From Copenhagen to Cancun - The Cancun Agreements
Marc Stal, Monday 13 December 2010
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| Source: http://change.nature.org |
The two weeks of negotiations, briefings, meetings, exhibitions, side events, social events and much more during the Cancun Climate Change Conference came to an end on Saturday, the 10 December 2010. 12.000 participants including almost 5400 representatives of UN bodies and agencies, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, almost 5200 governmental officials and 1270 members of the press were present.
Cancun was focusing on a negotiation process aiming to enhance long-term cooperation under the convention - as the Kyoto Protocol is coming to an end in 2012.
Unlike the Copenhagen Conference at the end of 2009, the expectations to reach such an agreement in Cancun were modest; however, hope for a progress in Cancun remained.
Whilst the main purpose of the conference was on the negotiations, a lot of meetings, briefings, side events and external events were held around the pending topic of Climate Change. Exhibitions and side events were given providing important information and state of the art research of institutions, agencies and companies related to climate change issues. The two weeks have been, once again, an opportunity for the climate change community and others to present their work, gather and provide ideas, extend and focus networks and herewith influence the negotiations. But how much influence could be provided?
The COP16 resulted in the "Cancun Agreements"; parties had finalized these agreements, reflecting five years of work, with decisions both under the Convention and the Protocol. The Agreements contain provisions on adaptation, REDD+, technology, mitigation and finance. Being satisfied to reach an agreement, it is mostly acknowledged that this is a small step in combating climate change. However, According to the UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christina Figueres, "The beacon of hope has been reignited and faith in the multilateral climate change process has been restored".
The meeting resulted in various positive outcomes such as the establishment of the green fund, the Technology Mechanism and the Cancun Adaptation Framework. It still remains open if the 2011 Climate Change conference in Durban, South Africa will provide the outcome of a legally binding agreement, especially as the second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol was not established.
After all, thank you Mexico for being a perfect host, providing the world with a glimpse into your hospitality and beautiful culture and country with its friendly and caring people. However, the question remains on what happens to countries that do not meet the Kyoto targets in 2012?
Source: Earth Negotiations Bulletin
For more information and a good overview about the UNFCCC process, please refer to the IISD Reporting Service Online at: http://sids-l.iisd.org/
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What is the price tag for a Human?
- The Economics of Climate Adaptation
Marc Stal, Friday 10 December 2010 from Cancún, Mexico
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In Fridays Swiss Side event about the economics of climate change adaptation, Anton Hilber Adaptation Fund Board Alternate Member and DEZA representative, introduced the side event highlighting the need for quantitative approaches for better decision making on a country level identifying the country specific priorities. He stated that the adaptation fund board is at operational level, although the quantification of country needs remains important.
Warren Evans, Director World Bank presented the series of reports being launched within the Economics of Adaptation to Climate Change (EACC) Study. EACC covers a 2°C warmer world scenario being the level to assume on how much to Adapt. The main lessons that can be drawn from the study are that adaptation is cost effective, if no action on adaptation is taken, it is more costly in the long run. Additionally, economic development is a central element of adaptation and it is very important to invest in human capital and sustainable development. Adaptation, development and poverty reduction are intertwined. EACC recommends that tackling uncertainty and weather related risks is key as well as indigenous knowledge. However, Adaptation should also go beyond hard adaption and good policies are important.
David Bresch, Swiss Delegate and Swiss Re representative, presented on a similar study, the Economics of Climate Adaptation (ECA) study. He stated that Up to 60% of the currently projected GDP loss from climate change between now and 2030 could be averted through cost effective adaptation measures. He restated that ecosystem services are crucial to make societies more resilient and highlighted that the study provides a price tag for risks.
Axel Michaelowa, Perspective and University of Zürich highlighted another study, this study aims to provide new approaches on efficienct adaptation financing. He presented on indicators for the selection of projects including a ranking and timing of incentives. However, he identified that human lives and ecological damages are hard to monetorize. Due to scarce resources, the allocation of money is important and the study identified three different indicators for an allocation approach, Adaption Projects should be ranked according to Saved Wealth, Saved Health, and Environmental Benefits.
