The Build Up to Copenhagen: Bonn, Germany Meeting

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [UNFCCC] may not begin until December 7th but the preparatory talks are already underway. The Framework Convention on Climate Change consists of 192 countries, including the United States and China. All parties meet once a year in a Conference of Parties. Since the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol will end in 2012, a new Climate Change agreement will need to be negotiated immediately. Therefore, the goal of the Copenhagen conference is to establish a new agreement to stabilize greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in order to prevent dangerous climate changes in the future.

Countries will meet in advance of the conference in a series of preparatory talks. The purpose of the preparatory talks is to allow countries the chance to focus on and review in detail the issues that will be discussed in the Copenhagen negotiations. Three more two week meetings are scheduled to occur before the final meeting in Copenhagen. Bonn, Germany was the site of the latest round of negotiations which concluded April 8, 2009. The climate change team of the Obama Administration attended and shared their enthusiasm and dedication for the creation of a productive treaty in Copenhagen. Todd Stern, from the U.S. Climate Change team stated:

We do not doubt the science, we do not doubt the urgency, and we do not doubt the enormity of the challenge before us. The facts on the ground are outstripping the worst case scenarios. The costs of inaction - or inadequate actions - are unacceptable.

Discussions in Bonn have established positive momentum for a smooth and constructive UNFCCC in Copenhagen. The Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, Yvo de Boer, clearly laid out the four areas that the Copenhagen Protocol must deal with successfully:

1. On what industrialized countries will do, through individual targets, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
2. On what developing countries will do to limit the growth of their emissions
3. On finance, since developing countries cannot be expected to act on this issue without financial support
4. On governance, since a governance structure is needed that gives an equal voice to developing countries in how the resources available for mitigation and adaptation are used.

Key issue areas such as "targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by industrialized countries and the matter of financing mitigation and adaptation measures in developing countries appeared to be stymied" (Click here for full article ). CGS will follow the upcoming meetings and keep you in the loop on the resolution of those key issues.