Postponing once more

Postponing until 2015

Facts for nature

The last decennia we could see a growing amount of deforestation and forest degradation, through agricultural expansion, conversion to pastureland, infrastructure development, to grow more economical productive goods not for healthy consumption but for so called bio-energy and very bad fatproducts for industry like palm-oil.  The destructive logging, fires etc., account for nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than the entire global transportation sector and second only to the energy sector.

Forest lake in summer (Photo credit: Axel-D)

By the years the amount of natural disasters pushed it in the face of the stubborn human beings that they were destroying nature with terrible consequences. You would have thought that by now most people would clearly see and understand that in order to constrain the impacts of climate change within limits that society will reasonably be able to tolerate, the global average temperatures must be stabilized within two degrees Celsius. This will be practically impossible to achieve without reducing emissions from the forest sector, in addition to other mitigation actions.

REDD

Forest Transition Theory (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is high time that we come to a fundamental system of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD). This will implement an effort to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in low-carbon paths to sustainable development.

“REDD+” goes beyond deforestation and forest degradation, and includes the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

We all should look for the footprint of a product when we buy something and should try to limit our demands on ‘mother’ nature.

Procession of Echternach

It is incredible how the world does not want to see how it does not only make a political and financial mess of this world, but worse how it destroys our living quarters.

Kyoto was intended to cut global emissions of greenhouse gases. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Already for years they say they are going to talk about “loss and damage” and would look into the matter how to avoid further global warming. Many thought that the Kyoto Protocol which was been ratified by 192 of the UNFCCC Parties would have been a first step to continues steps forwards, but now it looked like they were going backwards.

Saleemul Huq, the scientific advisor whose work on loss and damage helped put the issue of recompense on the conference agenda of the 132 nations who make up the G77 and China negotiating bloc, said G77 negotiators had walked out of talks at 4am on Wednesday:

“The behaviour of Australia’s negotiators was poor, they were being extremely insensitive, wearing t-shirts  …

“This is a serious issue. We are talking about life and death, people are dying from Typhoon Haiyan, we’ve got people on hunger strike here. You don’t trivialise these issues, by giggling, and marking brackets around anything. It is just not done.”

“Discussions were going well in a spirit of co-operation, but at the end of the session on loss and damage Australia put everything agreed into brackets, so the whole debate went to waste.”

Some observers say Australia’s poor reputation is not entirely deserved, because some developing countries were taking an equally hard line attitude on some crucial issues – for instance in their refusal to be drawn into committing to their own emission reduction targets. Developed countries see this as an equally provocative move that could short-circuit a Paris agreement.

A “we are not guilty for the choices made in Warsaw” attitude.

UN Climate Change Conference 2013

A spokeswoman for Climate Action Network was not surprised the majority would have found a scapegoat. A whipping boy was very convenient for the many countries who preferred to see their economic business growing and could reverberate those greenies of their country saying it was not their guilt the partners could not to an agreement to reduce the pollution and work at the climate change.

Before the conference started we saw many enthusiast youngsters leaving Brussels by train. They did not stay until the end of the conference but became back with their tale between their legs as a beaten dog. First they were full of hope and thought this time it was going to succeed to get a revolving point and to start working positively at reducing the continued pollution. They were convinced that this time Warsaw was going to set a pathway for governments to work on a draft text of a new universal climate agreement so the next UN Climate change conference in Peru would not otherwise be an essential step to reach a final agreement in Paris, in 2015,

Representatives of most of the world’s poor countries had walked out of increasingly fractious climate negotiations after the EU, Australia, the US and other developed countries had insisted that the question of who should pay compensation for extreme climate events be discussed only after 2015 and after Japan clearly showed no sign to reduce its nuclear energy scheme. And China where there is going on a very big expansion and building craze China, has long resisted anything that smacks of international oversight of its domestic emissions goals. Other countries including India, Venezuela and other members of the “like-minded group”, some of whom have a history of obstructing the talks, are also opposed the ideas of the Western countries.

Connie Hedegaard, EU climate commissioner ruled out the most important demand of the developing countries:

“The EU understands that the issue is incredibly important for developing countries. But they should be careful about … creating a new institution. This is not [what] this process needs,”

“We cannot have a system where we have automatic compensation when severe events happen around the world. That is not feasible.”

Harjeet Singh, ActionAid Internatonal’s spokesman on disaster risk, said:

“The US, EU, Australia and Norway remain blind to the climate reality that’s hitting us all, and poor people and countries much harder. They continue to derail negotiations in Warsaw that can create a new system to deal with new types of loss and damage such as sea-level rise, loss of territory, biodiversity and other non-economic losses more systematically.”

On Saturday the 23rd of November the UN Climate Change Conference in Warsaw ended not so positively, though they themselves feel that they are keeping governments on a track towards a universal climate agreement in 2015 and that they can reach significant new decisions that will cut emissions from deforestation and on loss and damage.

