Green Climate Fund COP17 Decision

The draft 2011/CP/L.09 text is hyperlinked in the blog title.

Green Climate Fund – report of the Transitional Committee
Proposal by the President
Draft decision -/CP.17
The Conference of the Parties,
Recalling its decision 1/CP.16,
1. Welcomes the report of the Transitional Committee (FCCC/CP/2011/6 and Add.1), taking note with appreciation of the work of the Transitional Committee in responding to its mandate given in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 109;
2. Approves the governing instrument for the Green Climate Fund annexed to this decision;
3. Decides to designate the Green Climate Fund as an operating entity of the Financial Mechanism of the Convention, in accordance with Article 11 of the Convention, with arrangements to be concluded between the Conference of the Parties and the Fund at the eighteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to ensure that it is accountable to and functions under the guidance of the Conference of the Parties to support projects, programmes, policies and other activities in developing country Parties;

TFG in 4 minutes or less

Climate deal salvaged after marathon talks in Durban

Reporting from the UK's Guardian..
"Delegates clashed over attempt to make agreement legally binding until deal was struck in pre-dawn hours..."

Hope?

It appears a package has gone to the floor for a vote....

South Africa's foreign minister and chairman of the 194-party conference, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, told delegates that failure to agree after 13 days of work would be an unsustainable setback for international efforts to control greenhouse gases.
"This multilateral system remains fragile and will not survive another shock," she told a full meeting of the conference, which had been delayed more than 24 hours while ministers and senior negotiators labored over words and nuances.
The proposed Durban Platform offered answers to problems that have bedeviled global warming negotiations for years about sharing the responsibility for controlling carbon emissions and helping the world's poorest and most climate-vulnerable nations cope with changing forces of nature.

chances of a deal slip

Ministers from the key countries, including Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan were huddled into a small room in the conference centre. They were allowed one-aide inside. Indian negotiators were seen frequently coming and going out of the room wearing tense expressions.

SBSTA 34 NEGOTIATIONS - INCREMENTAL PROGRESS ON REDD

Global Canopy Programme has a great summary of what happened at SBSTA 34 on REDD+. Thanks Charley and Angela.

What is the current status of REDD+? Mongabay interview

FIELD's REDD+ Negotiations Guide

The purpose of this guide is to assist developing country negotiators and others who are working on REDD-plus*.

FIELD provides this information on a neutral, non partisan basis. The guide is available in English, French and Spanish. Electronic versions can be found at www.field.org.uk.

This is an updated version (February 2011) of the guide that was released in October 2010.

REDD-plus is a very complicated issue. It is complicated technically. It is complicated politically. Although many countries are interested in reaching agreement on REDD-plus they also have different priorities and different views on key issues in the negotiations.

The negotiations on REDD-plus have complicated links with several other issues that are also under negotiation, which can make it difficult to maintain an overview and keep up with the implications of different proposals.

A Brief History of REDD-Plus Negotiations

Note: this article has been excerpted from The Cancun Agreements: Do they advance global cooperation on climate change?, which was published by the Field Foundation for International Environmental Law and Development.

By: Tony La Viña, Lawrence Ang and Joanne Dulce

TFG report calls for new UNFCCC REDD+ Mechanism

TFG released a report calling for a new UNFCCC REDD+ Mechanism. The brief 10-page report can be downloaded from TFG's home page or from the link in the blog title.

The report has the following sections:

Executive Summary

Context & Justification for Creating a New UNFCCC REDD+ Mechanism

Key Components of a UNFCCC REDD+ Mechanism

Annex on Key REDD+ Developments Outside the UNFCCC Process

Ban Ki-moon addresses COP16

Update from Cancun

IPAM Launches Northern Branch in Style

Brazil's most prestigious ecological research center celebrated 15 years of amazing work, including one of the original calls for REDD (Compensated Reductions) in Cancun. They officially launched their new northern extension program as Dan Nepstad migrates from the Woods Hole Research Center to IPAM International Programs in California.

Dan was the keynote speaker at Forest Day 4, moments before President Felipe announced several new Mexican forest projects and initiatives.

IPAM threw a classic bash - wonderful people, amazing food, two Environment Ministers from Brazil (an amazing feat on its own given politics), and a lot of cotton candy. Wow!

