1 / 30

Catalonia strives for climate agreement in Copenhagen

Catalonia strives for climate agreement in Copenhagen. Barcelona, 20 October 2009. Worldwide negotiations: Copenhagen Agreement. Calendar of UNFCCC meetings: December 2007 Bali (COP13) .... December 2008 Poznań (COP14) February Bonn May Bonn August Bonn 28 Sep. – 9 Oct.: Bangkok

kat
Download Presentation

Catalonia strives for climate agreement in Copenhagen

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Catalonia strives for climate agreement in Copenhagen Barcelona, 20 October 2009

  2. Worldwide negotiations: Copenhagen Agreement Calendar of UNFCCC meetings: December 2007 Bali (COP13) .... December 2008 Poznań (COP14) February Bonn May Bonn August Bonn 28 Sep. – 9 Oct.: Bangkok 2 – 6 November: Barcelona 7 – 18 December: Copenhagen (COP15)

  3. Context • Climate change is a worldwide, man-made phenomenon • An increase of more than 2ºC in the Earth’s mean temperature would lead to high levels of risk for people and the economy • The Kyoto Protocol is the first international instrument designed to face up to it and is in force from 2008 to 2012 • Now, along with the Kyoto commitments, we are designing the agreement for the second period 2013-2020 • Mitigation and adaptation policies have a very great geopolitical, social, environmental and economic impact • In the framework of the current economic crisis, the climate negotiations seek to lead the way to a new economic model

  4. The main challenges Setting quantitative targets for emissionsreduction Defining the economic framework Technology transfer Setting quantitative targets for emissionsreduction in the medium term (2020 or 2025). Responsibility shared but not equal. In the long term (2050) the consensus is high. • Internal disagreements in the USA about the scope and quantification of the reduction in emissions. Law blocked right now in the Senate by the Republicans, with the likelihood of it not being passed till 2010. • … (continued)

  5. The main challenges • … (continued) • Resistance of the emerging countries to compulsory limitation of emissions not linked to economic growth. (For example: China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico) • The emerging countries first want to see a binding commitment from the industrialised countries, to cut emissions by 25 to 40% by 2020. At the moment the individual proposals from the industrialised countries do not reach 25%.

  6. The main challenges Definition of an economic framework to guarantee financing from the developed countries and of mitigation and adaptation actions of the developing countries. Assuring mechanisms for technology transfer from the developed countries to the developing countries to guarantee a low-carbon growth model

  7. Items for negotiation: • The technical items are not an obstacle if a political consensus is reached. • There is strong, growing social pressure encouraging the desire to reach an agreement. • It is necessary for the negotiating parties to make concessions on their own interests.

  8. Expectations for the Copenhagen Conference • Reaching a general framework agreement. The question is: • How far the burden of economic efforts can be specified. • The level of the emissions limits for each of the parties. This will be clarified in the coming months. • Now is the time to reach some agreement. Intense negotiations have been taking place for two years and we think that the world would not accept a failure to find a way to consensus.

  9. Barcelona Talks • From 2 to 6 November Barcelona will host the last United Nations meeting before Copenhagen. It could mark the start of a change of perspective. • There are expected to be between 4,000 and 5,000 participants from 180 countries.

  10. Barcelona Talks • Organised jointly by the United Nations, the Spanish Government, the Government of Catalonia and Barcelona City Council. • The expectation of the meeting is for the different positions to mature and that disagreements can be lessened. Agreement must be reached in Copenhagen. • The social agents will have an active role.

  11. Barcelona Talks. Goals • To strengthen Catalonia's position on the map of commitment to the climate and as a centre for debate and action. • To promote a favourable environment for the negotiations. • To encourage social participation. • To manage the knowledge acquired during the Barcelona Talks, sharing it with civil society and with the different levels of government, all in the perspective of the Spanish presidency of the EU.

