Climate Change in Bali
Climate Change in Bali
The meeting of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) opens negotiations on the future of international agreements on polluting emissions and climate change.
The conference begins on December 3, 2007 in Bali, Indonesia; it is the thirteenth conference on the environment, and the aim is to reach a common agreement on a new international pact which, by 2009, should make it possible to slow down the climate changes underway. The effects of the Protocol will expire in 2012, but it will be difficult to obtain the accession of the United States and China to the Protocol during these negotiations. Within the framework of the Convention, however, it is possible to reach an agreement that defines the temperatures to keep an eye on, the concentrations of greenhouse gases to be considered acceptable and other milestones useful for building the foundation of a political action that could arise later. Another area to keep an eye on in Bali is that of forests. The Protocol provided for the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), according to which countries that reduce their emissions can pass these results on to other countries. In Bali, this mechanism could be enhanced with incentives for those countries that refrain from exploiting their forests. Some of the negotiators oppose any revision of the mechanism, especially interventions that could depress the commercial value of accumulated credits. Valuing forests and paying for their lack of exploitation would mean just that.
The acceding states should agree on the main issues to be covered by the new agreement, such as attempts to put a stop to the mitigation of the earth’s climate, but also adaptation and technological and financial aspects. Industrialized countries will have to continue to play a leading role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, based on the principle of “common but differentiated responsibility”. Incentives must be offered to developing countries to encourage them to apply clean technologies, and help them minimize the costs of deforestation emissions. Adaptation and mitigation must go hand in hand in responding to climate change. Unfortunately, however, the XIII Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change, which brought together governments, experts, scientists, humanitarian organizations and businessmen to discuss whether or not to follow up on the Protocol, ended in failure. of Kyoto, expiring in 2012.
In conclusion, it is necessary to state that it clearly emerges that no lasting agreement will yet be reached with the Bali summit: the different position of the first and third world states, in short, will probably be even more accentuated with this umpteenth meeting of the Parties, and it is still a long way from achieving significant results in the fight against global warming.
Guido Bissanti