The Durban Platform on Climate Control

Source below ***

Excerpt from the Brookings Institute article by Nathan Hultman

After extending negotiations nearly two days beyond their originally scheduled deadline, negotiators at the climate change meeting in Durban have agreed on a set of agreements, including a high-profile deal called the “Durban Platform for Enhanced Action.” As discussed in my earlier post, the agenda at Durban was unusually complex, as it encompassed both relatively narrow discussions about how to implement earlier decisions as well as broad discussions about the future climate regime under complementary (and some might say competing) visions for international action. There were essentially three big questions at Durban, and all have been addressed, although not all in a meaningful manner.

The first question concerned the future of the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol’s first commitment period ends in 2012, and some supporters argued that without a second commitment period, the agreement would cease to be relevant. As such, some countries—particularly developing countries—expressed their hopes that developed countries would agree to targets under a second commitment period. While many important developed countries did not sign up for second commitment periods (Japan, Russia, Canada) or were never part of the agreement (United States), the European Union did agree to implement its own targets for emissions reduction under the aegis of the Kyoto Protocol. This was a concession for some of the more vocal developing country parties and was tied to an understanding that there would likely not be a third commitment period. Thus, the Protocol was granted an extension, but it is also clear ­even to its supporters­ that its days are now limited. This decision was clearly linked to discussions on the second major question. …

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The outcome of these protracted and contentious discussions was the Durban Platform, a compact, two-page document that sets out a motivation and process for reaching a new agreement by 2015.

This Platform contains three important elements. First, it notes a goal of keeping global temperature increases to “1.5 or 2.0 degrees C” above preindustrial levels—repeating targets from earlier agreements in Copenhagen and Cancun—and notes that current commitments are insufficient to reach that goal. This statement reinforces the developing norm that 1.5 or 2 degree warming is the appropriate target to balance risks versus costs in addressing climate change. Second, the Platform asserts that countries should “launch a process to develop a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change applicable to all Parties.” ….

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Third, it states that this agreement should be finished by 2015 and that any resulting reductions should begin by 2020. The 2015 deadline is relatively quick by international negotiations standards, putting pressure on parties to conclude a deal within the next few years. …

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There were some other conclusions as well – for example, delegates agreed on procedures to incorporate carbon capture and sequestration projects into the Clean Development Mechanism and to guide projects that seek to reduce deforestation. Most of the attention, however, has focused on the Durban Platform. Unfortunately, the Platform itself is little more than an agreement to discuss a treaty. ..

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***http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Annex_I_Parties_who_have_ratified_the_Kyoto_Protocol_and_are_committed_to_emission_limitations_over_the_years_2008-2012._Progress_for_the_year_2005_(greyscale).png

Related Resources

• Climate Change Resources (Library Guide at Santa Clara University)
• Climate Change-What’s the Issue? (Library Guide by Lavonne Jacobsen at the San Francisco State University)
• Climate Change (Library Guide by Ed Weilant at Bowling Green State University)
• Global Climate Change (Library Guide by Kristen Lindquist at the University of Wisconsin- Superior)
• Climate Change and Global Warming  (Library Guide by Eric Kallas at the University of St. Thomas)

Related articles/blog items

• Durban Platform deal postpones necessary global climate action to uncertain future (3eintelligence.wordpress.com)
• India lost the plot at Durban (thehindu.com)
• Major Outcome Of Durban Climate Talks (chimalaya.org)
• You: Durban climate conference agrees deal to do a deal – now comes the hard part (guardian.co.uk)
• Canada: First out of a sinking Kyoto ship? (cnn.com)
• Climate Talks End with Small Steps Forward (livescience.com)
• Durban climate deal: the verdict (guardian.co.uk)
• Durban Summit (hameso.wordpress.com)
• What happened in Durban? (blogs.berkeley.edu)
• Forest Carbon And The Durban Climate Conference (chimalaya.org)