À Dubaï, coup d’envoi de la COP des ambitions
UNO/COP28: Kinderrecht auf einen nachhaltigen Planeten garantieren
By Vatican News
COP (Conference of the Parties) is the supreme
decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC), which was adopted in 1992 at the UN Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED), known as the “Earth Summit”, held in
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) shortly after the first assessment report issued in
1990 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The panel includes the world’s leading climate
scientists, who in the past decades have provided policymakers with regular,
comprehensive, and authoritative scientific assessments on climate science
knowledge, and specifically on the link between climate change and human
activities, building on the work of thousands of scientists worldwide.
Based on the first IPCC Report, the 1992 UN Convention
established an international environmental treaty to combat "dangerous
human interference with the climate system", in part by stabilizing
greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, though it did not bind
signatories to reduce emissions and gave no targets or timetables for doing so.
However, it required frequent meetings between the ratifying countries, known
as the above-mentioned Conferences of the Parties.
The Convention was originally signed by 154 states. As
of 2023, it has been ratified by 198 countries.
Since entering into force in 1994, the UNFCCC has
provided the basis for international climate negotiations. Since 1995, when the
first COP was held in Berlin (Germany), Parties have met every year to measure
progress and negotiate multilateral responses to climate change.
Two landmark agreements
Negotiations have resulted in two landmark
agreements: the Kyoto Protocol (1997) requiring developed countries
to reduce emissions, and the Paris Agreement (2015), in which, after
25 years of difficult negotiations, 196 parties pledged to reduce their
greenhouse gas emissions, with enhanced support to assist developing countries
to do so.
Its central aim is to strengthen the global response
to the threat of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this
century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue
efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Although the U.S. originally signed the agreement, the
Trump Administration pulled out in 2017. U.S President Joe Biden re-entered the
United States in the Agreement in 2021, soon after his election. However,
since the adoption of the Paris Agreement progress in its implementation,
namely in reducing emissions, has been slow.
Another major breakthrough came from COP -27 in Sharm
el-Sheikh in 2022 which established the Loss and Damage Fund, aimed to
provide financial assistance to poorer nations as they deal with the negative
consequences that arise from the unavoidable risks of climate change (rising
sea levels, extreme heat waves, desertification, forest fires, crop failures
etc.).
The funding will help vulnerable nations to rebuild
the necessary physical and social infrastructure. While the fund is undoubtedly
a historic breakthrough, its success largely depends on how quickly nations are
able to get the fund up and running.
The COP-28 to be held in Dubai , United Arab Emirates,
from November 30 to December 12, 2023, will carry out the first global
assessment of the Paris Agreement. The question of fossil fuels will once again
be at the heart of discussions.
Timeline*
1992-1994 – The ground-breaking Rio Earth Summit
and the UNFCCC
The summit results in some of the first international
agreements on climate change, which become the foundation for future accords.
Among them is the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which aims
to prevent “dangerous” human interference in the climate system, acknowledges
that human activities contribute to climate change, and recognizes climate
change as an issue of global concern. The UNFCCC, which went into force in
1994, does not legally bind signatories to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
gives no targets or timetables for doing so. But it requires frequent meetings
between the ratifying countries, known as the Conference of the Parties, or
COP. As of 2023 it has been ratified by 198 countries.
1995 - First meeting of UNFCCC signatories in
Berlin (COP1)
UNFCCC signatories gather for the first Conference of
the Parties, or COP1, in Berlin. The United States pushes back against legally
binding targets and timetables, but it joins other parties in agreeing to
negotiations to strengthen commitments on limiting greenhouse gases. The
concluding document, known as the Berlin Mandate lays the groundwork for what
will be the Kyoto Protocol, but it is criticized by environmental activists as
a political solution that does not prompt immediate action.
1997 Kyoto Protocol, first legally binding climate
treaty adopted at COP23
At COP3 in Japan, the conference adopts the Kyoto
Protocol The legally binding treaty requires developed countries to reduce
emissions by an average of 5 percent below 1990 levels and establishes a system
to monitor countries’ progress. But the protocol does not compel developing
countries, including high carbon emitters China and India, to take action. It
also creates a carbon market for countries to trade emissions units and
encourage sustainable development, a system known as “cap and trade.” Countries
must now work out the details of implementing and ratifying the protocol.
2001 - Breakthrough in Bonn, but without the U.S.
The Kyoto Protocol is in jeopardy after talks collapse
in November 2000 and the United States withdraws in March 2001, with Washington
(pressurized by petroleum lobbies) saying that the protocol is not in the
country’s “economic best interest.” In July 2001, negotiators in Bonn, Germany,
reach breakthroughs on green technology, agreements on emissions trading, and
compromises on how to account for carbon sinks (natural reservoirs that take in
more carbon than they release). In October, countries agree on the rules for
meeting targets set by the Kyoto Protocol, paving the way for its entry into
force.
