The fallout from Copenhagen’s disastrous Climate Change Conference continues. Countries are now formally sending the United Nations their hedged promises to limit greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, new meetings are being planned for the Spring, and there are plenty of climate leaders changing jobs.
All are hedging their promises to some extent, with the largest and most powerful among them being the United States, European Union, China, and India.
Source: http://blogs.fortlewis.edu/greenfreedom/2009/11/04/copenhagen-protocol
Among the developed countries, the U.S. plans to work to reduce emissions to 17 percent below 2005 levels in 2020, “in conformity with anticipated U.S. energy and climate legislation,” according to the U.S. State Department’s Office of the Special Envoy for Climate Change.
The European Union, as part of its own formal statement to the U.N., said that, “As part of a global and comprehensive agreement for the period beyond 2012, the EU reiterates its conditional offer to move to a 30 percent reduction by 2020 compared to 1990 levels, provided that other developed countries commit themselves to comparable emission(s) reductions and that developing countries contribute adequately according to their responsibilities and respective capabilities.”
Among what are considered developing countries, China said it will “endeavor to lower its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product by 40 to 45 percent by 2020 compared to the 2005 level, increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 15 percent by 2020, and increase forest coverage by 40 million hectares and forest stock volume by 1.3 billion cubic meters by 2020 from the 2005 levels.” The statement was made by the National Development and Reform Commission of China, which also qualified that the “autonomous mitigation actions are voluntary in nature.”
Rajani Ranjan Rashmi, joint secretary of India’s Ministry of Environment and Forests, said, “India will endeavor to reduce the emissions intensity of its gross domestic product by 20 to 25 percent by 2020 in comparison to the 2005 level.” Mr. Rashmi added that, “the proposed domestic actions are voluntary in nature and will not have legally binding character.”
Source: http://homebasedlife.squarespace.com/journal/2009/12/9/copengate-copenhagen-hypocrisy.html.
It seems that the only thing that anyone is planning to solidly commit to is more meetings. The second All-African Carbon Forum is set to take place at the UN Gigiri complex in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 3-5, 2010. The forum is expected to build on the growing interest in the Kyoto Protocol’s clean development mechanism (CDM) in Africa.
The CDM allows a country with an emissions reduction or limitation commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to implement an emissions reduction project in developing countries.
The forum is expected to bring together project developers, buyers, service providers, national CDM representatives and various others from the private and public sector. Topics of interest that are expect to be focused on at the forum, include: emerging opportunities in the areas of agriculture, forestry, and land use; carbon finance in waste management; reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation; and opportunities in renewable energy.
On the legislative front, EU officials are still trying to regain their bearings. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso sent a letter last week to EU heads of state. The letter contained the following remarks:
Most of us were in Copenhagen, and I think none of us were satisfied with the outcome. However, Copenhagen was a reality check. We had hoped that leading by example, and our commitment to step up our efforts to 30 percent, would be enough to bring others on board. This did not happen. But this is not the time for the EU to start doubting its commitments.
I have therefore asked Connie Hedegaard, the Commissioner for Climate Action, to undertake a consultation of key international partners to find ways to reinvigorate the international process.
I would hope to have some first thoughts by the Spring European Council, and then to feed the results in full into the Ministerial level negotiations announced by Chancellor Merkel and the June European Council.
I will be discussing with Herman Van Rompuy (president of the European Council) the best way to address these elements in March as well as how we can ensure a powerful and unified EU voice on these critical issues for the future.”
Last week also saw Yvo de Boer announce his resignation as executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will take place on July 1, 2010. He will be joining the consultancy group KKPMG as a global advisor on climate and sustainability.
The UN says that he will stay in his current position until July 1, to help with events leading up to the Climate Change Conference in Mexico in November of this year.
Reader comments and input are always welcomed!