1. ENDA Energie, Dakar, Sénégal
Overview on international Climate Change negotiations ISSUES FOR COP 12 An African prospective
Dr.Salimata WADE
ENDA Energie, Dakar, Sénégal
Nairobi, 20th September 2006

2. Link between Climate Change, poverty and development issues
Introduction (1)
Climate Change (CC) :
has an anthropic origine
Is essentially caused by industrialized countries (Annexe 1 countries)
Affects mostly the poor countries and vulnerable communities,
Link between Climate Change, poverty and development issues
Climate Change is an additional constraint in a development prospective
Concerning the adpation issues, “additional costs” means the costs imposed on vulnerable countries to meet their immediate adaptation needs.
Link with MDG

3. Link between CC and local governance
Introduction (2)
Link between CC and local governance
CC impacts increase development constraints (droughts, floods, etc . And their consequences on human health, economic productionetc.)
The sustainable development promoted at the Earth Summit (Rio de Janeiro, 1992) is supposed to be implemented at various level,
In the context of developping countries, the local level is very relevant
State is quite weak,
Decentralization is in progress although without suffisant means to comlply with its commitments
poor communities are the most vulnerable to CC impact
Poor communitues need instututional, financial, etc. support from local governance to adapt to CC and keep on their development objectives

4. A- A global overview of the the Climate Change negotiation process (1)
Industrialized countries’ specific commitements in order to stabilise their Greengas Emissions in the atmosphere should be:
at an acceptable level for the climate system
within an acceptable timeframework to allow ecosystem adaptation to climate change
In a sustainable development prospective, not threat to food security and economic development

5. The important events related to international CC negotiations
A - A global overview of the the Climate Change negotiation process (2)
The important events related to international CC negotiations
Rio de Janeiro Summit (1992)
Almost all the countries recognize the Climate Change phenomenon and its impacts
Adoption of the Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC ratified by 189 countries)
Industrialised countries are committed to stabilise then reduce their Greengas emissions during a first period of engagement (from 2008 to 2012)

6. A - A global overview of the the Climate Change negotiation process (3)
Since The Rio Summit
negotiation meetings are organized to define the global climate regime
Industrialized countries’ specific commitements in order to stabilise their Greengas Emissions in the atmosphere should be:
at an acceptable level for the climate system
within an acceptable time framework to allow ecosystem adaptation to Climate Change
In a sustainable development prospective (notthreat to food security and economic development)
Each year, the COP (Conference of the Parties) is held to discuss technical issues and adopt policy decisions

7. A - A global overview of the international Climate Change negotiation process (4)
1997: Kyoto Protocol
defines clearly the results to reach but not the means
Is more focused on the developped countries committements (objectives and principles
1998: Buenos Aires Action Plan
a working programme for Kyoto Protocol implementation rules,
a mandate fully fufilled ( Bonn, 2001) and (Marrakech, 2001)
Bonn and Marrakech agreements give a large place to the developing countries
2005 :
Entry into force of the European Emission trading Scheme
Entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol and first MoP
2006: Will the COP 12 organised this year in an african country (Nairobi, 6-17) give a large emphasis to the developping countries as Marrakech did?

8. B- Important issues for Africa at COP12 MoP 2 (1)
1. Adaptation to the impact of Climate Change
2. Deforestation
3. Market mechanisms
4. Other issues….

9. B- Important issues for Africa at COP12 MoP 2 (2)
1. Adaptation to the impact of Climate Change
It’s a fact mitigation is at the front stage of the negotiation process
interest of the industrialized countries for the Kyoto Protocol (provides opportunities with the market mechanism)
Despite African countries contribution to the world emission level of carbon gas is only of 3.5% they are among the most vulnerable to the impact of Climate Change
sea level rising, droughts, floods, increase of the frequence and the intensity of extreme climatic events, etc.
negative effects on economic prospective and on human development. It means global negative impact on development prospective

