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THE DOHA CLIMATE CONFERENCE
was the successor to the Copenhagen (2009), Cancun (2010), and Durban (2011) climate conferences. It was officially the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP18) and the 8th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. Besides the headline negotiations, these climate conferences have a wide range of activities. The broad issues of climate science, impacts, adaptation, and mitigation are discussed in detailed sessions parallel to the climate negotiations. There are many side events by various organizations. Our presentation here tries to give a flavor.
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Results: Kyoto Protocol Extended, Loss/Damage Principle Accepted
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Elephant in the Room - the Climate Deniers and Carbon Billionaires
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Ethical/Religious Insights on the Climate Crisis - side event
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Durban Platform 2011 climate agreement (reference)
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RESULTS: KYOTO PROTOCOL EXTENDED TO 2020
PRINCIPLE OF CLIMATE DAMAGE/LOSS ACCEPTED
The deal, agreed by over 190 nations, extends to 2020 the Kyoto Protocol, which is limited but the only legally-binding plan for combating global warming; for background click HERE. The conference also cleared the way for the Kyoto Protocol to be replaced by a new treaty binding all rich and poor nations together by 2015.
Developed nations have agreed to some financing to help developing countries to get clean energy and adapt to climate change, but they have stopped short of accepting responsibility for damage caused by climate change. But in Doha that broad principle was agreed. The Loss and Damage mechanism will be under the existing process promising to mobilise $100bn a year by 2020 for poor nations to adapt to climate change. "What helped swing it was [US President Barack] Obama asking Congress for $60bn for the damage caused by [Hurricane] Sandy," said Martin Khor of the South Centre - an association of 52 developing nations
Bottom line: Doha made some progress, but avoided enhancing climate risk management of reducing carbon emissions needed to avoid the worst impacts of global warming / climate change. Given national "political and economic realities", coping with climate denier obstruction especially in the US, and the absence of a "climate crisis mentality" for developed countries, the Doha outcome was perhaps "reasonable". It did not, however, respond to the real threat of climate disaster that will be visited on our children and grandchildren if we do not act vigorously and soon.
Perhaps next year's COP19 climate conference will do better.
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HERE is the Doha conference agenda and below is a picture of a scene near the end of the conference:
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HERE is the link to an iisd interim report giving an idea of the proceedings as they unfolded at Doha
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NGOs and the CSD CoNGO Climate Paper for Doha
Many non-governmental organizations or NGOs play a role in these climate conferences. HERE is the climate change paper "Summary and Recommendations to Governments" by the Committee on Sustainable Development, CoNGO, NY [CoNGO is the Conference of Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Consultative Relationship with the UN].
CSD_CoNGO Climate Change Paper Doha 2012 FINAL
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IPCC Events at Doha
The IPCC announcement of activites at Doha, including the upcoming AR5 reports.
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Climate Negotiation Process
Climate negotiations go on constantly with formal and informal meetings, for example the picture below including the US negotiator Jonathan Pershing speaking with members of the EU delegation.
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Demonstrations
Demonstrations by participants are common in these conferences. Here are three.
1. A peaceful request as shown by the picture below:
2. The ubiquitous Kumi Naidoo Executive Director, Greenpeace International with a demonstrator (picture iisd):
3. A climate denier/contrarian/faux-skeptic demonstration was documented by iisd: " The evening stocktaking plenary saw a climate skeptic hijack a party’s microphone and request a review of climate science. His statement was greeted by loud boos from the room..." This turned out to be none other than the notorious Christopher Monckton, a climate denier with no climate credentials and a popular right-wing speaker who routinely distorts climate science. Monckton was promptly barred from the conference.
Monckton earlier tried to ride a camel named Aziz into the conference. The Guardian reported that "Aziz was a very intelligent camel. He listened to Monckton and promptly chucked him headfirst into a sand dune."
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UN Alliance for climate change education and public awareness
HERE is the announcement.
