Why the 1.5°C threshold might be more of a dellusion than a negotiation miracle ?

This article is written by Aglaé Jézéquel.

One of the most unexpected outcomes of COP21 was the inclusion of the 1.5°C threshold on global temperature warming in the Paris agreement. More precisely, the article regarding the purpose of the agreement goes as follows: “Holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.”

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Charlie and the Agreement Factory

This article is part of the Climate Nerd Chronicles.

Year 2015 – one of the biggest international events ever is happening in Paris: the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21). This conference, organized under the jurisdiction of the UNFCCC (United Nations Factory for Convention on Chocolate Conservation), aims at finding a global agreement to avoid the disappearance of chocolate through climate change. For example, the delegates have to find consensus on the very controversial chocolate mousse recipe. Before the beginning of negotiations the related paragraph looked like that:

Chocolate mousse [shall]/[should] be made with [milk products]/[vegan products] with [white]/[milk]/[dark] chocolate and [shall]/[should]/[may]/[must] be preserved in a [plastic box] [glass box] [can] [reusable box].

All the Countries (or Parties) came as negotiators, while the members of civil society are observers.

Willy Fabius when asked what to expect regarding the outcome of COP21

Romeo and Juliet at COP21

This article is part of the Climate Nerd Chronicles.

He was American, she was from the Marshall Islands and more than an ocean separated them. More than anything Gods could create. Under the lights of the Conference Of Parties,while the world looks intently toward Paris as the climate slowly changes, they were looking at each other. In the corridors filled with journalists, in the rooms fooled by greying diplomats and government leaders, through the windows of different universes…

First meeting in Copenhagen

Star COP21 Episode 5: Self interest Strikes Back

This article is part of the Climate Nerd Chronicles.

After the text was released yesterday, late in the evening, a wind of hope blew across the entire galaxy. The last draft of the Paris agreement was quite ambitious and the Uncertainty Bearers brackets were scarce. The COP21 outcome seems now very close and looks better than most observers would have dreamed of even before its beginning. However, the text still has to be accepted by the Parties, and therein lies the rub.

The Fossil Fuel Empire, mainly through the infamous Saudi Kamino Fuels Suppliers, has led another successful offensive in delaying decisive action against them. The members of the Galactic Senate cannot agree neither on finance, nor on ambition, nor on differentiation. There  will be no agreement today, as was agreed. We will have to wait for tomorrow at best to discover the final agreement, and who knows how the text will look by that time?

 

 

When you hope the negotiators will save the planet with a global agreement.

 

Gender Equity and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Negotiation Process

This article is written by Bindu Bhandari.

It’s the 10th of December today, United Nations Human Rights Day; a day to celebrate the ongoing work on achieving inclusive and integrated approach for recognition of minimal essential rights to living a life of dignity by each and every human. While the second of week of the climate talks Conference of the Parties 21 (COP21) is ongoing, the atmosphere in Le Bourget (COP 21 venue) feels warm and jubilant despite the chilling cold of December. And why not? After all, it’s the second week, the week of high hopes and aspiration for a climate agreement that safeguards our rights and ensures of upcoming generation as well to live as the current generation does.

The calm before the storm?

This article is written by Elizabeth Buchan and Sabrina Marquant.

It is mid way through the second week of climate talks (also known as COP21) in Paris, which are expected to deliver a new international agreement on climate change that takes effect in 2020. The final landing zones of the remaining sticking points have the potential to dramatically alter how effective this agreement and its implementation are, to avoid the dangerous consequences of climate change. These remaining elements will be frantically thrashed out by countries’ Minister’s and negotiating teams in the next couple of days.

2016–2020: What will happen before the Paris Agreement enters into force?

This article is written by Clément Bultheel.

This article was first issued by I4CE – Institute for Climate Economics in ClimasCOPe #6

Source, UNFCCC Climate Action Now, Summary for Policymakers, November 2015

The emissions reductions targets announced by the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Parties for the second Kyoto Protocol commitment period (2013–2020) are not sufficient to limit global temperature rise to 2°C¹. This 2°C limit is widely accepted as a ‘tipping point’ for dangerous climate change, and was agreed as an international warming threshold at climate talks in 2009 in Copenhagen. To close this gap during the pre-2020 period, collective actions that aim to cut GHG emissions and mitigate climate change, both by governments and economic actors, must be strengthened and amplified.

Star COP21 Episode 4: A new COP

This article is part of the Climate Nerd Chronicles.

After one week of intense UN climate negotiations, Luke Skywalker finally reaches the much sought-after “blue zone”. By the end of the two weeks, twenty thousand people from all over the galaxy will have entered there. Who are these accredited people of the blue zone? What are they doing here? Here’s an inside look.

All galactic species inside the blue zone coexisting peacefully… most of the time.

Because The Ocean

This article is written by Nicolas Pinceloup.

On November 30th, next to the polar boat “TARA” and its robust and majestic shape, with the Eiffel tower in the background, a historical conference was held at the Tara Expedition Pavilion. Well-known political figures attended the conference such as the President of Palau, the President of Kiribati and one of the leaders of the fight for the recognition of the Ocean at the international level, Prince Albert II of Monaco, as well as  delegates and ministers of 10 countries (Canada, France, Fiji, Monaco, Chile, Mexico, Palau, Kiribati, Aruba, New Zealand), which signed a new declaration that brings hope for the other world: our océans.

I thought I was going to the COP – ADP’s life and work

This article is written by Gwenaël Podesta.

The first time I had the chance to attend climate change negotiations, I thought I was going to the COP. What a surprise when I discovered that I ended up at ADP 2.11! A quick internet research told me ADP stands for Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action. What a barbaric name… Considering how informative the acronym was, better telling you that I was not really advanced.

I’m sure I was not the only one in this case, wondering what the hell was this ADP all the negotiators talk about, but no one has heard of? Well, let me tell you about this mysterious ADP.