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.
(Warsaw, 23 November
2013) The UN Climate Change Conference in
Warsaw ended on Saturday, keeping governments
on a track towards a universal climate agreement
in 2015 and including significant new decisions
that will cut emissions from deforestation
and on loss and damage.
"Warsaw has set
a pathway for governments to work on a draft
text of a new universal climate agreement
so it appears on the table at the next UN
Climate change conference in Peru. This
is an essential step to reach a final agreement
in Paris, in 2015," said Marcin Korolec,
President of the COP19 conference.
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.
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.
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
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
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 players came 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 and 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.
About the UNFCCC
With 195 Parties, the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) has near universal membership
and is the parent treaty of the 1997 Kyoto
Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol has been ratified
by 192 of the UNFCCC Parties. For the first
commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol,
37 States, consisting of highly industrialized
countries and countries undergoing the process
of transition to a market economy, have
legally binding emission limitation and
reduction commitments. In Doha in 2012,
the Conference of the Parties serving as
the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto
Protocol adopted an amendment to the Kyoto
Protocol, which establishes the second commitment
period under the Protocol. The ultimate
objective of both treaties is to stabilize
greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere
at a level that will prevent dangerous human
interference with the climate system.
+ More
Governments in Warsaw
make breakthrough in agreements to cut greenhouse
gas emissions from deforestation Sat, Nov
23, 2013
The agreement on the
so-called REDD+ initiative is backed by
pledges of 280 million dollars in financing
from the US, Norway and the UK.
(Warsaw, 22 November 2013) Governments at
the UN Climate Change Conference in Warsaw
on Friday agreed a set of decisions on ways
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from
deforestation and the degradation of forests.
The agreement on the
so-called REDD+ initiative is backed by
pledges of 280 million dollars in financing
from the US, Norway and the UK.
President of the conference
Marcin 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. We know the destructive
impact that forest fires and deforestation
have on peoples and economies. 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."
The decisions adopted
provide guidance for ensuring environmental
integrity and pave the way towards the full
implementation of REDD+ activities on the
ground. The package also provides a foundation
for transparency and integrity of REDD+
action, clarifies ways to finance relevant
activities and how to improve coordination
of support.
"Governments have
shown their firm commitment to reduce emissions
from deforestation and forest degradation
in Warsaw. They have delivered a set of
decisions that will make a significant impact
in reducing emissions from deforestation
and forest degradation in developing countries
and catalyze actions in this critical area
of addressing climate change," said
Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary
of the UN Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC).
About the UNFCCC
With 195 Parties, the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) has near universal membership
and is the parent treaty of the 1997 Kyoto
Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol has been ratified
by 192 of the UNFCCC Parties. For the first
commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol,
37 States, consisting of highly
industrialized countries
and countries undergoing the process of
transition to a market economy, have legally
binding emission limitation and reduction
commitments. In Doha in 2012, the Conference
of the Parties serving as the meeting of
the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol adopted
an amendment to the Kyoto Protocol, which
establishes the second commitment period
under the Protocol. The ultimate objective
of both treaties is to stabilize greenhouse
gas concentrations in the atmosphere at
a level that will prevent dangerous human
interference with the climate system