In the picture L to R, Paulo Moutinho (IPAM), Senator Marina Silva, Dan Nepstad (IPAM)

latest (July 9, 2010) UNFCCC negotiating text released

The latest (July 9, 2010) consolidated negotiating text has been released and is hyperlinked in the title of the blog.

The UNFCCC is continuing forward, even as the US gives up the race.

The REDD text is mostly in Chapter 6. Not much new, some specific language for SBSTA to develop modalities for baselines (Paragraph 6 of the section) and modalities for verifying changes in forest carbon stocks and emissions (paragraph 10) as well as more specifics on safeguards (para 11).

Government submissions headed into Bonn 2010 (SB 32s)

The cards are on the table and the positions are far apart. In the document hyperlinked in the title, the fireworks are between the US submission (starts on page 79) and the joint submission from Venezuela, Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, and Nicaragua (86). Expect more rancor in Bonn in a few weeks. This is a critical time for the UNFCCC, the first opportunity to have a unified new text to pick up the pieces from Copenhagen. From the tone of the country positions, well, let's see...miracles do happen, but they're called miracles for a reason.

Special Briefing on UN Secretary General High-Level Advisory Group on Climate Change $

Tropical Forest Group notes on a Special Briefing about:

The UN Secretary-General's High-Level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing – An Introduction to UNFCCC Parties
Bonn, Germany
11 April 2010.
The UN Secretary-General established a High-Level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing to study the potential sources of revenue for financing mitigation and adaptation activities in developing countries, and to make progress on the key issue of finance in the course of 2010. The group, under the chairmanship of H.E. Mr. Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister (Ethiopia) and H.E. Mr. Gordon Brown, Prime Minister (United Kingdom), had its first meeting in London on 31 March. A special briefing was held April 11 in Bonn Germany to provide an update on the work of the group. Speakers:
• Mr. Mohammad Reza Salamat, Senior Programme Officer
• Secretary General's Climate Change Support Team
• Mr. Ato Newai, Chief Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister, Ethiopia
• Mr. Pete Betts, Director for International Climate Change, Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), United Kingdom
Moderated by Mr. Mohammad Reza Salamat. (salamat@un.org or +1-914-450-8848)
You can view the webcast here: http://unfccc2.meta-fusion.com/kongresse/100409_AWG/templ/play.php?id_kongresssession=2618&theme=unfccc

Mr. Mohammad Reza Salamat speaking:
UN Secretary General established AGF. AGF is accountable to UN Secretary General.
Submit final report to secretary general and current and next president of COP.
This group is NOT the high-level panel called for by COP15.
Given need of finance needs quickly, particularly for most vulnerable nations.
Start work for potential new and existing revenues to reach $100 billion per year by 2020.
Various criteria for assessing: (could not hear that well)
Funds by donors to support mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer, capacity, etc.
Will focus on funds needed by most vulnerable.
Chaired by Gordon Brown and Prime Minister Zenawi.
Other heads of state, ministers of finance, experts on public finance, etc.
Intended output will contribute to UNFCCC.
Will hold briefings in coming months, will consult widely with constituencies
First meeting was 31 March in London.
Members set out priorities for future work.
Key issues:
Sources of new and additional public finance
Carbon markets
Multi-lateral agencies
3-4 more meetings. Then draft final report.
Groups for each thematic area.
May/June SBSTA meetings, there will be initial reports,
Secretary General will make sure UNFCCC parties receive reports before COP16.
Working methods: drafts, consultations, secretariat in NYC, reporting to UNG and UNFCCC
Accountable to Secretary General
Office in his NY climate change team.
Website: www.un.org/climatechange/agf

UK’s Pete Betts. Reminds audience that since an election has been called in the UK, he is only authorized to present factual information.
Focused on potential sources and principles to use.
They would meet 2nd July and 3rd in September
Two working groups
1. Climate finance
2. Public finance

Ethiopia’s Mr. Ato Newai
Representatives from many countries
Tasks as explained before
Factors include:
Efficiency
Equity
Practicality – whether a certain fund intended to be raised is feasible
Acceptability – whether it is politically acceptable
Reliability – whether secure source of funds can be relied on.
Three categories:
1. Public finance,
2. Private finance (including carbon market),
3. International financial institutions that can “liberate” funds through other sources
Can’t go into detail, the work has just begun.
There is an appreciation that the bulk of funds will probably come from public finance with different sources. And additional funds would come from private finance and liberation of funds that might be collected or mobilized elsewhere.

