Big things happened this weekend within climate change. Big. Things.
I couldn’t be happier to hear that after years of fighting for some kind of global environmental change, we have FINALLY come to a promising conclusion within the United Nations’ climate conference. There are many media outlets that are covering the story, but I’ve done quite a fair amount of research in the past and thought it would a good idea to sum up the history of this all in my own words.
(PLEASE NOTE: I know a lot of people may crucify me for leaving out some important details, but this is just a vague summary).
I watched this one amazing video that explained what all these conferences were about. They said to think of the conferences as a large dinner party, of 25,000 people, who all sort of don’t get along, who all have to save the world.
Somehow.
Let’s begin…
1992
The United Nations (UN) held the first conference in Rio de Janeiro to discuss issues regarding the earth and climate. After much discussion and realization that something needed to be done, they agreed upon creating an international treaty that would be based upon limiting global average temperature increases and climate change. This treaty is called the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or the UNFCCC as it’s commonly abbreviated to.
The UNFCCC’s objective is to “stabilize green house gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”. In other words, make sure our planet isn’t in climatic trouble in the near future. The framework outlines how certain international protocols (or agreements) may be negotiated in order to decrease GHGs.
The outcome was a little loose; essentially the treaty claimed that countries were to figure out how to accomplish GHG emission goals by the use of future agreements that weren’t in place yet.
1994
The UNFCCC entered into force and many interested countries signed the treaty. These countries are known as “Parties”. It was decided that the Parties were to meet annually at the Conference of Parties (COP) to negotiate climate issues and responses.
1995
The UNFCCC’s first conference began (COP 1) in Berlin. The Parties outlined specific targets on emissions. Nothing was set in stone to hold anyone accountable though, it was simply a mere get together.
1996
Nothing REALLY important happens.
1997
The third COP established the Kyoto Protocol; the world’s first greenhouse gas emissions reduction agreement. The Kyoto Protocol stated that industrialized and established countries were to cut down on GHG emissions (a little), but developing countries like India and China were exempt because of their economic situation.
This meant they could generate as many GHG emissions as they wanted to reach economic prosperity. As well, the USA came back and said they didn’t want to participate anymore.
So you can see where the issues stand.
So to date:
- We’ve had a meeting to establish a committee to fight climate change.
- We’ve met with this committee a few times to discuss climate change.
- We’ve decided we will write up a document to establish what countries need to do to fight climate change.
A lot of talk, little action.
1998-2004
Many conferences to discuss the Kyoto Protocol action plan. Keep in mind, it hasn’t actually been instated, these years of meetings were literally just to tweak the Protocol to come to some agreeable conclusion. The problem was that one solution isn’t applicable to everyone, and countries don’t legally NEED to be apart of it.
2005
The Kyoto Protocol entered into force and people signed onto it; it was divided into two commitment periods, 2008-2012 and 2013-2020. Those countries who signed into it were now to commit to the first “Commitment Period” in which they had goals GHG emission targets that had to be reached in comparison to 1990 levels.
2005-2007
More conferences.
Nothing super important.
Little results.
2008
Kyoto Protocol’s first commitment period begins.
2009
Copenhagen 2009, this was meant to be the conference of conferences. This conference was supposed to complete and adopt the legal framework that would take into effect after the first commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol ended in 2012. It was the action plan for the commitment period #2 starting 2013.
This conference ended BADLY; the protocol was not passed unanimously, meaning not everyone agreed to it. Although the actual agreement had good intentions, it was not legally binding so no country was held accountable to decrease their GHG emissions… legally. In fact, nothing was adopted; parties only “took note” of what needed to be done and went about their days.
COP15 is remembered as one of the most unsuccessful events in history.
2011
Canada was the first country to withdraw after the realization that the targeted reduction of GHG emissions to 6% below 1990 levels in 2012 was not being met. In fact, at the time we were 17% higher. That is an increase of 23% from our target.
Harpers government failed.
2014 – prior to the yearly COP
Reality check taken from the UNFCCC Timeline. For years and years of UNFCCC conferences and treaties and agreements and commitments, this was the reality of our situation:
Clearly something wasn’t working…
2014 COP
This conference was held in Lima. They came to an agreement that countries were to make their own solutions on how they fight climate change. It was impossible to make an agreement for every country to adhere to because all countries operated differently. These pledges are now known as Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, or INDCs. They are individual pledges of what the country will do to drop GHG emissions and what their individual targets will be. Better…but not great.
The issue with INDCs is that there is no penalty for not meeting their pledged goals.
Fast forward to today…
December 12 2015
This marks the 21st session of the Conference of Parties (COP 21) and the 11th session of the Conference of Parties serving as the meeting of Parties focusing on the Kyoto Protocol (CMP). Parties around the world met to discuss the INDCs from the year before and to write up a draft agreement on what can and needs to be done in regards to climate change.
This is what the COP 21 concluded:
Emphasizing with serious concern the urgent need to address the significant gap between the aggregate effect of Parties’ mitigation pledges in terms of global annual emissions of greenhouse gases by 2020 and aggregate emission pathways consistent with holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C
Or in other words…
The world is a doughy fellow who has promised to drop three suit sizes in time for his wedding, which is now only a month away.
Yup.
I won’t lie, there is reason to be skepticle, seeing how the past 20 years conferences have panned out and that many countries have failed to uphold their part in reducing GHG emissions. HOWEVER, this year each participating government has publicly announced their pledges (and there are some very promising things to come out of it). This means we can now hold them accountable. It’s like when your friend announces they will lose 20 lbs and you make them feel bad when they take a bite of cake.
World leaders – I dare you to try and take a bite of that cake…
Resources:
http://unfccc.int/meetings/copenhagen_dec_2009/items/5262.php
http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/2830.php
http://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol/items/3145.php
http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/12/world/global-climate-change-conference-vote/
Living Sustainably 