Saleemul Huq, IIED lead the panel discussion stating that it remains very important to focus on the most vulnerable people and this should not be forgotten whilst dealing with all these numbers.
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All about Adaptation
Marc Stal, 08 December 2010 from Cancún, Mexico
Another UN high level panel highlighted today the concerted actions that are being taken by the UN System to assist countries and vulnerable communities. Representatives of UNDP, WMO, UN Habitat, UNISDR and WFP highlighted their respective strategies and efforts to assist countries helping to manage climate-related risks in their efforts to achieve sustainable, socio-economic development.
Within this general message of assistance, Helena Molin Valdes, the Deputy Director of UN ISDR highlighted especially the close links of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation, emphasizing the Hyogo Framework for Action to build resilience to communities and nations.
Thomas Loster MRF presenting CCEMA
In the side event organized by the Climate Change, Environment and Migration Alliance (CCEMA) about understanding impacts and finding solutions of climate and environment related migration, Lacy Swing from the International Organisation for Migration gave an overview about migration as such – focusing on slow and fast onset disasters that trigger displacement. He mentioned that climate change may be a positive adaptation strategy to combat climate change impacts. He urged for the need of integrated solutions, hence the incorporation of migration into the wider DRR, Climate Change Adaptation and Sustainable Development context. The main challenge according to Swin gis on how to manage environmental migration systematically in the long run and not just deal with upcoming issues.
Konrad Osterwalder, Director United Nations University, he highlighted the crucial points of education and scientific research as the main needs for change and emphasized that capacity building is key. HE again highlighted the sytems thinking of incorporating migration into an hollisitc approach before presenting on the overall work of the UNU.
Thomas Loster from the Munich Re Foundation explained the CCEMA as a multi-stakeholder global partnership aiming to bring together actors representing a range of perspectives including environment, migration, development and humanitarian assistance. CCEMAs objective is to bring migration considerations to the environment, development, and climate change agendas and vice versa.
Jose Miguel Guzman from the UN Population Fund presented on Population Puesta en ventanilla Dynamics, Mobility and Climate Change. He mentioned that vulnerability and populations are dynamic and presented linkages on cc related drought vulnerability and urbanization.
Mohamed Mijarul Quayes a parliamentary representative from Bangladesh focusing rather on displacement than on migration as he sees displacement urges the issue of people been forced to move. It is important that we realize the dynamics between climate change and the increasing vulnerability forcing mass displacements.
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The 50/50/50 challenge – insurance and adaptation
Marc Stal, 07 December 2010 from Cancún, Mexico
SG Ban Ki Moon made his presence today at the Side Event of the UN System delivering as ONE on climate change: supporting implementation. The high-level side event addressed climate change as a means for countries to reach their development goals highlighting several issues such as deforestation, energy, institutional capacities and providing examples from Indonesia and Mozambique.
The SG joins the high level panel
The SG emphasized that climate change has been the top priority of the SG and that it is on top of the agenda of the international community. He highlighted the progresses that have been made in deforestation, adaptation, technology dissemination and on the significant sector of climate change financing. By addressing these issues comprehensively, from Cancun onwards, we have to tackle the 50/50/50 challenge to better the world. The 50/50/50 challenge incorporates the 50% increase of global population with the reduction of 50% of global GHG emissions by 2050.
Todays side event about adaptation, risk reduction and insurance organized by the Munich Climate Insurance Initiative (MCII) provided a broad but detailed overview about studies, approaches and activities within Climate Change Adaptation Insurances.
Amongst others, David Bresch, Head Sustainability & Emerging Risk Management and Swiss Delegate presented on the economics of climate adaptation (ECCA), a study authored by the ECA working group. Bresch highlighted that the balance between prevention and insurance needs to be established to improve the resilience of societies.