  12. Barcelona Talks. Web: www.bcnclimatechange.org

  13. Barcelona Talks • Contents of the website • Parallel events • Positioning of civil society • Specialised news bulletins • Information about the talks • Logistics and additional services • Other useful information about Barcelona

  14. Catalonia and the Copenhagen Agreement • In Poznań Catalonia included an amendment to the negotiation document, through the International Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable Development (nrg4SD). Created in Johannesburg in 2002, it currently has 34 members worldwide The Government of Catalonia has participated since 2002 as a founder member and is currently a member of the executive committee. • The aim is for the Copenhagen Agreement to recognise the important role in dealing with climate change played by the governments described by the United Nations as subnational (US states, Canadian provinces, German Länder, Spanish autonomous communities) and the local bodies.

  15. Catalonia and the Copenhagen Agreement • We want our role to be recognised and we want to be present in the next few years when the expected Copenhagen Agreement will be put into practice. • The draft negotiation texts have included this amendment, but we must ensure that it appears in the final text. We will see to it in Barcelona and Copenhagen that this recognition is maintained in the final text.

  16. Catalonia and the Copenhagen Agreement • The Government of Catalonia is also a member of The Climate Group, an organisation that brings together governments such as those of California, Scotland and South Australia, and also companies, to make proposals and ask for commitments. Greater London Authority The City of Chicago The City of Los Angeles The City of Miami The City of New York The Government of Catalonia The Province of British Columbia The Province of Manitoba The Province of Ontario The Province of Québec The State of California The State of New South Wales The State of New York The State of Queensland The State of South Australia The State of Victoria The State of Western Australia Principles signed by each member: “We recognise the urgency of addressing human-induced climate change and we declare our common desire and commitment to work diligently and creatively to adopt solutions...”

  17. Positioning of Catalonia • Catalonia strives for an international agreement based on commitment and effective action. • In tune with the European Union, which agreed the energy-climate package in 2008 by co-decision of the European Parliament (by a large majority) and the European Council, the Government of Catalonia showed its support for achieving the goal of a 30% reduction in emissions by 2020 in the developed countries, and calls on the emerging countries to shoulder their part of the responsibility. • Likewise, the Government of Catalonia recognises the need to give support to the developing countries in the field of adaptation and mitigation, on the basis of network programmes, such as that run by the United Nations Development Programme, in which Catalonia participates.

  18. Positioning of Catalonia • The Government sees climate change as a basic topic for action in Catalan policy in the forthcoming years. • The Interdepartmental Commission for Climate Change and the Catalan Office for Climate Change are tools available to the Government for promoting cross-cutting climate action that includes energy, mobility, building, waste disposal, agricultural and industrial policies among others. • The Government accepts responsibility for emissions in Catalonia and states its willingness to act accordingly. The Framework Plan for Climate Change Mitigation2008-2012, approved by the Government in October 2008, following a process of participation, is a definite step in this commitment.

  19. Actions for dealing with climate change in Catalonia. Goals The starting point • Ensuring that Catalonia meets its share of responsibility in accordance with the scenario for compliance with the Kyoto Protocol, which Spain has agreed with the EU, that is, limiting diffuse emissions to +37% on average between 2008 and 2012 • This 37% consists of: • 15%free under the Kyoto Protocol commitment • 2%compensated by the growth of forests (sinks) • 20%bought by Spain to compensate for the diffuse emissions of Spain as a whole

  20. Actions for dealing with climate change in Catalonia. Goals The starting point • The figures for 2007 show that our emissions are 43% above the emissions of the base year (1990). This figure represents 8 tonnes per capita.

  21. Actions for dealing with climate change in Catalonia. Mitigation • The Framework Plan for Climate Change Mitigation in Catalonia 2008-2012 sets out the Catalan strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and its deployment should achieve a reduction of 5.33 Mt per year. • It was approved by a Governmental Agreement in October 2008, thus becoming one of the first non-state mitigation plans, based on a process of public participation over nearly 5 months, with the participation of more than 500 bodies and 1,000 proposals (Catalan Climate Change Convention).

