First round of negotiations after Bali agrees on work programme for 2008
The climate negotiations in Bangkok concluded yesterday with agreement on a concrete work programme. Following difficult discussions concerning which issues should be given priority during negotiations, agreement was reached on the further process for the coming negotiations this year. There was consensus that emissions trading, joint implementation (JI) and the clean development mechanism (CDM) will remain of crucial importance for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The first round of negotiations agreed in the Bali road map took place from 31 March to 4 April 2008 in the Thai capital.
Federal Environment Minister Gabriel: "Bangkok was the first station on our journey to Copenhagen. Many countries made interesting proposals on the concrete form of a future climate protection agreement, for example regarding financing. These proposals are not yet fully compatible, and we must work to bring them closer together. But we are on the right track."
Over three further rounds of negotiations in 2008, individual proposals on greenhouse gas reduction, adaptation to climate change, technology cooperation and financing climate protection will be discussed in greater detail. A decision is due to be taken at the Climate Change Conference in Poznañ, Poland in December 2008 on how to bring together these elements. These negotiations are set to conclude by the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen at the end of 2009.
Minister Gabriel: "For Germany and the EU it is crucial to restrict the global temperature rise to a maximum 2 degrees Celsius compared with pre-industrial times. This is the only way to keep the impacts of climate change that are already being felt to a manageable level. The EU is willing to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2020 compared with 1990 in the framework of a future climate protection agreement. The climate and energy programme adopted by the Federal Cabinet in December last year will enable Germany to achieve a 36 percent reduction in its emissions by 2020."
Background: The Bali road map was adopted at the Climate Change Conference in Bali in December 2007. In this road map the international community agreed on a timetable for comprehensive negotiations on a climate regime for the post-2012 period, after the Kyoto Protocol's first commitment period. These negotiations are due to be concluded at the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009. The negotiations are taking place in two so-called ad-hoc working groups working in parallel. The focus of the working group under the Kyoto Protocol is on specifying the future commitments of Annex I Parties. In the ad-hoc working group under the Convention, states are negotiating about emission reduction contributions of non-Annex I Parties, in particular the US, and about contributions by developing countries to a future climate protection regime. Further topics for negotiation include adaptation to climate change, mitigation and adaptation technologies, investments and financing this regime.