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David Bresch, Swiss Re, providing his notes in the MCII side event |
Norbert Gorrison from the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety presented on the International Climate Initiative (ICI). Within the framework of the ICI projects have been financed worldwide in the field of Adaptation and Micro Insurance of an amount of over 1bio Euro.
Simon Young, CEO Carribean Risk Managers Ltd. provided information from the implementing perspective about CCRIF: Carribean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility on Demonstrating the utility of risk pooling as a climate change adaptation pool.
Steve Coffey from MicroEnsure highlighted issues of agricultural micro insurance schemes. In his example from Tanzania, a credit bundled to micro insurance seems to be a tool that already works in the field.
The floor covered questions of maladaptation and how the insurances get to the most vulnerable ones.
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The ministers arrive - Climate Change exacerbates
Marc Stal, 06 December 2010 from Cancún, Mexico
The first week of th
e negotiations has passed and the delegates have prepared the negotiation text for the minsters to agree upon. The next 5 days will be the days for the ministers to decide on what has been prepared since Copenhagen in order to reach a fair, ambitious and binding deal at the COP17 in Durban in 2011. At the end of the week it will also be clearer if there will be a second commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol. Let’s hope that the impacts of climate change - which are intensly discussed during side events at COP16 -can be reduced by the outcomes of COP16.
Movements in the Cancun Messe
At a side event about improving resilience to protect human health and welfare from the adverse affects of climate change organized by the World Health Organisation, the impacts of Climate Change were discussed amongst a broad plenary. The plenary consisted of Javier Hernández Valencia, OHCHR Representative Mexico office who presented the Human Rights framework in addressing adverse impacts of climate change, in particular, focusing on the right to health, access to food and social protection. Maria Neira, Director of Public Health and Environment Department presented an overview on Health and Climate Change.
Sheila Sisulu, Deputy Executive Director of the WFP linked health and nutrition, before minister representatives from Mocambique and Ecuador highlighted the impacts of Climate Change and Health in their respective countries.
An Intervention from a representative of the ILO (International labour association, provided the audience with the indirect impacts of climate change to labour activities and their indirect linkages to health.
In another intervention it was highlighted that the reduction of the impacts of Climate Change issues to Health has co benefits for states and the general wellbeing of a country.
Part of the WHO side event panel
Ms. Maria Neira closed the side event by highlighting that climate change is already exacerbating public health issues and that it is important to integrate these issues into the negotiation text to provide global awareness.
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Loss & Damage, Health and Edcuation
Marc Stal, 04 December 2010 from Cancún, Mexico
Climate Change is already impacting societies worldwide and resulting in loss and damage. This is a reality that is already discussed within the Adaptation context of the negotiations. However, the balance between adaptation and mitigation is not yet defined and currently around 80% of already allocated finances are focused on mitigation and less than 20% on Adaptation activities. According to the Copenhagen Accord, this should rather be a 50/50 quota. Therefore an adaptation framework has to be established with its institutions, goals and principles. Additionally, a mandate to agree a mechanism on loss and damage is necessary. However, currently the Long-term Cooperation Action (LCA) text provides some context for the reference to loss and damage providing a basis to get finances for Climate change triggered disaster and risk management activities.
Session on Climate Change and Health at the U.S. Center Cancun 2010
The United States of America are present at the COP16 with their U.S. Center 2010 Cancun. The U.S. Center is hosting side events centered around effective global responses to climate change. At todays U.S. Center side event Climate Change and Health, specialist Krisite L. Ebi (IPCC), John M. Balbus Senior Advisor for Public Health to the United States and Alexander von Hildebrand Panamerican Health Organisation, gave their insights into the potential health impacts, both current and future, of global climate change.
Dr. Ebi provided insights into the potential impacts of climate change reflecting on the exposure and vulnerabilities societies are facing, presenting data gathered within the IPCC 4th Assessment Report. She finalized by highlighting that public Health is a good focal point and has a long history for tackling weather related adaptation issues affecting human health.