2005 - The Kyoto Protocol takes effect
The Kyoto Protocol enters into force in February after
it is ratified by enough countries to account for at least 55 percent of global
emissions. Notably, it does not include the United States, the world’s leading
carbon emitter. Between 2008 and 2012, when the protocol is set to expire,
countries are supposed to reduce emissions by their pledged amounts: the
European Union commits to reduce emissions by 8 percent below 1990 levels,
Japan commits to 5 percent, and Russia commits to keeping levels steady with
1990 levels.
2007 - Negotiations begin for Kyoto 2.0
Before COP13 in Bali, Indonesia, the UN
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) releases a new strongly-worded
report yet confirming that global warming is “most likely” caused by human
activity. During the conference, discussions begin on a stronger successor to
the Kyoto Protocol. But they come to a standstill after the United States
objects to a widely backed proposal that calls for all industrialized nations
to cut greenhouse gas emissions by specific targets. U.S. officials argue that
developing countries must also make commitments. Washington eventually backs
down, and the parties adopt the Bali Action Plan, which establishes the goal of
drafting a new climate agreement by 2009.
September 2009 - U.S. joins bold statements at
UN
Three months ahead of the target date for a new
agreement, several world leaders pledge actions during a UN summit on climate
change hosted by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Chinese President Hu Jintao
announces a plan to cut emissions by a “notable margin” by 2020, marking the
first time Beijing commits to reducing its rate of greenhouse gas emissions.
Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama pledges to reduce emissions by 25
percent. U.S. newly elected President Barack Obama, in his first UN address, says
the United States is determined to act and lead, but he doesn’t offer any new
proposals. Ban expresses hope that leaders will reach a “substantive deal”
during the upcoming conference in Copenhagen.
December 2009 - Disappointment at COP15 in Copenhagen
(Denmark)
The successor to the Kyoto Protocol is supposed to be
finalized at COP15 in Copenhagen, but the parties only come up with a
nonbinding document that is “taken note of,” not adopted. The Copenhagen Accord
acknowledges that global temperatures should not increase by 2°C (3.6°F) above
preindustrial levels, though representatives from developing countries sought a
target of 1.5°C (2.7°F). (A 2009 report from the American Meteorological
Society predicts a 3.5°C [6.3°F] to 7.4°C [13.3°F] increase in less than one
hundred years). After leading the negotiations, U.S. President Barack Obama
tells the conference that the accord is “not enough.” Some countries later vow
to follow the accord—though it remains non-binding—and make their own pledges.
2010 Temperature target set at COP16 in Cancun
(Mexico)
There is increased pressure to reach a consensus in
Mexico during COP16 after the failure in Copenhagen and NASA’s announcement
that 2000–2009 was the warmest decade ever recorded. Countries commit for the
first time to keep global temperature increases below 2°C in the Cancun
Agreements. Approximately eighty countries, including China, India, and the
United States, as well as the European Union, submit emissions reduction
targets and actions, and they agree on stronger mechanisms for monitoring
progress. But analysts say it’s not enough to stay below the 2°C target. The
Green Climate Fund, a $100 billion fund to assist developing countries in
mitigating and adapting to climate change, is also established. As of 2019,
only around $3 billion has been contributed.
2011- New accord at COP17 to apply to all countries
The conference in Durban, South Africa, nearly fails
after the world’s three biggest polluters—China, India, and the United
States—reject an accord proposed by the European Union. But they eventually
agree to work toward drafting a new, legally binding agreement in 2015 at the
latest. The new agreement will differ from the Kyoto Protocol in that it will
apply to both developed and developing countries. With the Kyoto Protocol set
to expire in a few months, the parties agree to extend it until 2017.
2012 - No deal at COP 18 in Doha
Negotiators in Doha for COP18 extend the Kyoto
Protocol until 2020, but remaining participants account for just 15 percent of
global greenhouse gas emissions. By this time, Canada has withdrawn from the
treaty, and Japan and Russia say they will not accept new commitments. (The
United States never signed on.) Environmental groups criticize countries for
not reaching an effective agreement as Typhoon Bopha slams the Philippines,
which they say exemplifies a rise in extreme weather caused by climate change.
One of the conference’s successes is the Doha Amendment, under which developed
countries agree to assist developing countries mitigate and adapt to the
effects of climate change. The agreement also sets delegates on the path toward
a new treaty.
2013 - G77’s lead negotiators walk out at COP19
in Warsaw (Poland)
During the first week of COP19 in Poland, a grouping
of developing countries, known as the Group of Seventy-Seven (G77), and China
propose a new funding mechanism to help vulnerable countries deal with “loss
and damage” caused by climate change. Developed countries oppose the mechanism,
so the G77’s lead negotiators walk out of the conference. Talks eventually
resume, and governments agree to a mechanism that falls short of what
developing countries wanted. Countries also agree on how to implement an initiative
to end deforestation known as REDD+, but the conference is described by
analysts as the “least consequential COP in several years”.
