnews.net. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  28. ^ "United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples" (PDF). Un.org. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  29. ^ "Summary of Indigenous People's Demands for UNFCCC CoP20, Lima, Peru | Forest Peoples Programme". Forestpeoples.org. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  30. ^ "When Drones Guard the Pipeline: Militarizing Fossil Fuels in the East | Earth First! Newswire". Earthfirstjournal.org. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  31. ^ "Global Women's Climate Justice Day of Action - Sept. 29, 2015 | WECAN". Wecaninternational.org. 29 September 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  32. ^ "G20 summit: Modi pushes for $100 bn finances to pursue clean energy, proposes grand global solar alliance". Firstpost. 15 November 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  33. ^ "India should take initiatives to form league like OPEC: Modi". Firstpost. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  34. ^ Narendra Modi (19 April 2012). "India should take initiatives to form league like OPEC". Archive.indianexpress.com. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  35. ^ "Narendra Modi, Francois Hollande invite over 100 countries for solar alliance". Economictimes.indiatimes.com. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  36. ^ Bisiaux, Alice. "Event: UNFCCC COP 21 | Climate Change Policy & Practice | IISD Reporting Services". Climate-l.iisd.org. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  37. ^ Arthur Neslen (29 May 2015). "France defends 'imperfect' fossil fuel sponsors for Paris climate summit". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 September 2015. guard
  38. ^ Global climate march 2015: hundreds of thousands march around the world – as it happened, 9.43pm, The Guardian. Accessed 13 Dec 2015.
  39. ^ Alissa J. Rubier & Elian PeltierProtesters Are in Agreement as Well: Pact Is Too Weak, The Telepgraph, 12 Dec 2015. Accessed 13 Dec 2015.
  40. ^ Chappel, Bill (12 December 2015). "Nearly 200 Nations Adopt Climate Agreement At COP21 Talks In Paris". NPR. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  41. ^ no byline (12 December 2015). "'Historic' Paris climate deal adopted". CBC News. CBC/Radio Canada. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  42. ^ Doyle, Allister; Lewis, Barbara (12 December 2015). "World seals landmark climate accord, marking turn from fossil fuels". Reuters. Thomson Reuters. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  43. ^ Sutter, John D.; Berlinger, Joshua (12 December 2015). "Final draft of climate deal formally accepted in Paris". CNN. Cable News Network, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. Retrieved 12 December 2015.

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