10. B- Important issues for Africa at COP12 MoP 2 (3)
1. Adaptation to the impact of Climate Change
Climate Change is an emerging issue taken in charge in the Convention
Synthesis of Article 4.1 : the Parties have to produce national and possibly regional programmes with specific mesures for facilitating appropriate adaptation to CC
Synthesis of Article 4.4 : the industrialized countries should help the developing countries which are the most vulnerable to negative effects of CC to face the adaptation costs to those negative effects

11. B- Important issues for Africa at COP12 MoP 2 (4)
2. Deforestation
Some of the most important forests in the world are located in Africa (Centre)
Although deforestation is a crucial issue almost every where, in the semi arid zone as well as in the humid zone
Forest are ecosystems sensitive to CC and related to biodiversity issues
African adaptation capacity is directly linked to forests as well as water or oil
Where is the opportunity of carbon sink is not trading market?

12. B- Important issues for Africa at COP12 MoP 2 (5)
3. Market mechanisms
Three Kyoto Protocol Mechanisms are designed to help industrialized countries (Annexe 1 ) to :
limit their gas emissions
maximise less cost opportunities of gaz limitation emissions
2 of thoses mechanisms are designed for industrialized countries as only CDM can interest developping countries
3.1.the international Emissions trading
for the purchase or sale of emission units
available among industrialized countries

13. B- Important issues for Africa at COP12 MoP 2 (6)
3.2. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
Industrialized countries have opportunities to implement projects which are aimed at :
reducing emissions in non-Annexe 1 Parties
promoting sustainable development (Contributing to the ultimate goal of the Convention)
The CDM projects generate Certified Emissions Reductions (CERs)
industrialized countries can use their CERs to meet their emission target

14. B- Important issues for Africa at COP12 MoP 2 (7)
3.3. The Joint Implementation(JI)
Industrialized countries receive emission reduction credits for investments in other industrialized countries
The result is a transfer of « emission reduction units » generated by the investments between the host country and the donor country.
3.4. What opportunities for African countries ?
Among the Kyoto Protocol and the Market Mechanisms
there are potential opportunities for African countries to access to new investments
But these opportunities seem to be very theorical (except South Africa and Northern Africa and a few number of countries accross the continent)
The future negotiation should put more emphasis on the accessibility to some aspects of the market mechanisms to a large number of Least Developed countries (mostly african countries)
If no significant progress on the accessibility of some of the market mechanisms opportunities to the African countries one could predict Kyoto protocol and all its related issues will not have a large audience amoung African country
If no significant progress….why should African support actively the process for a post regime?

15. B- Important issues for Africa at COP12 MoP 2 (8)
4. Other issues….
4.1. Adaptation funding
4.2. capacity building
The Convention provides opportunities for strenghtening institutional and human capacities
4.3 Technology transfert
The Convention Facilitates access to new, clean and adapted technologies. Despite this potential opportunity for African countries they benefit little from the transfert of technology

16. C- Listing of Montreal COP11/ MOP decisions relevant in an African prospective
1. Dialogue on long-term cooperative action to address climate change by enhancing implementation of the Convention
2. Five-year programme of work of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice on impacts, vulnerability
3. Development and transfer of technologies
4. Further guidance relating to the clean development mechanism
5. Further guidance for the operation of the Least Developed Countries Fund
6. Additional guidance to an operating entity of the financial mechanism
….there are more than 40 decisions….
…..there is a lot to achieve!

17. Local authorities and international CC negotiation progress…
Conclusion
Local authorities and international CC negotiation progress…
the local level is the one where adaptation issues so essential for Africa are very relevant
Engagements taken by states at international level should be known at local level and… implemented
Local authorities influencing the international CC negotiation process?
Local authorities as civil society have to influence national authorities to comply with their international CC committements
What could be local authorities role in the implementation of the UNFCC decisions?
Once local authorities know more about national committements taken at international level (in terms of constraints and opportunities) they could integrate them into the norms and objectives of local planning documents

18. Thank you for attention!
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