Download Building on the Results of the Paris Conference on Climate Change

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Building on the Results of the Paris Conference on Climate Change The Paris Climate Change Conference 2015 ● General information The Paris Climate Change Conference convened from 29 November to 13 December 2015 in Paris, France. It included the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 11th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 11). Three subsidiary bodies (SBs) also met, the 43rd sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 43) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 43), and the 12th part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 2­12). The Paris Climate Change Conference brought together over 36,000 participants, nearly 23,100 government officials, 9,400 representatives from UN bodies and agencies, intergovernmental organizations and civil society organizations, and 3,700 members of the media. ● Outcomes On 12 December, the parties reached a new global agreement on climate change. The agreement presents a balanced outcome with an action plan to limit global warming 'well below' 2°C. The 1.5 degree Celsius limit is a significantly safer defense line against the worst impacts of a changing climate. Additionally, the agreement aims to strengthen the ability to deal with the impacts of climate change. To reach these ambitious and important goals, appropriate financial flows will be put in place, thus making stronger action by developing countries and the most vulnerable possible, in line with their own national objectives. ➢ The agreement captures essential elements to drive action forward The Paris Agreement and the outcomes of the UN climate conference (COP21) cover all the crucial areas identified as essential for a landmark conclusion: Mitigation​
– reducing emissions fast enough to achieve the temperature goal A transparency system and global stock­take​
– accounting for climate action Adaptation​
– strengthening ability of countries to deal with climate impacts Loss and damage​
– strengthening ability to recover from climate impacts Support​
– including finance, for nations to build clean, resilient futures 1 MODEL UNITED NATIONS OF BUCHAREST – 5TH
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As well as setting a long­term direction, countries will peak their emissions as soon as possible and continue to submit national climate action plans that detail their future objectives to address climate change. Countries will submit updated climate plans – called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – every five years, thereby steadily increasing their ambition in the long­term. Climate action will also be taken forward in the period before 2020. Countries will continue to engage in a process on mitigation opportunities and will put added focus on adaptation opportunities. Additionally, they will work to define a clear roadmap on ratcheting up climate finance to USD 100 billion by 2020. ➢ The agreement strengthens support to Developing Nations The Paris Agreement underwrites adequate support to developing nations and establishes a global goal to significantly strengthen adaptation to climate change through support and international cooperation. The already broad and ambitious efforts of developing countries to build their own clean, climate­resilient futures will be supported by scaled­up finance from developed countries and voluntary contributions from other countries. International cooperation on climate­safe technologies and building capacity in the developing world to address climate change are also significantly strengthened under the new agreement. Intended Nationally Determined Contribution of the EU and its Member States Parties EU and its Member States (Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, United Kingdom) acting jointly Type Absolute reduction from base year emissions. Coverage Economy‐wide absolute reduction from base year emissions. Scope All greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol: Carbon Dioxide (CO2​
) ​
∙
Methane (CH4​
) ​
∙​
Nitrous Oxide (N2​
O) ​
∙ Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) ∙ Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) ∙​
Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6​
) ​
∙ Nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) Base Year 1990. 2 MODEL UNITED NATIONS OF BUCHAREST – 5TH
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Period Reduction Level % of Emissions Covered Agriculture, forestry and other land uses Net Contribution of International Market Based Mechanisms 1 January 2021‐ 31 December 2030. At least 40% domestic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. 100%. Policy on how to include Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry into the 2030 greenhouse gas mitigation framework will be established as soon as technical conditions allow and in any case before 2020. No contribution from international credits. Domestic legally‐binding legislation already in place for the 2020 climate and energy package. The existing legislation for land use, land‐use change and forestry (EU Decision 529/2013) is based on the existing accounting rules under the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. Legislative proposals to implement the 2030 climate and energy framework, both in the emissions trading sector and in the non‐traded sector, to be submitted by the European Commission to the Council and European Parliament in 2015‐2016 on the basis of the general political directions by the European Council, taking into account environmental integrity. The target represents a significant progression beyond its Planning Process Fair and ambitious 3 MODEL UNITED NATIONS OF BUCHAREST – 5TH
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current undertaking of a 20% emission reduction commitment by 2020 compared to 1990 (which includes the use of offsets). It is in line with the EU objective, in the context of necessary reductions according to the IPCC by developed countries as a group, to reduce its emissions by 80‐95% by 2050 compared to 1990. Furthermore, it is consistent with the need for at least halving global emissions by 2050 compared to 1990. The EU and its Member States have already reduced their emissions by around 19% on 1990 levels while GDP has grown by more than 44% over the same period. As a result, average per capita emissions across the EU and its Member States have fallen from 12 tonnes CO2‐eq. in 1990 to 9 tonnes CO2‐eq. in 2012 and are projected to fall to around 6 tonnes CO2‐eq. in 2030. The emissions in the EU and its Member States peaked in 1979. Key Assumptions Global Warming Potential on a 100 year timescale in accordance with the IPCC's 4th Assessment Report. IPCC Guidelines 2006 and IPCC 2013 KP Supplement. Comprehensive accounting framework, Metric Applied Methodologies for Estimating Emissions Approach to 4 MODEL UNITED NATIONS OF BUCHAREST – 5TH
