Last month’s UNFCCC conference at Copenhagen disbanded amidst acrimony with no sign of a legally binding document to curb the pernicious affects of global warming. What emerged instead was the Copenhagen Accord, a non-binding treaty that, according to UN secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, constitutes an “essential beginning” to further talks that are scheduled to take place in 2010.
The accord agreed at Copenhagen recognizes the scientific view that an increase in global temperature below 2 degrees Celsius is required to stave off the worst effects of climate change. In order to achieve this goal, the accord specifies that industrialised countries will commit to implement, individually or jointly, quantified economy-wide emissions targets from 2020, to be listed in the accord before 31st of January 2010.
A number of developing countries, including major emerging economies, agreed to communicate their efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions every two years, listing their voluntary pledges before the 31st of January 2010. As well as this, the accord details the importance of Climate Change Adaptation programmes (such as flood defences and tree nurseries) to compensate for some of the adverse affects of climate change in the countries most vulnerable to them.
In a statement issued by UNFCCC Executive secretary, Yvo DeBoer, “We now have a package to work with and begin immediate action however, we need to be clear that it is a letter of intent and is not precise about what needs to be done in legal terms. So the challenge is now to turn what we have agreed politically in Copenhagen into something real, measurable and verifiable”
The next annual UN Climate Change Conference will take place towards the end of 2010 in Mexico City and will be preceded by a major two week negotiating session in Bonn, Germany, scheduled to take place between the 31st of May and the 11th of June.