1. Dangerous climate change

Atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases are increasing rapidly. Most historic emissions are due to burning fossil fuels; about 30% are from land-use change (deforestation and degradation, including logging). Scientists warn that emissions are increasing even more quickly than the highest predictions in the 2007 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The need need for action is urgent. Global emissions need to be reduced quickly by switching from fossil fuels to energy efficiency and renewable energy, and by reducing deforestation and forest degradation. Whatever we do, some level of global warming is locked in and vulnerable countries and communities need help to adapt.

2. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Kyoto Protocol

The UNFCCC is the over-arching global agreement on climate change, completed in 1992. It includes:
o recognition that the global nature of climate change calls for the widest possible cooperation by all countries;
o acknowledgment of common but differentiated responsibilities (essentially meaning that industrialised countries with high historical emissions have the main responsibility for emission reductions)
o agreement to stabilise greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent ‘dangerous’ anthropogenic (human-caused) interference with the climate system.

The Kyoto Protocol, linked to the UNFCCC, sets binding targets for emission reductions by industrialised countries relative to 1990 levels. They amount to an average 5% reduction by the first commitment period (2008-2012).

International negotiations are now focusing on
o post-2012 arrangements for industrialised countries and developing countries (this could be either a new Protocol or a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol);
o a mechanism to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (mostly logging) in developing countries (there is a possibility that this could be extended to developed countries by bringing the Kyoto and REDD negotiations together)
o financing of mitigation, technology transfer and adaptation actions in developing countries (an as-yet unmet obligation of wealthy industrialised countries under the 1992 climate convention).

The negotiating timeline is:
o Bali 2007: negotiating topics and timeline agreed (Bali Action Plan), including adoption of scientific guidance that industrialised countries would need to cut emissions by 25-40% by 2020.
o Poznan 2008: very little progress on major issues within the Bali Action Plan.
o Copenhagen 2009: deadline for agreement on emission reductions and the building blocks of the Bali Action Plan.

3. Copenhagen

Key issues
o Emission reduction targets and allowable means of meeting these targets;
o Financial transfers to developing countries;
o Reducing deforestation and forest degradation.

Positions of major groupings of nations
o Industrialised countries: demanding commitments from major developing economies like China, India and Brazil.
o G77 developing countries: industrialised countries need to agree to emission reduction targets and financial transfer commitments before developing economies will consider commitments
o AOSIS: urgent action to reduce emissions and adaptation mechanisms for survival

4. Global Greens position:
See www.globalgreens.org: Climate Change – Time for Transformation, Biodiversity & Climate Change