Saturday, October 24, 2009

Copenhagen Treaty

Here's an actual link to a draft of the treaty:
http://wattsupwiththat.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/un-fccc-copenhagen-2009.pdf


In summary, you will find language that talks about:
  • This is a global problem, which requires a global response and cooperation

  • Developed nations are the cause behind the problems, so they need to show ambitious leadership in the solution

  • Transfer of wealth to developing nations

  • Verbiage of covenantal nature (think Ten Commandments, U.S. Constitution, and Declaration of Independence): "shall", "shall not", "right to", "legally binding", etc.
Excerpts
PP.6 Intending to renew and strengthen the global partnership through the creation of new levels of cooperation among Parties, according to the principles of the Convention.

PP.7 Affirming a Shared Vision of a long-term goal to equitably, successfully and coherently integrate the ambitious efforts of all Parties.

PP.8 [Recognizing that] sustainable development is the first priority for developing countries. Therefore, [that] our commitment to a low carbon society would have to be linked to our development priorities, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention.

PP.9 [Recalling that] the Rio principles, particularly the principles of [equity], common but differentiated responsibilities and respective [capabilities] [capacities] should guide the debates on shared vision.

PP.13 Recognizing that current and potential climate change impacts require a shift in the global investment patterns and that criteria for financing allocation shall clearly respond to the priorities identified by the international community, with climate change stabilization being one of these priorities.

PP.14 Acknowledging that current atmospheric concentrations are principally the result of historical emissions of greenhouse gases, the most significant share of which has originated in developed countries.

PP.15 Further acknowledging that developed countries have a historical responsibility for their disproportionate contribution to the causes and consequences of climate change, reflecting their disproportionate historical use of a shared global carbon space since 1850 as well as their proposed continuing disproportionate use of the remaining global carbon space.

1. [[[As assessed by the IPCC in its Fourth Assessment Report] Warming of the climate system, as a consequence of human activity, is unequivocal. [Global atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases have increased significantly because of human activities since 1750.]

2. Current atmospheric concentrations are principally the result of historical emissions of greenhouse gases, [the largest share of which has originated in] [originating from] developed countries [Parties].

3. ...In order to build up their coping or adaptive capacity, developing countries
must pursue these overriding priorities to the best of their abilities. The maintenance of healthy ecosystems and their services is necessary to maintain the life support system on earta. h in the face of climate change, providing food and livelihoods, contributing to human welfare and enabling sustainable economic development.

10. Led by developed country Parties, [
an economic transition is needed [that shifts] [in order to adjust] global economic growth patterns towards a sustainable [low-emission economy] based on
development of innovative technologies, more sustainable production and consumption, promoting sustainable lifestyles and [climate-resilient] [sustainable] development [while
ensuring a just transition of the workforce]. The active participation of all stakeholders in this transition should be sought [, be they governmental, including subnational and local government, private business or civil society, including the youth and addressing the need for gender equity].] Those developing countries that were and are low carbon economies need sufficient financial incentives and appropriate technology transfer to keep avoiding GHG emissions in their path to sustainable development and to prevent adopting the high GHG emission trajectories of developed countries.

11. The structure of the global economy has undergone profound changes since the entry into force of the Convention, and Parties’ individual responsibilities and capabilities with it. Emissions and sources of capital are increasingly global,
necessitating that all countries take action to achieve a low-emissions trajectory in order to meet the objective of the Convention.

14. [In reflection of] [Because of] their
historical responsibility for the accumulation of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, [developed country Parties [and other Parties included in Annex I of the Convention] [must] [should] [show leadership] [in the global effort to build a low-carbon economy that ensures continued growth and sustainable development and strengthens capacity to adapt to the impacts of climate change] [shall take the lead in combating climate change] [and the adverse effects thereof] [in] [by] [in particular on taking corresponding measures in] [mitigation] [in taking on ambitious economy-wide quantified emission limitation and reduction] commitments [immediately implementing ambitious and legally binding emissions reductions] [through deep reductions in their emissions.]...

18. ...It is also particularly important to provide adequate, predictable, stable, sufficient and timely funding for adaptation purposes particularly by developed countries.
Developed country Parties shall support these developing countries in meeting the costs of adaptation.

20. In order to fulfill this shared vision,
Parties have agreed to establish a coherent, cohesive and integrated system of financial and technology transfer mechanisms under the Convention and a follow up/compliance mechanism. These institutions are robust and effective.

21. .. ensuring that
global crises, such as the financial crisis, should not constitute an obstacle to the provision of financial and technical assistance to developing countries in accordance with the Convention.

Alternative 1
a. fully recognize that the shared vision is to be pursued “in accordance with the provisions and principles of the Convention” (para. 1 a of the BAP), as contained in its Article 3, in particular Articles 3.1 (protection of the climate system for the benefit of present and future generations of humankind, on the basis of equity and in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities) and 3.3, and shall take into account “social and economic conditions and other relevant factors”, through the full consideration of the economic and social impacts on developing countries, including impacts on the eradication of poverty, of any long-term global goal for emissions reductions;

Alternative 2
a. The guiding principles and objective of the agreed outcome, including the scientific basis for decision making,

The guiding principles of the Convention should support items b) and c) of the previous paragraph, in terms of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities; historical responsibilities in greenhouse gas emissions and the related historical
ecological debt generated by the cumulative greenhouse gas emissions since 1750 and the most recent scientific information. The objective of the shared vision should be expressed as guidance to integrate the global cooperative action to enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention, from now, up to and beyond 2012. The previous should be linked to a series of more specific and mutually coherent agreements on the mitigation, adaptation, technology and financing issues, which should be respectively included in a series of COP decisions so as to complement the framework decision on the shared vision.

Alternative 3
The shared vision is to establish a global approach to addressing climate change through enhancing action by all countries to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases and to provide adequate support for vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change. Actions taken shall play a significant role in ensuring that global greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere must be stabilized as far below 350 parts per million of carbon dioxide equivalent as possible, with temperature increases limited to as far below 1.5 degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels as possible. Action taken shall be a major contribution towards moving to a low greenhouse gas emission society that is compatible with sustainable development objectives and consistent with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. The right to survival of all nations is a paramount objective.

Alternative 4
The discussion on a shared vision for long-term cooperative action is an exchange of views or ideas about how to enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention, focusing on the way to implement long-term cooperative action under the framework of the Convention. A shared vision is for long-term cooperative action, such a vision should be guided by the ultimate objective of the Convention, which consists of the following three aspects:

[1.] to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system;

[2.] to adapt to the impacts of climate change;

[3.] and to realize sustainable development.

A shared vision for long-term cooperative action should be comprehensive and include mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology as well as sustainable development.

23. [Recalling Article 3, paragraphs 1 and 5, and Article 4, paragraphs 3 and 7 of the Convention, developed country Parties shall not resort to any form of unilateral measures, including countervailing border measures, against goods and services imported from developing countries on the grounds of protection and stabilization of climate.]