1 Introduction to the Climate Change Regime By Bonizella Biagini Cluster Coordinator for Climate Change Adaptation Global Environment Facility IFAD 1 st CLIMTRAIN Workshop, July 2008

2 Scientific Evidence and UNFCCC l 1988 Scientific Conference in Toronto l 1988 the IPCC was established l FAR 1990 l SAR 1995 l TAR 2001 Balance of evidence l Last IPCC report 2007: “Unequivocal”

3 International Policy Response l 1992 UNCED (UNFCCC, CBD) l UNFCCC entered into force in 1994 l First COP in 1995 Berlin l Last COP 13 in Bali –Kyoto Protocol 1997 –Marrakech Accords 2001

4 Climate Change Regime under the Convention and Role of the GEF l UNFCCC l Non Legally Binding Commitments l Role of the GEF as Financial Mechanism l Enabling Activities l Short term and Long term activities l Mitigation operational programs l OP5,6,7 and later 11and carbon sequestration

5 Marrakech Accords (2001) => Establishment of the new climate change funds: –The LDCF and –The SCCF The COP asked the GEF to manage the new climate change funds l Funds were mobilized and the funds operationalized l And a total of $280 million for adaptation projects on the ground were allocated

6 Evolution of the UNFCCC and the Climate Regime l From the early 1990s to the year 2000 the discussions under the UNFCCC were focused on cc mitigation => how to address the causes of climate change l Developed countries (Annex I) were asked to make inventories of their GHG emissions and to show their commitment to initially stabilize their emissions to the 1990 levels (1992 mtg) in National Communications

7 Evolution of the UNFCCC and the Climate Regime (continues) l In Kyoto (1997), Annex I countries were asked to commit to a joint 5% reduction by the year 2012, utilizing 3 flexible mechanisms. –JI –Emission Trading –Clean Development Mechanism (no role for GEF) l Developing countries refused to commit to reduce their GHG emissions mainly for 2 reasons: 1.The responsibility of climate change is mostly due to the build up of GHG concentrations through the centuries from industrialized countries; 2.Developing countries need to increase their emissions for basic development needs l The Kyoto Protocol entered into force in 2005.

8 The need for adaptation l In the year 2000, however, both scientific evidence and political consensus brought the need and the urgency for adaptation to the UNFCCC negotiating table as a higher priority. l Besides the new funds, the Marrakech accords also included decision 5/CP.7, which calls for financing adaptation and guidance to the GEF trust fund.

9 The Bali outcomes l The COP 13 culminated in the adoption of the Bali Road Map, consisting in a number of forward-looking decisions essential to reaching a secure climate future. l The Bali Road Map includes the Bali Action Plan, which charts the course for a new negotiating process designed to tackle climate change, with the aim of completing this by l Adaptation to climate change is recognized as a key element of the future climate change regime. l Bali launched the Adaptation Fund. The CMP asked the GEF to be the Secretariat of the AF with a new Board.

1010 Thank you For more information GEF Website: my