In the clear until 2015

In the context of 2015, countries decided to initiate or intensify domestic preparation for their intended national contributions towards that agreement, which will come into force from 2020. Parties ready to do this will submit clear and transparent plans well in advance of COP 21, in Paris, and by the first quarter of 2015.

Christiana Figueres (Photo credit: lisboncouncil)

Countries also resolved to close the pre- 2020 ambition gap by intensifying technical work and more frequent engagement of Ministers. The conference also decided to establish an international mechanism to provide most vulnerable populations with better protection against loss and damage caused by extreme weather events and slow onset events such as rising sea levels. Detailed work on the so – called “Warsaw international mechanism for loss and damage” will begin next year.

“We have seen essential progress. But let us again be clear that we are witnessing ever more frequent, extreme weather events, and the poor and vulnerable are already paying the price,”

said Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

“Now governments, and especially developed nations, must go back to do their homework so they can put their plans on the table ahead of the Paris conference,” she said.

Curbing emissions and financing

In addition, governments provided more clarity on mobilizing finance to support developing country actions to curb emissions and adapt to climate change.

This includes requesting developed countries to prepare biennial submissions on their updated strategies and approaches for scaling up finance between 2014 and 2020.

The Warsaw meeting also resulted in concrete announcements of forthcoming contributions of public climate finance to support developing nation action, including from Norway, the UK, EU, US, Republic of Korea, Japan, Sweden, Germany and Finland.

Meanwhile, the Green Climate Fund Board is to commence its initial resource mobilization process as soon as possible and developed countries were asked for ambitious, timely contributions by COP 20, in December, next year, to enable an effective operationalization.

Cutting emissions from deforestation

Deforestation (Photo credit: adriansalamandre)

Today’s agreements included a significant set of decisions on ways to help developing countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and the degradation of forests, which account for around one fifth of all human – generated emissions.

The Warsaw Framework for REDD+ is backed by pledges of 280 million dollars financing from the US, Norway and the UK. President Korolec said:

“I am proud of this concrete accomplishment. We are all aware of the central role that forests play as carbon sinks, climate stabilizers and biodiversity havens. Through our negotiations we have made a significant contribution to forest preservation and sustainable use which will benefit the people who live in and around them and humanity and the planet as a whole.
And I am proud that this instrument was named the Warsaw Framework for REDD+.”

Further progress in help for developing nations

In Warsaw, a milestone was passed after 48 of the poorest countries of the world finalized a comprehensive set of plans to deal with the inevitable impacts of climate change. With these plans, the countries can better assess the immediate impacts of climate change and what they need in the way of support to become more resilient.

Developed countries, including Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland have also paid or pledged over 100 million dollars to add to the Adaptation Fund, which has now started to fund national projects.

Governments completed work on the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) so that it can immediately respond to requests from developing countries for advice and assistance on the transfer of technology.

The CTCN is open for business and is encouraging developing countries to set up focal points to accelerate the transfer of technology.

Climate action at all levels

Comparison of the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by the three alternatives. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

COP19 has been a showcase for climate action by business, cities, regions and civil society. The UNFCCC secretariat also celebrated its annual Momentum for Change lighthouse activity awards for climate actions that demonstrate positive results through innovative finance, by women and the urban poor.

In addition, Momentum for Change launched a new initiative focusing on contributions by information and technology sector to curb emissions and increase adaption capacity.

“A groundswell of action is happening at all levels of society. All major playerscame to COP19 to show not only what they have done but to think what more they can do. Next year is also the time for them to turn ideas into further concrete action,”

Ms. Figueres said.

2014 New York Summit / next UNFCCC meeting

In Warsaw, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reiterated his invitation to all governments, and leaders from finance, business, local government and civil society, to a climate summit in New York on 23 September 2014.

This will be a solutions summit, complementing the UNFCCC negotiations.

“I ask all who come to bring bold a nd new announcements and action.
By early 2015, we need those promises to add up to enough real action to keep us below the internationally agreed two degree temperature rise,”

he said.

The next UNFCCC meeting of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform is to take place in Bonn from 10 to 14, March, 2014.

Profitable disasters

Does the world need Profitable disasters before they really would be wiling to look seriously into the matter of Global Warming? And when there goes something wrong in the world, having a disaster with a tsunami, an earthquake, mudslide is it still not the easiest way to blame a Supreme Higher Being and say “Bad things are punishment from God? The adversary (Satan) of the Divine Creator is already running millions of years on this earth, but those in charge are forgetting that people are becoming wiser and shall start to understand that there is no God involved in their business and warming up of this planet.

Norway (Photo credit: mishox)

*

Note:

UN-REDD Programme = the United Nations collaborative initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD) in developing countries. The Programme was launched in 2008 and builds on the convening role and technical expertise of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The UN-REDD Programme supports nationally-led REDD+ processes and promotes the informed and meaningful involvement of all stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples and other forest-dependent communities, in national and international REDD+ implementation.