UN Alliance on Climate Change Education, Training and Public Awareness
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Elephant in the Room - the Climate Deniers and Carbon Billionaires
The climate change deniers/contrarians/faux-skeptics and carbon billionaires are firmly against any global warming treaty - or even any real mitigation effort. HERE is a report by the International Forum on Globalization, which says: "The purpose of the report is to explain the role of the world’s two wealthiest men—carbon billionaires, Charles and David Koch—in paralyzing United States climate policy that underpins the international impasse at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)."
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Initiative on Women and Climate Change
by UNFCCC, Rockefeller Foundation
HERE is the information on this new initiative to recognize the critical role of women in fighting climate change: “Momentum for Change: Women for Results”, and HERE is the press release.
CC and Women UN and Rockefeller Foundation
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Ethical and Religious Insights on the Climate Crisis
THIS was a side event presented by the World Council of Churches (WCC), as reported by the iisd.
During discussions, participants addressed the following topics: the engagement of churches in the political debate on climate change; encouraging a “human family” perspective instead of country perspectives; climate denial in the US among some parts of the faith community; population growth and the Catholic Church’s position on family planning; how to better balance consumerism with conservation to manage resources effectively; and how to restore hope in the UNFCCC process.
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Global Business Day
HERE is an account of the Doha Global Business Day, held under the general theme of “Diversifying Actions for Climate Impact,” organized by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). Business Day gathered representatives of the private sector, international financing institutions, international organizations, governments, NGOs and others to address business perspectives on diversifying the energy mix by 2050 in the framework of global green growth. The event consisted of the two sessions: the morning session addressed how to shift the balance of the energy mix towards a low-carbon economy; and the afternoon session focused on opportunities for green growth in the Middle East.
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HERE is a timeline of previous UNFCCC climate events as background to the Doha Conference:
- 2011 — The Durban Platform for Enhanced Action drafted and accepted by the COP, at COP17. More on the Durban outcomes.
- 2010 — Cancun Agreements drafted and largely accepted by the COP, at COP16. More on the Cancun Agreements.
- 2009 — Copenhagen Accord drafted at COP15 in Copenhagen. This was taken note of by the COP. Countries later submitted emissions reductions pledges or mitigation action pledges, all non-binding.
- 2007 — IPCC’s Fourth Assessment Report released. Climate science entered into popular consciousness. At COP13, Parties agreed on the Bali Road Map, which charted the way towards a post-2012 outcome in two work streams: the AWG-KP, and another under the Convention, known as the Ad-Hoc Working Group on Long-Term Cooperative Action Under the Convention. More about the Bali Road Map.
- 2005 — Entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol. The first Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (MOP 1) takes place in Montreal. In accordance with Kyoto Protocol requirements, Parties launched negotiations on the next phase of the KP under the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP). What was to become the Nairobi Work Programme on Adaptation (it would receive its name in 2006, one year later) is accepted and agreed on. More about the Nairobi Work Programme.
- 2001 — Release of IPCC’s Third Assessment Report. Bonn Agreements adopted, based on the Buenos Aires Plan of Action of 1998. Marrakesh Accords adopted at COP7, detailing rules for implementation of Kyoto Protocol, setting up new funding and and planning instruments for adaptation, and establishing a technology transfer framework.
- 1997 — Kyoto Protocol formally adopted in December at COP3. More about the Kyoto Protocol.
- 1996 — The UNFCCC Secretariat is set up to support action under the Convention. More on the Secretariat.
- 1995 — The first Conference of the Parties (COP 1) takes place in Berlin.
- 1994 — UNFCCC enters into force. An introduction to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
- 1992 — The INC adopts UNFCCC text. At the Earth Summit in Rio, the UNFCCC is opened for signature along with its sister Rio Conventions, UNCBD and UNCCD. More about the two other Rio Conventions: UNCBD and UNCCD.
- 1991 — First meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) takes place.
- 1990 — IPCC’s first assessment report released. IPCC and second World Climate Conference call for a global treaty on climate change. United Nations General Assembly negotiations on a framework convention begin.
- 1988 — The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is set up. More about the science of climate change.
- 1979 — The first World Climate Conference (WCC) takes place.
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Here for reference is the Durban Platform 2011 climate agreement:
Durban Platform on Climate, 2011
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More Information on Doha
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