Doha Outcome on Climate Change Regime

█ By Batu Krishna Uprety

About 194 parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol (KP) with over 9,000 participants met in Doha of Qatar from November 26 to December 7. 2012 to review, negotiate and make decisions for the effective implementation of the Convention and the Protocol with the objectives of stabilising the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the atmosphere. Although it was the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC and the 8th meeting of the COP serving as the Meeting of the Parties (CMP) to the KP, it was the first one ever held in Arabian country and also in a country which emits huge amount of GHGs.

The parties discussed and negotiated outstanding issues in meetings of the two permanent subsidiary bodies (Subsidiary Body for Implementation, and Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice), and Ad hoc Working Groups (AWGs) [Long-term Cooperative Action (LCA), Further Commitments for Annex I Parties to the KP, and Durban Platform for Enhanced Action – ADP) and recommended two authoritative bodies (COP and CMP) for decisions. The AWG on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties to the KP was established in 2005 in Montreal during CMP1 to work on its Article 3.9 for subsequent commitment periods, i.e., second commitment period. The AWG-LCA was established in 2007 in Bali to negotiate on enhanced action on mitigation, adaptation, finance, and technology including shared vision and capacity building. The ADP was established in Durban in 2011 to develop a legal instrument or another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention applicable to all parties by 2015 and to be implemented from 2020.

Major Decisions

A number of decisions were taken to implement the Convention and the KP. Some of the decisions that are also relevant to Nepal to promote climate adaptation are summarised below:

1. Doha Climate Change Conference successfully completed the works of the AWG-KP and the AWG-LCA, and decided the work plan for ADP to streamline its future activities for raising ambition in pre-2020 period and develop a legal instrument for post-2020 period.
2. The parties to the Kyoto Protocol decided for 8 years second commitment period (2013-2020) that helps to GHG emissions with 18 per cent in aggregate, in spite of 5.2 per cent at 1990 level for the first commitment period (2008-2012). Although LDCs took stand till the last minute for reducing GHGs emissions at least by 45 per cent at 1990 level, Doha has, at least, saved multilateral climate change regime, and provided opportunities to implement the KP till 2020. It opens avenues to explore possibilities to increase the ambition level (reducing GHGs emissions).
3. Non-KP Parties will not be allowed to participate in the flexible mechanisms. For example, ‘only the Parties that have ratified the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol may continue to participate in the on-going project activities under Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocol’, i.e., Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).
4. The Parties are called for urgently working towards deep reduction in global GHG emissions required to hold the global average temperature to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. Doha decisions urged the developed countries to increase the ambition of their quantified economy-wide emission reduction targets to higher levels as recommended by science, also taking into consideration the IPCC (Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change) reports. Although the word ‘urge’ is sufficiently weak, it will help to keep the negotiation momentum.
5. The COP took into account the imperatives of equitable access to sustainable development, the survival of countries and protecting the integrity of Mother Earth.
6. The COP, its SBs and other bodies under the Convention will continue to work to enhance action on adaptation. Parties approved the three-year work programme of the Adaptation Committee (AC), and requested the AC to consider the establishment of an annual adaptation forum to raise awareness and ambition with regard to adaptation.
7. The ADP work plan has been agreed upon. The COP decided to make available a negotiating text before May 2015. Parties agreed to move to a more focused discussion in 2013, and identify and explore in 2013 options for a range of actions that can close the pre-2020 ambition gap. The ADP will consider elements of a draft negotiating text no later than COP 20 with a view to making available a negotiating text before May 2015.
8. The LDC Expert Group (LEG) will, in collaboration with the GEF and its agencies, explore issues related to accessing the LDC Fund, and further support LDCs to prepare their national adaptation plans. The support needs of the LDCs were realized for the formulation and implementation of national adaptation plans including the provision of support to the LDCs for the NAP process under the LDC Fund.
9. The COP agreed the role of the Convention in promoting the implementation of approaches to address loss and damage by, inter alia, enhancing knowledge and understanding of comprehensive risk management approaches; and enhancing action and support, including finance, technology and capacity building, to address loss and damage. The COP decided to establish at COP 19 institutional arrangements, such as an international mechanism, to address loss and damage in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.