 

Key Documents
	UN-REDD Programme Strategy 2011-2015 English – Français – Español
	UN-REDD Programme Framework Document
	UN-REDD Programme Rules of Procedure and Operational Guidance English – Français – Español Frequently Asked Questions English – Français – Español

+

Poor countries walk out of UN climate talk over compensation for pollution

Profitable disasters

Facing disaster fatigue

Self inflicted misery #2 Weakness of human race

Videos on The Ecological-effects of global warming

+++

 

Related articles

• COP19 – All countries accept emissions targets (theecologist.org)
  Thirty hours after the climate conference in Warsaw should have ended, a series of compromises rescued the talks from collapse, although the deal fell far short of developing countries’ original expectations.

  The last stumbling block preventing agreement was overcome with an addition to the climate convention (UNFCCC), enabling the use of an existing mechanism to provide money from rich nations for loss and damage suffered by developing countries because of extreme climate events and long-term problems like rising sea levels.

  This would potentially allow the Philippines to apply for funds to help with the effects of this month’s super-typhoon.

• World has “homework” to do after Warsaw climate talks (energylivenews.com)
  The world’s ministers must go back to their own nations and crack on with “homework” after climate talks in Warsaw (pictured), according to UK Energy Secretary Ed Davey.

  The aim of the meeting is to get all countries to agree on targets for cutting emissions to cap climate change.

  Admitting there are “many tough talks” ahead, Mr Davey said: “The world now has a work programme, with timetables.

• COP-19, UN Climate Change Conference 2013 Concluded At Warsaw, Poland (besuccessfulnews.wordpress.com)
  Key decisions adopted at this conference include decisions on further advancing the Durban Platform, the Green Climate Fund and Long-Term Finance, the Warsaw Framework for REDD Plus, the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage and other decisions
• Australia reputation hits new low over t-shirt climate diplomacy (reneweconomy.com.au)
  The Australian delegation was accused of blocking all avenues of agreement, placing brackets around any text that was approaching consensus and, worst of all – of wearing t-shirts, “giggling”, and of being “cavalier and insensitive.”
• Poor countries walk out of UN climate talks as compensation row rumbles on (climate-connections.org)
  Australian ambassador Justin Lee, who is heading Australia’s delegation following its decision not to send a minister to the talks, rejected criticism the country had been obstructive during negotiations, in particular related to possible financial commitments.

  “Australia is engaging in negotiations constructively,” Lee said. “Australia wants progress on negotiation of an agreement that sets up effective global action based on broad participation. Major economies and Australia’s key trading partners will need to participate and Australia will move in step with them, protecting our competitiveness.”

• Climate negotiators struggle to find agreement in Warsaw (irishtimes.com)
  Amid what European climate action commissioner Connie Hedegaard called the “mess” and “complete confusion” of the final day, with informal consultations, stocktaking sessions, bilateral meetings and straightforward horse-trading behind closed doors, there was a glimmer of hope.Delegates burst into cheers at the concluding session on forests after a long-awaited agreement was reached on reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation – REDD+ in UN parlance. This was welcomed by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) as “a fabulous example of the UN climate process in action”.

  But Alden Meyer, a veteran UCS representative at climate talks, said the principal negotiating text on other crunch issues was still woefully inadequate and that the $100 million (€74 million) pledged here by developed countries in aid was a “drop in the bucket” compared to what would be needed.

• US backs timetable for global climate deal at Warsaw talks (theguardian.com)
  The US has thrown its weight firmly behind the push for a clear timetable towards a global deal on climate change, in a move that may help break the deadlock at the United Nations talks in Warsaw.

  A clear timeline setting out when countries should make public their targets on greenhouse gas emissions, and how those targets should be assessed by other participants, has been a major sticking point in the final hours of the long-running talks.
  +
  Elsewhere in the talks, an agreement was forged on the “measurement, reporting and verification” of emissions. This has been a long-running issue, as some developing countries including China have been wary that it could be interpreted as international control over their domestic emissions. However, they have received assurances that their sovereignty will not be threatened by such monitoring. A similar mechanism has also been agreed for the future of Redd, a scheme for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

• Mixed Reactions to Climate Change Talks (thejakartaglobe.com)
  Ari said there was one pressing issue that did not find a solution during the talks.

  “In adaptation, there are four main agendas — National Adaptation Plan, Lost and Damage, Nairobi Work Program and the Adaptation Committee — that we unfortunately did find an agreement in term of lost and damage,” he said.

  Developing countries including Indonesia, he said, believe that an institution specifically dealing with loss and damage because of climate change must be set up while the developed countries think that such an institution will not be necessary.

  “Regardless the effort to tackle the impact of climate change, loss and damage because of global warming have happened. Look at typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines or the Forest Fires in Riau,” he said.