December 2009

Röttgen: Aim is Still to Attain a Global Climate Change Agreement

Copenhagen Summit Ends with Minimum Consensus

The UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen fell short of expectations. After the conference, German Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen said, “We have not achieved what we wanted to achieve, but we have achieved what was possible. The alternative to achieving little would have been nothing at all. At least in the closing statement, China and the US have recognised the two degree target, have said they are willing to allow their actions to be subjected to monitoring and control, and have pledged ‘fast start’ financing for climate change efforts in developing countries. This is the foundation on which we must build.”

The conference threatened to collapse on several occasions. Towards the end, the Danish presidency called together a small group of 25 states – from all the regions of the world and with different levels of economic power – and worked with them to draft a closing statement. The substance of the agreement and the way it came about attracted vehement objections in the Plenary. Several developing countries said they could not approve an agreement that had been reached by a non-representative group. As a result, the COP merely ‘took note’ of the Copenhagen Accord.

Copenhagen Accord Remains Vague

The closing statement contains a very general reference to the target of keeping global warming to a maximum two degrees Celsius. Industrialised states and emerging economies have until 1 February 2010 to ‘inscribe’ their national reduction targets. They should also list the actions they intend to implement in order to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by a specific amount. To verify the reductions, an adequate methodology is to be negotiated at international level. The industrialised states are required to generate a total of USD 30 billion by 2012 to help poorer states achieve the switch to clean energy and adapt to climate change. An annual USD 100 billion must be made available by 2010, irrespective of the quantities and transparency of reduction measures.

Little progress was made with regard to further development of the Kyoto mechanisms. The results of the two ad hoc working groups on the Kyoto Protocol and the Climate Change Convention will serve as a basis for further negotiations in 2010. The COP/MOP negotiated only a few changes to the existing CDM/JI rules. A detailed analysis of the negotiations will be provided in a JIKO Info newsletter at the beginning of the year. 

Further Information

Text of the Copenhagen Accord (PDF)
Report of the AWG KP on the Kyoto Protocol (PDF)
Further guidance on the Clean Development Mechanism (PDF)
Guidance on the implementation of Article 6 of the Kyoto Protocol (Text on Joint Implementation) (PDF)
Summary of the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (PDF)