The meeting of the world leaders that the UN Secretary-General has planned to organize in 2014, might help to keep climate change in the most priority agenda of the global leaders. Poland will host COP 19 and CMP 9 in Warsaw from 11 to 22 November 2013. The COP 20 and CMP 10 will be held in Latin America and the Caribbean; and France has offered to host COP 21 and CMP 11 in 2015. These COPs will have important role to streamline the work of the ADP for timely development of the post-2020 legal regime on climate change to reduce GHGs emission that are applicable to all Parties.

Chair of the LDC Coordination Group

The 2010 dream to make Nepal as the Chair of the LDC Coordination Group on UNFCCC process was materialized in May 2012 in Bonn, and a handover ceremony was organised at Doha to transfer chairmanship from The Gambia to Nepal. Nepal will chair this Group from 1 January 2013 till 31 December 2014. The Chair will negotiate for 48 LDCs to effectively implement the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol. This will make Nepal visible in the climate negotiation, and will hopefully contribute to expand implementation of the climate change activities in the country as well.

Other events

A number of side-events were organised in Doha and some of them include Nepal’s side-event organised by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MoSTE) with the support from the Climate Development and Knowledge Network (CDKN)/Integrated Development Services (IDS) – Nepal, and in collaboration with the Clean Energy Nepal (CEN) on Mountain Initiatives. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in collaboration with MoSTE/Nepal, FAO-Mountain Partnership and others organised Mountain Day–2 (mainstreaming Rio+20 outcomes for prosperous, resilient and sustainable mountain ecosystems and communities).

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) organised Adaptation Practitioners Days at Doha, the first of its kind, to share experiences on effectiveness of adaptation actions in LDCs. The LDC Expert Group (LEG) organised a side-event and released the Technical Guidelines for the formulation of the NAP. IIED/The Gambia organised a side-event on National Adaptation Planning Processes in LDCs and Nepal also shared its information. The MoSTE/LDC Watch side-event shared experiences on how LDCs are implementing climate adaptation action and other climate change related programmes within the broader framework of supporting for climate justice.

UK Aid prepared and distributed a flyer on Climate Change Case Study: UK Fast Start Finance in Action entitled Helping Local Communities Adapt to the Effects of Climate Change in Nepal. This flyer highlights the support provided for LAPA preparation, a new and innovative initiative, and governments’ endorsement on national framework on LAPA to implement all climate adaptation activities, including Nepal Climate Change Support Programme. The flyer also includes the user’s views on LAPA uses. This flyer exclusively focused on Nepal’s major implementation project on climate adaptation.

At the End

In general understanding, negotiation is a process and climate negotiation that is linked with economy and politics is still difficult to deliver substantial outcomes. A number of decisions were made in Doha Climate Change Conference. It can be viewed from different perspective. A poor people, having strong need for substantial financial and technological support, might not be satisfied as developed countries pledge was only about US$ 9 billion for 2013. There is no strong commitment to provide new, additional and predictable support on technology development and/or provide climate-friendly technologies. Those having strong commitment for protecting the ‘Mother Earth’ might not be satisfied from Doha outcomes as there are no commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is only 18% in aggregate for 2013-2020 periods while science urges for higher level of GHGs emission reductions. Those having capacity to cope with climate change consider it a forward looking Conference, and many decisions were in their interest. But, Doha might be considered a very weak conference in delivering outputs to those who are climate vulnerable in their birth place and they might also consider it wastage of time and money. But again, it is negotiation. In general, ‘nothing is agreed until everything is agreed’. Trust is very important in negotiation. It is a package deal. All 194 Parties to the UNFCCC neither lose nor gain fully.

In a nutshell, Doha has saved multilateralism through its decision on the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. It has opened windows for further negotiation in particular for pre-2020 and post-2020 under the AWG on Durban Platform for Enhanced Action. From negotiation point of view, the years 2013 to 2015 will be extremely challenging. Nepal should start focussed preparation to represent the 48 LDCs in climate change negotiations.

(Author is the Vice-Chair of LDC Expert Group to UNFramework Convention on Climate Change; E-mail: upretybk@gmail.com)