29 December 2009

Adaptation and the Copenhagen Accord

 

Twenty-eight heads of state representing key countries and groups of countries craft the Copenhagen Accord on December 19 in Denmark.

Twenty-eight heads of state representing key countries and groups of countries craft the Copenhagen Accord on December 19 in Denmark.

A post from the America.gov Adaptation! blog: The Copenhagen Accord did not detail exactly how developed and developing nations will keep the global average temperature from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius, but it did specify a financial commitment to help developing nations mitigate and adapt to a changing climate.

By Cheryl Pellerin
Science Writer

World leaders, delegates, media and protesters have gone from Copenhagen’s Bella Center, but the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP-15) to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) did produce an outline that shows how the world might move forward on the problem of climate change.

The Copenhagen Accord ― a first step toward creating a legally binding global treaty ― was finalized in the early hours of December 19 by 28 heads of state representing key countries and groups of countries.

The document doesn’t specify exactly how the world’s developed and developing nations will keep the global average temperature from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) ― the limit the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says might stave off the most disastrous effects ― but it does provide support to help developing countries adapt to a changing environment.

“We recognize the critical impacts of climate change and the potential impacts of response measures on countries particularly vulnerable to its adverse effects,” the accord read, “and stress the need to establish a comprehensive adaptation programme including international support.”

 

Climate-change protesters form a human wave around the Houses of Parliament in central London days before the U.N. talks in Copenhagen.

Climate-change protesters form a human wave around the Houses of Parliament in central London days before the U.N. talks in Copenhagen.

Near-term support comes in the form of $30 billion over three years from developed countries beginning in 2010. Funding to help nations adapt to climate change impacts will go first to the most vulnerable developing countries, including least-developed countries, small island developing states and Africa.

Over the longer term, developed countries committed to raise $100 billion a year by 2020 to address the needs of developing countries. New multilateral funding for adaptation, the accord says, will be delivered through some kind of fund equally governed by developed and developing countries.

A large portion of funds should flow through the Copenhagen Green Climate Fund, a new initiative of the UNFCCC, to support projects, programs, policies and other activities in developing countries related to mitigation, adaptation, education and training, and technology development and transfer.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged that the fund be launched as soon as possible so it can start helping those in need and kick-start clean energy projects.

Near the end of 2010, when Mexico hosts the next round of climate change negotiations during the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, developing countries will have experience with the new funding and assistance and will be able to tell if the developed countries have done enough to help or need to do more.

Are developed countries doing enough to help developing countries, island states and Africa?

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