John M. Balbus highlighted the need, that a proper health protection needs to be established to build population resilience responding to climate change. He further referred to the challenges of integrating climate science into public health practice, before providing a solution of the establishment of an individual agency on health and Climate Change. He additionally updated the audience about the activities of the U.S.’s new working group on climate change and human health.
Alexander von Hildebrand started his notes focusing on humans: “The real face of CC is human, it is about our health and that of our children.” He additionally mentioned that it is hard to measure the health effects from climate change, however since 2004 approximately 1mio. deaths can be linked to climate change and resulting health issues. As climate change is directly affecting the basic elements of health, health issues will increase with increasing climate change. He further reflected on several MDGs that are anyways hard to reach, with the impacts of climate change, it will be even harder to reach them. He finished is speech by stating that many diseases can be prevented by fighting climate change.
In a side event organized by UNESCO, success stories were shared about climate change awareness raising and education. The UNESCO SANDWATCH Project Education programme was mentioned as a success story. The programme can be presented in a nutshell with four letters M.A.S.T - Monitoring the environment . Analysing the results . Sharing the findings . Taking Action.
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REDUCTION: Climate Change Adaptation meets Disaster Risk Reduction & Reducing a member of the Kyoto Protocol
Marc Stal, 03 December 2010 from Cancún, Mexico
Innovative approaches for climate-resistant constructions are crucial for climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction. In a side event organized by the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) Alvaro Cabrera, INBARs Regional Coordinator for Latin America started the side event by providing examples from Guatemala on how to build sustainable bamboo houses with new technologies. These houses are mainly build in Guatemalan illegal settlements, providing the owner with shelter from the sun, rain and floods. The INBAR project is proven to be a sustainable and environmental friendly solution for the integration of poverty reduction, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. Additionally, the project aims for replicability in other countries such as Ecuador and Peru.
Julio Garcia , UNISDR and the rest of the Panel organized by INBAR
Julio Garcia, UNISDR Regional Officer for the Americas stated in his following presentation that linking DRR and CCA provides ample of win-win opportunities especially as 75% of all disasters are climate related. He added to his presentation about the Hyogo Framework for Action that not only the hazards need to be managed but to focus on the risk drivers is very important and is herewith in complete agreement with GRF approach of integrative disaster risk management, covering all phases of the disaster risk cycle.
The aspect of integrative Disaster and Risk Management was further highlighted by Warren Evans, Director of the Environment Department of the World Bank who raised three interesting points. Firstly he referred to World Banks Development Market Place (DMP), which is a competition to bring innovative ideas into competition. In the DMP about Climate Change Adaptation programmes, INBARs project on Bamboo housing is amongst the winners of 1700 applicants. In his second point, Evans highlighted the broadening of the Adaptation and DRR Agenda, and the importance of bringing stakeholders of these activities together. His last point, was on focusing on implementation and the need to get good ideas, bring them together and replicate them.
Priyanka Kochar, fro
m the Energy and Resources Institute reflected on green buildings and their impacts on the Environment. She raised the need for implementation on the ground and for the production of standard for green housing as a green rating for ecosystem and sustainable environment design. Alberto Jiminez Merino, a representative of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies highlighted the importance of sustainable housing and the use of natural materials and the huge potential of Bamboo, especially for a country such as Mexico that faces extreme poverty, land degradation and fresh water decrease.
Where on the one hand reduction can be a very powerful tool to decrease disaster risk, the reduction of members of the Kyoto Protocol is rather a negative thing. Ironically, Japan announced earlier this week to leave the Kyoto Protocol, therefore today at COP16 – Greenpeace and the tcktcktck campaign tried to raise awareness about the big love for the Kyoto Protocol with a giant heart sending the message to Japan not to leave.
