The 12th International Climate Conference (COP 12) under the Climate Framework Convention (UNFCCC) took place in Nairobi, Kenya on 6-17 November 2006. The conference coincided with the second meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP 2). Dr. Sebastian Oberthür, Senior Associate at Ecologic, and Dr. Camilla Bausch, Senior Fellow, attended in support of the German delegation.
Some 6,000 delegates participated at the venue in Africa. Adaptation as well as the future development of the climate protection regime were the political focus at the conference. Negotiations were influenced by the recently released Stern Review, which suggests that the costs of not instituting appropriate climate protection measures essentially outweigh the costs of climate protection. Significant attention was also paid to the speech of outgoing UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who i.a. identified climate change as an security issue.
Following controversial negotiations, principles and structure of the Adapation Fund were agreed upon as well as the 5-year work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation.
In seeking a future extension of the climate protection regime the Ad hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto-Protocol decided on a work programme for the coming year. The programme sets the stage for the further development of the Kyoto Protocol involving the carbon market after 2012 as well as possible emission limitations for economies in transition and developing countries.
After the very limited first ‘Review of the Kyoto Protocol’, which is set out in Article 9 of the Protocol, it was agreed in Nairobi that a more comprehensive review should take place by 2008 (Review of the Kyoto Protocol pursuant to its Article 9).
Following the negotiations and debates over future actions (Article 3.9, Article 9 KP and the Dialogue on future action under the UNFCCC), clear emissions limits must be determined in the next few years for all industrialised as well as important developing nations and economies in transition in order to assure successful climate protection. This will prove to be a mayor challenge for the international community. The decisions in Nairobi represent only a small step forward. Bigger steps will be necessary in the future.
Further links on the topic of climate protection:
- Ecologic Events: Climate Talks
- Ecologic Project: Capacity Building in the New Member States on further climate change action (post-2012)
- Ecologic Project: Institutional Design of International Climate Policy
- Ecologic Project: The Costs of Climate Change
- Ecologic Project: Legal implementation of the European directive on emissions trading
- Ecologic Publication: Alive and Kicking: The First Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol