Copenhagen Accord
The Copenhagen Accord (ger .: " Copenhagen Accord ") is the central outcome document ( Decision 2 / CP.15 ) of the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference . However, this text was only noted by the conference participants, but not adopted and is therefore not legally binding. However, it can be signed by all member states of the Framework Convention on Climate Change.
In the absence of a binding continuation of the Kyoto Protocol , the post-Kyoto process with this outcome of the conference in Copenhagen is to be regarded as a failure.
content
Climate change is recognized as one of the greatest challenges of our time and urgently needs to be addressed. The scientific knowledge that a “dangerous anthropogenic disturbance of the climate system” can only be prevented if global warming is limited to less than 2 degrees Celsius (goal of the Framework Convention on Climate Change ) is recognized. Due to the dangerous effects of climate change, it is also emphasized that there must be comprehensive adaptation programs with international support for particularly affected countries.
In order to limit climate change to less than 2 degrees Celsius, “deep cuts” in global emissions of greenhouse gases are necessary; However, the Copenhagen Accord does not contain any binding targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The peak of the emissions should be reached “as soon as possible”; it is recognized that this can only be the case later in developing countries where social and economic development is paramount. The industrialized countries (Annex I countries) should enter their respective reduction targets by 2020 in Annex I by the end of January 2010; Compliance with these voluntary commitments, as well as financial support for poor countries, should be monitored internationally in accordance with the guidelines of the Conference of the Parties. The non-industrialized countries should, also by the end of January 2010, register their activities to reduce global warming in Appendix II, which is updated every two years. You can monitor compliance yourself and must report the results; Measures financed by the industrialized countries are, like the measures of the industrialized countries, monitored internationally.
The adaptation to the consequences of climate change presents for all countries is a challenge, especially particularly affected poor developing countries, small islands and Africa need this increased international support. The states agree that adequate, reliable and lasting financial assistance must be provided for this. US $ 30 billion is available between 2010 and 2012 for measures to combat climate change - which explicitly includes the protection of forests - and for adaptation to the consequences of climate change in poor countries; this amount will increase until 2020 $ 100 billion per year. The money is to be largely distributed through a newly founded “ Green Climate Fund ”.
The implementation of this agreement is to be reviewed in 2015 [obsolete] ; then it should also be examined whether the long-term goal of limiting global warming must be lowered to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Signatory States
The following countries signed the Copenhagen Accord before the minutes were published and are therefore listed as supporters in the Copenhagen Accord: Albania , Algeria , Armenia , Ethiopia , Australia , Bahamas , Bangladesh , Belgium , Benin , Bhutan , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Botswana , Brazil , Bulgaria , Burkina Faso , Chile , the People's Republic of China , Costa Rica , Denmark , Democratic Republic of the Congo , Germany , Djibouti , Ivory Coast , Eritrea , Estonia , European Union , Fiji , Finland , France , Gabon , Georgia , Ghana , Greece , Guatemala , Guinea , Guyana , Iceland , India , Indonesia , Ireland , Israel , Italy , Japan , Jordan , Cambodia , Canada , Kazakhstan , Kiribati , Colombia , Congo , Croatia , Laos , Lesotho , Latvia , Liechtenstein , Lithuania , Luxembourg , Madagascar , Malawi , Maldives , Mali , Malta , Morocco , Marshall Islands , Mauritania , Macedonia , Mexico , Moldova , Monaco , Mongolia , Montenegro , Namibia , Nepal , New Zealand , Netherlands , Norway , Austria , Palau , Panama , Papua New Guinea , Peru , Poland , Portugal , Rwanda , Romania , Russia , Zambia , Samoa , San Marino , Sweden , Switzerland , Senegal , Serbia , Sierra Leone , Singapore , Slovakia , Slovenia , Spain , South Africa , South Korea , Swaziland , Tanzania , Tonga , Trinidad and Tobago , Czech Republic , Tunisia , Hungary , United Arab Emirates , United States of America , United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , Uruguay , Belarus , Central African Republic , Cyprus .
Since the publication of the Accord, the following states have expressed their wish to be included in the list of signatory states: Afghanistan , Angola , Antigua and Barbuda , Barbados , Belize , Brunei , Burundi , Cameroon , Cape Verde , Chad , Grande Comore , Gambia , Guinea -Bissau , Honduras , Jamaica , Kenya , Liberia , Mauritius , Mozambique , Nigeria , Saint Lucia , Tajikistan , East Timor , Togo , Uganda , Ukraine , Vietnam .
This results in a total of 141 supporting countries.
criticism
The Copenhagen Accord is just a final political declaration that was only "noted" by the climate conference, but was not formally adopted. This was due in particular to the protests of some developing countries particularly affected by climate change, such as Tuvalu, Bolivia and Sudan, who saw their interests as not being sufficiently taken into account. Climate researchers such as Hans Joachim Schellnhuber from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) estimate that the voluntary commitments made so far would lead to a temperature increase of 3.5 degrees Celsius. The environmental organization Germanwatch also shares this assessment, criticizing the lack of a guarantee that the financial commitments will not be fulfilled by relabelling funds for poverty reduction and the lack of a deadline for the adoption of a legally binding contract. The chairman of the IPCC , Rajendra Pachauri , sees the recognition of the 2-degree target and the international monitoring of the voluntary commitments as progress; however, criticizes the lack of concrete figures on emissions reductions. For him, a concrete agreement failed mainly because US President Barack Obama had to take domestic political considerations into account (his climate law was being discussed in the Senate at the time, but never came to a vote), and China was working on the upcoming five-year plan. He hopes that, when both obstacles are removed, a legally binding agreement can be reached next year.
US diplomatic manipulation
In December 2010, The Guardian published an article about documents from the Wikileaks Cables showing that the US government tried to use espionage, threats and certain concessions to urge politicians in other countries to sign the Copenhagen Accord. Countries such as the Maldives were offered sums of up to 30 billion dollars in order to obtain a signature.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Mike Hulme: After the crash - a new direction for climate policy , BBC News . May 11, 2010. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
- ↑ Copenhagen Accord in the Lexicon of Sustainability
- ↑ Zeit online: The miserable failure of a great hope
- ↑ Spiegel online: Copenhagen fiasco appalles environmentalists
- ^ Press release Germanwatch December 19, 2009
- ↑ Spiegel online: Chief environmentalist damned inaction
- ↑ Carl Hulse and David M. Herszenhorn, Democrats Call Of Climate Bill Effort In: New York Times , July 22, 2010. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
- ↑ "WikiLeaks cables reveal how US manipulated climate accord", Damian Carrington, The Guardian, December 3, 2019 [1]
Web links
- UNFCCC: COP 15 / CMP 5 - Official website of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, with the option to download the "Copenhagen Accord"