2015 - Landmark Paris Agreement reached
196 countries agree to what experts call the
most significant global climate agreement in history, known as the Paris
Agreement. Unlike past accords, it requires nearly all countries—both developed
and developing—to set emissions reduction goals. However, countries can choose
their own targets and there are no enforcement mechanisms to ensure they meet
them. Under the agreement, countries are supposed to submit targets known as
nationally determined contributions (NDCs). The mission of the Paris Agreement,
which enters into force in November 2016, is to keep global temperature rise
below 2°C and pursue efforts to keep it below 1.5°C. But analysts urge more
action to achieve this goal. In 2017, President Donald J. Trump withdraws the
United States from the agreement, saying that it imposes “draconian financial
and economic burdens” on the country.
2018 - Rules for Paris Agreement decided
Just ahead of COP24 in Katowice, Poland, a new IPCC
report warns of devastating consequences—including stronger storms and
dangerous heat waves—if the average global temperature rises 1.5°C above
preindustrial levels and projects that it could reach that level by 2030.
Despite the report, countries do not agree to stronger targets. They do,
however, largely settle on the rules for implementing the Paris accord,
covering questions including how countries should report their emissions. They
do not agree on rules for carbon trading, however, and push that discussion to
2019.
September 2019- UN General Secretary plans Climate
Action Summit
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres organizes the UN
Climate Action Summit for world leaders in New York. Countries are mandated by
the Paris Agreement to submit revised NDCs by the following year, so the
meeting is a chance for leaders to share their ideas. But leaders of the
world’s top carbon-emitting countries, including the United States and China,
do not attend. At the summit, Guterres asks countries to submit plans to cut
greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by
2050.
December 2019- Lack of progress at COP25 in Madrid
(Spain)
COP25 is marked by a lack of progress on major climate
issues despite a year of dire warnings from scientists, record heatwaves, and
worldwide protests demanding action. Negotiators are unable to finalize rules
for a global carbon market, and they disagree over whether to compensate
developing countries devastated by effects of climate change including rising
sea levels and extreme weather. The conference’s final declaration does not
explicitly call on countries to increase their climate pledges made under the
Paris Agreement, and Secretary-General Guterres describes the talks as a lost
opportunity.
April 2020 - Talks postponed amid COVID-19 pandemic
The United Nations postpones COP26, originally
scheduled for November 2020, until 2021 because of a pandemic of a new
coronavirus disease, known as COVID-19. Countries were expected to strengthen
their emissions reduction goals set under the Paris Agreement at the conference
in Glasgow. Amid the pandemic, emissions fall worldwide as many countries
implement nationwide shutdowns that drastically slow economic activity. But
experts predict that the reductions won’t last, with governments under pressure
to boost output and disregard the environment to save their struggling
economies.
July 2021 – States update pledges ahead of COP26 in
Glasgow (Scotland)
More than one hundred countries, altogether accounting
for nearly 60 percent of Paris Agreement signatories, meet the deadline to
submit updated NDCs ahead of COP26 in November. Some of the top emitters
propose more ambitious targets. President Joe Biden announces that the United
States will aim to cut its emissions to roughly half of its 2005 level by 2030,
doubling President Obama’s commitment. Meanwhile, China and India, responsible
for roughly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, miss the
deadline. An IPCC report [PDF] released the following month predicts that the
world will reach or exceed 1.5°C of warming within the next two decades even if
nations drastically cut emissions immediately.
2021 - 1.5°C goal maintained at COP26 in Glasgow
COP26 President Alok Sharma says commitments made
during the conference keep the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting warming to
1.5°C “alive” but its “pulse is weak.” The final agreement, the Glasgow Climate
Pact, calls for countries to reduce coal use and fossil fuel subsidies—both
firsts for a UN climate agreement—and urges governments to submit more
ambitious emissions-reduction targets by the end of 2022. In addition,
delegates finally establish rules for a global carbon market. Smaller groups of
countries make notable side deals on deforestation, methane emissions, coal,
and more. But analysts note that even if countries follow through on their
pledges for 2030 and beyond, the world’s average temperature will still rise
2.1°C (3.8°F).
2022 - Breakthrough on Loss and Damage at COP27 in
Sharm el-Sheikh
At COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, nations agree [PDF] for
the first time to establish a fund to compensate poor and vulnerable countries
for losses and damages due to climate change, though the details are left
undecided. Also for the first time, the conference’s final communiqué calls for
global financial institutions to revamp their practices to address the climate
crisis. However, countries don’t commit to phasing down use of all fossil
fuels, and a goal to reach peak emissions by 2025 is removed from the communiqué.
Guterres says that continuing to use fossil fuels means “double trouble” for
the planet.
*(Source: https://www.cfr.org/timeline/un-climate-talks)