Questions and Answers:
Are funds from developed countries?
Clarity of role of multi-laterals?
Clarity on consultations?
If it isn’t the high-level, what is relationship?
Are you looking at fast-track?
Timeframe for report?
Just 2020 or ramp up?
Carbon markets – will that dilute public finance?
Will the panel get into governance and oversight issues?

Answers:
This is not the CA high-level panel.
Political commitments were made on financing even though the CA was not adopted.
Outcome of this group, a report, will be given to COP and it will be COP’s decision.
Timeline: 1st initial outcomes prepared by June UNFCCC sessions.
Then they will listen to Parties and non-Parties and incorporate views
Finalize a report in October/November
Presented to Secretary General and current and next COP presidents.
With enough time to reflect on the report by Cancun. Then it is in the hands of COP.
Won’t be looking at institutional/governance issues so much, that is too political.
But to the extent that these issues come up, they will be examined.
We will be looking at funds from developed countries primarily, but we may touch on funds from developing countries, but that is not in the group’s remit.
RE: Fast track. We won’t be looking at this so much, but again a little as it comes up.
RE: 2020. We will just primarily look at the funding in 2020, not so much in the time before, but a bit. Clearly, we do not envision $30B from 2010 to 2012, then nothing, and then $100B/year in 2020.
RE: Carbon markets. We will be looking at carbon markets and all types of financing.

China and India Join Climate Accord

For 2010, let's forgive, move on, and reform the UNFCCC

The article by Grist's Geoffrey Lean hyperlinked in the blog title covers the accusations and finger pointing following the mayhemic Copenhagen talks. Every seems to be playing the blame game, even before the impact of COP15 is still unknown.

The ultimate negotiations on climate change are probably yet to come. What is clear is that the UNFCCC process, with six separate "tracks" and more than 190 countries (not to mention the new escalated antics of everyone else) needing to find consensus on every single piece, is simply not going to work in the future. Things will get even hairier as the framework takes place (next year to two) and the bare bone technical details and rules have to get put in place to support any new framework.

It is worth noting that after the Kyoto Protocol was "built" in 1997, it took until 2002 before the rulebook started to crystalize. So if we fast forward to a broad deal in Mexico (maybe 50:50) then look for a frantic fight on every major detail to get filled in before the expiration of the KP on New Years day in 2013. The UNFCCC even with the best staff, simply won't be able to mange the accelerated process of rules and regulations in just two years (2011 and 2012). Whoops, I forgot. The world will also probably need several months or years to ratify any international agreement in domestic processes. Which means the pace of climate change negotiations is probably not going to slow down any time soon. Book your tickets now for Bonn and Mexico City!

Simply, time is running out. The Copenhagen accords are messy and no one is sure where they will go, but there is some new potential there as well as some blatant omissions. And for the community of nations to have a continual UN process for handling climate change, we need reform to the UNFCCC process no matter how you slice and dice the coming years. Beyond the text and the interpretations and the recriminations, COP15 will hopefully be remembered for starting to change the rules away from a binary world of rich and poor and for demanding the wonderful, incredibly competent UNFCCC must get a tune up. The sooner the better.

Happy New Year TFG blog readers!

Non-Paper 18 on REDD (latest negotiating text)

Several people have asked for the latest text from the Bangkok climate change talks on REDD. TFG will be providing an analysis of the text in coming weeks. The paper, or non-paper actually, is technically entitled:

Non-paper No. 18∗
08/10/09 @ 11:00
CONTACT GROUP ON ENHANCED ACTION ON MITIGATION AND
ITS ASSOCIATED MEANS OF IMPLEMENTATION
Subgroup on paragraph 1 (b) (iii)
of the Bali Action Plan
(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)
Revised annex III C to document FCCC/AWGLCA/2009/INF.2

Excellent Ecosystem Marketplace article on REDD status

Old Issues Stagger REDD in End Game
by Unna Chokkalingam

Ecosystem Marketplace covers the latest breaking news on the text of REDD+ for Copenhagen. This is must reading for anyone following the talks closely.

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