Love for the Kyoto Protocol – Don’t leave Japan
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ADAPT: Ecosystem based approaches and climate services
Marc Stal, 02 December 2010 from Cancún, Mexico
Ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation, which integrate the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services into an overall adaptation strategy, can be cost-effective adaptation options, often also contribute to mitigation and can generate social, economic and cultural co-benefits.
In a side event about ecosystem-based approaches organized by the European commission, Ronny Jumeau, Government of the Seychelles presented an overview about the challenges small island states face. He highlighted the fact that ecosystems are the wealth of the small island developing states like the Seychelles, and made the point that if ecosystems collapse, the economy also collapses. Being based on the tourism industry, the dependence on functioning ecosystems is crucial and the whole populations of the Seychelles are working towards the protection of these, by monitoring the beaches and the coral reefs.
Ronny Jumeau representing the Seychelles in ecosystem service approaches
Bonizella Biagini, Secretariat of the Global Environment Facility provided some insights about the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and its role for ecosystem services. She also highlighted that Integrated Disaster Risk Management strategies are a priority area for the LDCF that currently provides grants with an amount of US$ 530mio.
Tone Solhaug from the Government of Norway mentioned that Climate change is a threat to Biodiversity and said that: “We have to make sure that ecosystem services are functioning”. She continued by presenting findings from the TEEB Project about “The economics of ecosystems & biodiversity”
In another side event hosted by the WMO, Global Frameworks for Climate Services (GFCS) were discussed amongst Michel Jarraud, Secretary-General, WMO, Jan Egeland, Co-Chair, High-level Task Force on GFCS and Angus Friday, High-level Task Force on GFCS before a panel discussion was openened with more representatives from WFP, GCOS, UNESCO, FAO and UNU.
What exactly are climate services? Climate services is a fairly new term that involves the provision of climate information relevant for adaptation to climate change, long-term planning, and facilitating early warning systems.
The goal of the GFCS would be, that especially in vulnerable developing countries, a global operational climate service system is installed by 2016, and to identify how the GFCS can be implemented into the UNFCCC and into NAPAS (National Adaptation Plans for Action). The major challenge however is to get the global services into local action – hopefully this challenge will be solved in seven years.
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CHANGE - Commited to make progess?
Marc Stal, 01 December 2010 from Cancún, Mexico
Since the inspiring opening speech of Mexicans president Felipe Calderón, the negotiations about a new global treaty to tackle Climate Change continue in Cancun, Mexico at the COP16.
Cancun - the host city for the negotiations - has its own history of change. Before Cancun became a tourist attraction with all of its Hotels, Bars and Nightclubs, the area of Cancun was covered with Mangrove forests. Mangroves are known to store huge amounts of CO2 and additionally have ample ecosystem services, such as habitats for various species and protection against erosion or storms.
These issues of mitigation and adaptation to climate change are debated ever since the opening speech of Calderón on Monday, who highlighted that Climate Change is already affecting the poorest of the poor worldwide. He added to his speech that the eyes of the world are focusing on Cancun and that decision have to be made in the next two weeks.
The President of the Conference, Mexican Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa underlined the urge for action before it is too late. She said that we can only achieve the results if we commit to making progress.
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres said in her opening address that governments had revealed a growing convergence that a balanced set of decisions under both the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol could be an achievable outcome in Cancún. At the same time, a number of politically charged issues need to be resolved in order to reach such an outcome.
But what would be a successful outcome of the COP16? The key challenge is to continue the process of constructing a sound foundation for meaningful, long-term global action. However, unlike the COP15 in Copenhagen, the expectations for Cancun are not a legally binding outcome, but a balanced package of decisions that can take steps towards a legally binding outcome. Another difference to Copenhagen is the attention, the media is giving the current negotiations, where the Copenhagen meeting was one of the biggest media events of our times, the Cancun Conference is rarely covered. Let’s see what the next two weeks bring – one thing is for sure, no matter if the outcomes are positive or negative, they will bring change.
Sources: UNFCCC, aboutmyplanet.com, PEW Center Global Climate Action
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