UN Framework Convention

The National Weekender
ENVIRONMENT

By GODFRIED ANGI
AS discussed in last week’s article, the United Nations Framework Convention On Climate Change (UNFCCC) is one of the outcomes of the Rio Earth Summit of 1992 where it was opened for signatures.
The UNFCCC then entered into force on March 21, 1994. Today, it has near-universal membership after having 197 countries that have ratified the convention that are referred to or are called Parties to the Convention. The ultimate aim of the convention is to prevent “dangerous” human interference with the climate system.

Early recognition of climatic problem
It was remarkable at that time in 1994, when the UNFCCC took effect as there was less scientific evidence and data than there is now. The UNFCCC borrowed a very important line from one of the most successful multilateral environmental treaties in history (the Montreal Protocol, in 1987): it bound member states to act in the interests of human safety even in the face of scientific uncertainty.

Specific goal of UNFCCC
The ultimate objective of the Convention is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations “at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (human induced) interference with the climate system.” It states that “such a level should be achieved within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened, and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner.”

Developed countries to lead the way
The idea is that, the developed countries are to take the lead as they were and are the major source of the past and current greenhouse gas emissions. Industrialized countries (developed countries) are expected to do the most to cut emissions on home ground. They are called Annex I countries and belong to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). They include 12 countries with “economies in transition” from Central and Eastern Europe. Annex I countries were expected by the year 2000 to reduce emissions to 1990 levels. Many of them have taken strong action to do so, and some have already succeeded.

Climate change action was demanded by protestors all over the globe.

New funds for climate change activities in developing countries
There is an agreed consensus under the Convention that, industrialized nations will support climate change activities in developing countries by providing financial support for action on climate change– above and beyond any financial assistance they already provide to these countries. A system of grants and loans has been set up through the Convention and is managed by the Global Environment Facility. Industrialized countries also agree to share technology with less-advanced nations. The level of assistance includes Climate Financing, Climate Technology and Capacity Building for the developing countries.

Problem and action
The Annex I countries (Industrialized countries) under rules of the Convention are required to report regularly on their climate change policies and measures, including issues governed by the Kyoto Protocol (for countries which have ratified it).
They are also required to submit an annual inventory of their greenhouse gas emissions, including data for their base year (1990) and all the years since.
Non – Annex I countries (Developing countries) are to report in more general terms on their actions both to address climate change and to adapt to its impacts – but less regularly than Annex I Parties do, and their reporting is contingent on their getting funding for the preparation of the reports, particularly in the case of the Least Developed Countries.

Working towards a course to strike a delicate balance
The world’s poorer countries are caught up in their hopes of economic progress and climate change challenges. To them, economic development is particularly vital but such progress is difficult to achieve even without the complications added by climate change. The convention takes this into consideration by accepting that the share of greenhouse gas emissions produced by developing nations (poorer countries) will grow in the coming years. Nonetheless, in the interests of fulfilling its ultimate goal, it seeks to help such countries limit emissions in ways that will not hinder their economic progress. One such win-win solution was to emerge later, when the Kyoto Protocol to the Convention was conceived.
To give effect to the provisions of the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted that would specifically deal with emission reduction targets by parties. In other words, UNFCCC is the parent treaty to Kyoto Protocol. The Convention provisions are general but Kyoto Protocol has specific terms on what the parties need to do to reduce greenhouse gases, such as reduction volumes and timeframes. The protocol is the enforcement mechanism of the convention. The reporting of emissions, targets and timeframes are provided for by the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol to UNFCCC. It also provides for the action of Clean Development Mechanism. The Kyoto Protocol was then amended in Doha during COP 18 in 2012 to reset the commitments for reduction and new timeframes.
As of Oct 28, 2020, 147 parties deposited their instrument of acceptance; therefore, the threshold of 144 instruments of acceptance for entry into force of the Doha Amendment was achieved.  The amendment entered into force on Dec 31, 2020.
Amendment
The amendment includes:

  • New commitments for Annex I Parties to the Kyoto Protocol who agreed to take on commitments in a second commitment period from 1 Jan 2013 to Dec 31, 2020;
  • A revised list of GHG to be reported on by Parties in the second commitment period; and
  • Amendments to several articles of the Kyoto Protocol which specifically referenced issues pertaining to the first commitment period and which needed to be updated for the second commitment period.

On Dec 21, 2012, the amendment was circulated by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, acting in his capacity as Depositary, to all Parties to the Kyoto Protocol in accordance with Articles 20 and 21 of the Protocol.
During the first commitment period, 37 industrialised countries and economies in transition and the European Community committed to reduce GHG emissions to an average of five percent against 1990 levels. During the second commitment period, parties committed to reduce GHG emissions by at least 18 per cent below 1990 levels in the eight-year period from 2013 to 2020; however, the composition of parties in the second commitment period is different from the first.
I will discuss the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Amendment in the next article

  • Godfried Angi is the principal scientist at Yeyeu Environmental Services