  22. Actions for dealing with climate change in Catalonia. Mitigation • The Framework Plan for Mitigation 2008-2012 is structured as follows: • Programme 1. Reduction of emissions in the diffuse sectors (Programme 5.33) • Programme 2. Support for the installations covered by the Emission Allowance Trading Directive • Programme 3. Cross-cutting actions for mitigation • Sector support measures

  23. Actions for dealing with climate change in Catalonia. Mitigation • Programme 5.33 is the basis of the Plan:

  24. Actions for dealing with climate change in Catalonia. Adaptation ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN CATALONIA,in accordance with the White Paper: • 2009: Start of the series of basic studies for later definition of a climate changeprevention and adaptation strategy in Catalonia. • 2010: In-depth study of the scientific evidence. Design of climate scenarios regionalised for Catalonia. There is now a high degree of scientific consensus on the global climate scenarios worldwide, but they have yet to be regionalised. • 2011: Assessment of the impacts of climate change in Catalonia. Special attention paid to the most vulnerable territories and sectors. • 2012: Proposal and analysis of the measures for adaptation to climate change. • Catalan plan for adaptation to climate change in Catalonia.

  25. Actions for dealing with climate change in Catalonia. Adaptation ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN CATALONIA • Setting up the Adaptation Working Group of the Interdepartmental Commission for Climate Change • Updating the Climate Change Status Study in Catalonia • Series of basic studies on the impact of climate change in Catalonia • Monographic studies on highly vulnerable territories or sectors in Catalonia. • N1 Framework Study: Ebro Delta (December 2008). • N2 Framework Study: Water resources (November 2009). • Instrument for generating knowledge. Topic for organised and constructive debate. • Transparency: Website of the Catalan Office for Climate Change. • Tool for dissemination and awareness raising.

  26. Actions for dealing with climate change in Catalonia. Assessment • The Office for Climate Change is currently analysing the application of the Framework Plan in the first two years, 2008 and 2009, for the Interdepartmental Commission to assess it for the Government. It will be presented at the Catalan Climate Change Convention. • The initial figures show that more than 85% of the actions programmed to reduce emissions in the diffuse sectors have started running, and 100% of the sub-programmes have been set up. • It also shows that some Departments have sponsored a series of additional actions, which did not initially form part of the Framework Mitigation Plan, and which are therefore expected to enhance its effectiveness. • The review of the Catalan Energy Plan is expected to include an improvement in avoided GHGemissions.

  27. Setting up a credit line to finance packages of solutions for energy saving and thermal comfort in dwellings through an agreement between the Government of Catalonia, the Catalan savings banks, and financial institutions. Various actions in favour of sustainable mobility and public transport: extending metro lines or creation of HOV-bus lanes among others. Improving or replacing street lighting through specific funding lines. Bringing into operation the second anaerobic co-digestion plant in Catalonia using biogas energy at Torregrossa (Lleida). Creation of a line of subsidy aimed at local authorities for implementing emission reduction projects. Creation of the Catalan Institute of Climate Sciences (IC3) as a centre of excellence for climate research. Actions for dealing with climate change in Catalonia: some examples

  28. Actions for dealing with climate change in Catalonia • The Catalan Meteorological Service, the Catalan Institute of ClimateSciencesand the Group of Experts on Climate Change, along with other universities and research centres are providing further knowledge of the causes and effects of climate change in Catalonia. • Increasingly, companies and social agents show their commitment to climate action and this will be shown in Barcelona with more than 40 parallel events. We wish to invite Catalan civil society to take part. • We have started work on setting up, as the EU White Paper requires, a plan for adaptation to climate change before 2012. To date, studies have been made of the Ebro Delta and the study on water resources is expected to be complete by November 2009.

  29. Some reflexions • While the road is long, Catalonia must be placed decisively on the path to the transition to a low-carbon economy. Its international positioning, the action of the country’s government and social and economic agents put us at an optimal starting point to become one of the drivers of this transition. • The innovating and entrepreneurial spirit of Catalonia has always been a key factor for progress to a fairer society. Sustainability and action to tackle climate change are two key issues for emerging stronger from the crisis, for the competitiveness and the solidarity of Catalonia in the world. • Catalonia will boost this perspective both at the Barcelona Talks and at the Copenhagen Conference, aware of the importance of the current moment for dealing with climate change.

  30. Catalonia strives for climate agreement in Copenhagen

More Related