E-Paper
Developed nations have failed to mitigate emissions: COP27 non-paper
Non-paper is an unofficial draft of what would become the cover decision text (negotiated document) at the United Nations Climate Conference in Sharm El Sheikh by Friday or Saturday
Sharm El Sheikh: Egypt’s COP27 presidency published a non-paper or an unofficial draft of what would become the cover decision text (negotiated document) at the United Nations Climate Conference in Sharm El Sheikh by Friday or Saturday. The draft was published following overnight work to reflect the needs and demands of the parties.
HT on Wednesday reported negotiations heated up with developed countries pushing to remove the distinction between developed and developing parties in their obligations on delivering climate finance and mitigating emissions.
The non-paper captures the distinction. It highlights the Paris Agreement principles of “equity” and “common but differentiated responsibilities”, which means countries will act as per their national circumstances and respective capabilities.
The non-paper will be discussed and negotiated on Thursday before an official outcome is published. It stresses the importance of exerting all efforts at all levels to achieve the Paris Agreement temperature goal.
The agreement sought to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.
The draft points out that developed countries have failed to mitigate emissions based on their fair share and historical responsibility. “Expresses deep regret that developed countries who have the most capabilities financially and technologically to lead in reducing their emissions continue to fall short in doing so, and are taking inadequate and unambitious goals to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, while they continue to emit and disproportionately consume the global carbon budget.”
The draft says developed countries should attain net negative carbon emissions by 2030. “Developing countries can enhance mitigation ambition based on the provision of support by developed countries to developing countries.”
India has objected to singling out of any fossil fuel when it comes to phasing down. The non-paper does a balancing act of calling for the phasing down of coal and inefficient fossil fuel subsidies but cushions it by saying efforts will be based on national circumstances and just transition.
“Stressing the importance of enhancing the share of renewable energy in the energy mix at all levels as part of diversifying energy mixes and systems, and encourages the continued efforts to accelerate measures towards the phase down of unabated coal power and phase out and rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, in line with national circumstances and recognizing the need for support towards just transitions.”
There is no mention of gas and oil or India’s fossil fuel phase-down.
The draft points out the lack of ambition in raising adequate climate finance by developed parties and the non-delivery of what was promised for mitigation efforts by developing countries.
“Notes with concern the growing gap between the needs of developing country Parties, in particular, due to the increasing impacts of climate change and increased indebtedness, and the support provided and mobilized to complement their efforts to implement their nationally determined contributions, highlighting that current estimates of such needs are in the scale of 5.6 trillion USD up to 2030, while the global annual flows to developing countries.”
The draft notes global climate finance flows are small relative to the overall needs of developing countries. “Global climate finance in 2019–2020 was estimated to be USD 803 billion. This amount is 31–32% of the annual investment needed for the global temperature rise to follow a well below 2 °C or a 1.5 °C pathway.”
It says this level of climate finance is also below what one would expect in light of the investment opportunities identified and the cost of failure to meet climate stabilisation targets. The draft urges developed country parties to provide enhanced support, including through financial resources, technology transfer, and capacity building.
It expresses concern that the goal of developed country parties to mobilise jointly $100 billion per year by 2020 has not yet been met. The draft urges them to meet the goal and address the shortfall of $100 billion since 2020.
There is a placeholder for loss and damage funding, which means it is being worked on.
The draft encourages wealthy countries to increase support and align funding flows with 1.5 degrees C. It may change significantly but gives an idea of what is being discussed.
As a developing country, Egypt has been trying to reflect the concerns of such countries. “The Paris Agreement is in black and white. Under Article 2, it states that the entire Paris Agreement should be guided by based on equity and common but differentiated responsibilities,” said Egypt’s COP27 ambassador Wael Aboulmagd on Wednesday in response to HT’s question on how it will address the push by rich countries to remove differentiation among countries and the principle of equity.
He said this is a conversation that takes place every year. “We are patrons at this time and are trying to find a common ground. We will have to find the right language to accommodate differentiation. We are aware of the various positions and are working now to accommodate the parties’ views but also the legal agreement that we ratified together.”
