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.

European Commission: Climate Policy Post-Copenhagen

The European Commission released a report on how to move forward after Copenhagen. It is a fairly uninteresting report, with no major surprises. The things we found interesting are:
1) ...the Bonn meeting should bring the developed country targets and developing country actions submitted under the Accord into the formal UN negotiating process.
2) The EU's objective for Cancun should therefore be a comprehensive and balanced set of decisions to anchor the Copenhagen Accord in the UN negotiating process, and to address the gaps. There should also be a formal decision on the listing of developed country targets and the registration of developing country actions, including the methods to account for these. All the decisions should come under an "umbrella" decision to provide the overall political framework.
3) Very little mention of REDD in the 12 page document, despite REDD+ having its own mechanism in the Accord as well as a meaningful SBSTA decision.
4) The Commission will assess the merits and drawbacks of alternative legal forms, including of a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol.
5) Among the most difficult negotiations in Copenhagen were those on monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV). Transparency is key to ensure mutual trust and demonstrate the effectiveness and adequacy of targets and actions. The Climate Change Convention and its Kyoto Protocol provide basic standards of MRV, through national communications and inventories. The Copenhagen Accord requires the strengthening of this system. This must be one of the priorities in the work to anchor the compromises in the Copenhagen Accord in the UN process.

The full title of the report is:
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
International climate policy post-Copenhagen: Acting now to reinvigorate global action on climate change
{SEC(2010) 261}

Sobering commentary by J. Drexhage at IISD

The piece is well worth reading. It begins ominously and doesn't get lighter...
"We are at the precipice of what is supposed to be a landmark global decision on climate change at Copenhagen in less than 16 weeks, and yet anyone with his or her eyes open cannot help but come to the conclusion that we are in seriously dire circumstances."

India calls for forests as key Copenhagen plank

Could this be the start of a new trend to have forestry play a front and center role in the next phase of Kyoto? This represents an interesting turning point - India which does not stand to gain much from "avoided emissions" (it has very little deforestation) has been clamoring to open REDD up to more types of forestry credits. If other nations latch on to forests as something that can be highlighted in the post 2012 phase, we could see some interesting breakthroughs in coming months where forestry actually helps foster an overall deal.

The text of the article is in the title link...

Summary Press Briefings from UNFCCC Bonn Climate Change Talks

Here are links to videos of the press briefings by some key players at the most recent climate change negotiations in Bonn Germany.

US Briefing:
http://unfccc2.meta-fusion.com/kongresse/090601_SB30_Bonn/templ/ply_page.php?id_kongresssession=1847&player_mode=isdn_real


UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Chairs of the AWG-KP and AWG-LCA
http://unfccc2.meta-fusion.com/kongresse/090601_SB30_Bonn/templ/ply_page.php?id_kongresssession=1846&player_mode=isdn_real

Delegation of the European Union
http://unfccc2.meta-fusion.com/kongresse/090601_SB30_Bonn/templ/ply_page.php?id_kongresssession=1850&player_mode=isdn_real

draft SBSTA REDD text: FCCC/SBSTA/2009/L.9

Here is the latest draft language from the Bonn climate change talks on REDD. This document (hyperlinked in the title bar) was not the final version of a SBSTA text adopted - that post is coming soon.

In this draft decision, there are no major fireworks that would accelerate or slow down the REDD process in the march to a deal in Copenhagen. Overall, this text is another indication that the UNFCCC is unlikely to be the process where a new climate change deal gets sealed. A general sentiment now is that the political will for a new post-Kyoto Protocol agreement will come from outside the UNFCCC process. There is significant buzz around the need for a bi-lateral breakthrough on climate change between China and the United States. And there are plenty of signals that if the US and China can hammer out something bold, a new deal could be announced in the Major Economies Forum or in the G8/G20 processes. If a new pact on climate change can be struck in time in one of these arenas, then the UNFCCC would hopefully be able to pull together a legally-binding agreement.

Key Points of the L.9 draft REDD text are:
1) The Chair of SBSTA is to report at SBSTA 31 on ways to facilitate coordination - which seems like it should give the Chair a fair amount of flexibility in deciding procedural issues.

2) Proposed an Annex on Methodological REDD Guidance with the following issues:
a) Indicative guidance" is in brackets - clearly a set back from the Bali decisions
b) Basic stuff it has covered before, including combination of remote sensing and ground-based forest carbon inventories
c) Has bracketed [undecided] that monitoring systems should be open to independent review as agreed by the COP

3) Suggests further IPCC guidance may be needed

4) As appropriate, guidance on effective engagement of indigenous peoples and local communities in monitoring and reporting.

5) Suggests reference emission levels and reference levels could take into account a whole host of variables (this is likely to slow eventual REDD implementation and make baselines less comparable)

Draft LCA text

This is the really important document for the UN process. Note paragraphs 106-128 in particular.

wow2

second part.

Wow1

This is one part of the new UN tx for a new agreement. still digesting

AWG LCA calls for more negotiating sessions

Bonn Climate Change Talks March 2009
Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action
under the Convention (AWG-LCA 5)
Bonn, Germany 8 April 2009.


The Chair has called for new talks in 10-14 August (in Bonn) and 2-6 November (place TBA).