UN climate change conference: a first opportunity to advance global efforts against climate change

Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas will attend the annual UN climate change conference, in Montreal, Canada, next week. The conference with its 189 participating nations is the main international forum to discuss climate change, whose effects are becoming increasingly pronounced around the globe. A key aim is to launch a process of negotiations on an international climate change regime after 2012 when the Kyoto emission reduction targets expire. Other important agenda items are decisions strengthening the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, streamlining the operation of key Kyoto mechanisms, such as investment in clean technology for developing countries, and providing the details of a five-year programme to help countries adapt to the effects of climate change.

"Time is running out", said Commissioner Dimas. "Montreal gives us the opportunity to start a debate on future climate policies, which must involve all major emitters in order to be effective. The European Union will continue to make a strong case for global action against climate change. I call on all our partners to join us in these efforts."

The challenges at the Montreal conference

More than 7,000 participants are attending the conference, which is taking place under the presidency of Canada from 28 November to 9 December. During the high-level segment from 6 to 9 December, the EU will be represented by the EU Troika: UK Secretary of State for Environment Margaret Beckett, Austrian Environment Minister Josef Pröll and Commissioner Stavros Dimas.

Two meetings are held simultaneously: the 11th Conference of the 189 Parties to the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the 1st meeting of the 156 Parties to the Convention's 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The Protocol entered into force last February and commits developed nations to reach specific emission targets during the Protocol's 2008-2012 'commitment period'.

In Montreal, the Kyoto Parties need to adopt a set of decisions to make the Protocol work when it becomes fully operational in 2008. The EU considers implementation of the Protocol represents a crucial first step in the global fight against climate change.

The EU also hopes to reach agreement to streamline procedures related to the Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). This mechanism allows countries with Kyoto targets to carry out emission-saving projects in developing countries and count the achieved reductions towards their targets. EU-companies falling under the scope of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme may do the same. The CDM contributes to transferring climate-friendly technology to developing countries.

The EU will present measures and policies at EU-level to combat climate change, such as the Emissions Trading Scheme, increased research and technology development, and the recently agreed partnerships on climate change with China and India. In the EU-15, which has a collective 8% reduction target, emissions were down by 1.7% in 2003, compared to base year levels (mostly 1990), while the EU economy grew by 27%. Projections based on policies and measures in the pipeline and the use of the CDM and other Kyoto mechanisms show that the EU-15 will meet its target.

The issue of the future international co-operation on climate change post-2012 is probably the most important issue on the agenda. In 2012, the Kyoto targets expire. It is therefore necessary to launch discussions that will lead to official negotiations on how this future climate change regime should look. In February, the Commission outlined a number of elements that the future regime should be based. This includes the involvement of all major emitters, the broadening of climate policy to all sectors, including aviation and maritime transport and all gases, the use of market based mechanisms such as EU emission trading, investment in new technology and adaptation or the need to prepare for the inevitable consequences of climate change. (see IP/05/155 and MEMO/05/42).

The UNFCCC Parties also need to work out the details of a five-year programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change agreed last year, particularly to help developing countries adapt to the effects of climate change. There are also various funding issues to be resolved. The EU is committed to honouring its pledge, starting in 2005 to provide the lion's share of annually $410 million promised by developed nations in support of developing countries.

A new Commission web site on the Montreal conference that is updated daily is available at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/climat/montreal_05.htm

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• Speech by EU Commissioner Dimas - Progress in Climate Change Negotiations (8/12/2005)
• Speech by EU Commissioner Dimas - Opening statement at UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (7/12/2005)
• Climate Change: EU on track to reach Kyoto targets (1/12/2005)
• Speech by EU Commissioner Dimas - EU Climate Change Policy (21/11/2005)
• Climate change: start of 2nd European Climate Change Programme (21/10/2005)
• EU-Canada Summit to reaffirm commitment to fighting climate change and strengthening UN (17/6/2005)
• Climate change - EC hails entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol (16/2/2005)
• Climate change - Commission outlines core elements for post-2012 strategy (9/2/2005)