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activity or land‐ based approach, for emissions and removals from land use, land‐use change and forestry. ∙​
Energy o ​
Fuel Combustion Energy industries Manufacturing industries and construction Transport Other sectors Other accounting for agriculture, forestry and other land uses Coverage Sectors/Source Categories Fugitive emissions from fuels Solid fuels Oil and natural gas and other emissions from energy production o CO​
2​
transport and storage o
∙ Industrial processes and product use o Mineral industry o Chemical industry o Metal industry o Non‐energy products from fuels and solvent use o Electronic industry o Product uses as substitutes for ODS o Other product manufacture and use o Other ∙ Agriculture o Enteric fermentation o Manure management o Rice cultivation o Agricultural soils o Prescribed burning of savannas 5 MODEL UNITED NATIONS OF BUCHAREST – 5TH
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o
o
o
o
o
Field burning of agricultural residues Liming Urea application Other carbon‐containing fertilisers Other ∙ Waste o Solid waste disposal o ​
Biological treatment of solid waste o Incineration and open burning of waste o Wastewater treatment and discharge o Other ∙ Land Use, Land‐Use Change and Forestry set out in Decision 529/2013/EU o Afforestation, reforestation o ​
Deforestation o ​
Forest management o ​
Cropland management o ​
Grazing land management o​
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Or equivalent land‐based accounting using UNFCCC reporting categories o Other categories/activities elected by the EU and its Member States as Parties to the Kyoto Protocol and its Doha Amendment. Human impact “Scientific evidence for warming of the climate system is unequivocal. ” ‐ ​
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change On Earth, human activities are changing the natural greenhouse. Over the last century, the burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil has increased the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). This happens because the coal or oil burning process combines carbon with oxygen in the air to make CO2. To a lesser extent, the clearing of land for agriculture, industry, and other human activities have increased concentrations of greenhouse gases. The consequences of changing the natural atmospheric greenhouse are difficult to predict, but certain effects seem likely: ● On average, Earth will become warmer. Some regions may welcome warmer temperatures, but others may not. 6 MODEL UNITED NATIONS OF BUCHAREST – 5TH
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● Warmer conditions will probably lead to more evaporation and precipitation overall, but individual regions will vary, some becoming wetter and others dryer. ● A stronger greenhouse effect will warm the oceans and partially melt glaciers and other ice, increasing sea level. Ocean water also will expand if it warms, contributing further to sea level rise. ● Meanwhile, some crops and other plants may respond favorably to increased atmospheric CO2, growing more vigorously and using water more efficiently. At the same time, higher temperatures and shifting climate patterns may change the areas where crops grow best and affect the makeup of natural plant communities. The evidence for rapid climate change Sea level rise​
: Rate of change (3.39 mm per year) Global sea level rose about 17 centimeters (6.7 inches) in the last century. The rate in the last decade, however, is nearly double that of the last century. Global temperature rise​
: 0.87 °C (last measurement, 2015) The 10 warmest years in the 134­year record all have occurred since 2000, with the exception of 1998. The year 2015 ranks as the warmest on record. Carbon Dioxide​
: 402.56 ppm (latest measurement, December 2015) Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important heat­trapping (greenhouse) gas, which is released through human activities such as deforestation and burning fossil fuels, as well as natural processes such as respiration and volcanic eruptions. Warming oceans The oceans have absorbed much of this increased heat, with the top 700 meters (about 2,300 feet) of ocean showing warming of 0.302 degrees Fahrenheit since 1969. Shrinking ice sheets The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have decreased in mass. Data from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment show Greenland lost 150 to 250 cubic kilometers (36 to 60 cubic miles) of ice per year between 2002 and 2006, while Antarctica lost about 152 cubic kilometers (36 cubic miles) of ice between 2002 and 2005. Glacial retreat Glaciers are retreating almost everywhere around the world — including in the Alps, Himalayas, Andes, Rockies, Alaska and Africa. 7 MODEL UNITED NATIONS OF BUCHAREST – 5TH
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Extreme events More droughts and heat waves, stronger and more intense hurricanes, etc. Ocean acidification Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the acidity of surface ocean waters has increased by about 30 percent. This increase is the result of humans emitting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and hence more being absorbed into the oceans. The amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the upper layer of the oceans is increasing by about 2 billion tons per year. Decreased snow cover Satellite observations reveal that the amount of spring snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere has decreased over the past five decades and that the snow is melting earlier. Useful links 1. http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment­report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr_spm.pdf​
. 2. http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/Ocean+Acidification 3. http://nsidc.org/ Your chairs Sorina Muresan, Alex Oltean and Carmen Cojocaru have prepared this guide to provide a starting point for your research. For any questions or more information, do not hesitate to contact them by e­mail. Make sure to join the official MUNOB committee Facebook groups. st​
Please send your position paper to ​
[email protected]​
by April 1​
2016. Your chairs will provide you with personal feedback on your position paper. 8