UNFCCC secretariat, Information Services Kevin Grose, Coordinator The UNFCCC and its linkages and...

UNFCCC secretariat, Information Services

Kevin Grose, Coordinator

The UNFCCC and its linkages and opportunities for the information and communication technology (ICT) sector

Linkages and opportunities for the information and communication technology (ICT) sector

• Foundation of global efforts to combat climate change

a) Opened for signature in 1992 at the “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro, entered into force on 21 March 1994

b) Currently has near universal membership with 194 Parties

• Objective is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic

interference with the climate system

• Focus of action is on mitigation:

a) Limiting or reducing anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by sources

b) Preserving or enhancing sinks and reservoirs of GHGs

1. UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE (UNFCCC)


• Common but differentiated responsibilities of governments (developed and developing countries)

• Precautionary principle to encourage proactive response to the causes of climate change

• Full consideration for developing country needs and circumstances

• Importance of sustainable development, supported by an open international economic system

2. PRINCIPLES


• “Annex I Parties” – largely the developed countries

• “Non-Annex I Parties” – largely the developing countries

a) Categorization based on the principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities

b) Developed country Parties required to take the lead

c) The specific needs and special circumstances of developing country Parties to be given full consideration

3. GROUPING OF PARTIES UNDER THE CONVENTION


• Adopted by Parties in 1997, entered into force in 2005

• Supplements and strengthens the Convention, building upon and enhancing many of the

commitments already in place

• Groups countries in the same way as the Convention

4. THE KYOTO PROTOCOL


Key to the Kyoto Protocol is the commitment for developed countries:

a) ensure that their aggregate anthropogenic CO2 equivalent emissions of the greenhouse gases do not exceed their

assigned amounts as set out in the Protocol

b) objective to reduce overall emissions by at least 5 % below 1990 levels in the first commitment period 2008 to 2012

If a Party fails to meet its emission target, it must make up the difference, plus 30 per cent, in the second commitment period.

5. CORE COMMITMENT


• Taking steps to improve the quality of emissions data

• Formulating and implementing national mitigation and adaptation programs, focused on these sectors:

• Energy

• Transport

• Industry

• Promoting environmentally sound technology transfer

• Cooperating in scientific and technical research and promoting systematic climate observation systems

• Support actions to assist developing country Parties address the adverse effects of climate change and response measures

6. OTHER IMPORTANT COMMITMENTS

• Agriculture

• Forestry and land use

• Waste management


Designed to boost the cost-effectiveness of climate change mitigation and assist Annex I Parties that cannot meet their targets:

a) Joint implementation

b) Clean development mechanism

• Focus on providing support to developing countries with

private sector investment

c) Emissions trading

The creation of the “carbon market”

7. FLEXIBILITY MECHANISMS


Conference of the Parties

• Includes the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol

a) Subsidiary Body on Implementation

b) Subsidiary Body on Science and Technological Advice

c) Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol

d) Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention

e) Other convention and protocol bodies

8. UNFCCC INTERGOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE


• Supports negotiations and the work of the Parties• Prepares documentation• Assists in the creation of guidelines and standards for reporting,

including review• Serves as regulatory body for the Clean Development Mechanism

(CDM)• Liaison and support to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

(IPCC and UNEP/WMO)• Assists in coordination with the main “implementing” organizations

• Global Environment Facility (GEF) (Financial mechanism)

• UNDP

• UNEP

• UNITAR

9. UNFCCC SECRETARIAT


The ICT sector can contribute to the global UNFCCC process in many ways,

among them:

a) Mitigation actions to reduce the carbon footprint of the ICT sector, as well as promotion of climate-friendly ICTs in other sectors

b) Contributing to and aligning emissions “accounting” standards and practices

c) Finding the right roles for the ICT sector to support technology transfer to further sustainable development in the climate change context

and in Millennium Development Goal 8(f)

d) Partnering with governments, UN and NGOs to further action on adaptation

Working at national, corporate and international levels

10. HOW CAN THE ICT SECTOR CONTRIBUTE TO THE UNFCCC?


• Continue on-going work to introduce energy efficient technologies and practice across the ICT sector, and the promotion

of such “smart” technologies to other sectors.

• Seek opportunities to support the transfer of these technologies and supporting best practice to developing countries.

For example:

• Proposed ITU pilot training project for the Ghana National Environmental Protection Agency and Vodafone Ghana

to bring government and the private sector together to introduce energy efficient technologies and to further the

implementation of national climate change adaptations actions

11. MINIMIZE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF THE ICT SECTOR


• Under the UNFCCC, governments have prioritized the focus of mitigation action and “accounting” on:

• Energy, Transport, Industry, Agriculture, Forestry and land use, Waste management

• ICT sector is cross-cutting and can contribute internationally and nationally:

• ITU and UNFCCC secretariat began in 2010 to discuss relationships between standards and guidelines

set under the Convention, and relevant standards set under the ITU.

• ICT sector may also look nationally with UNFCCC focal points to understand national context and

standards for reporting and how they may contribute.

• Continue work to formalize standards related to energy efficiency, supply and performance as well as

environmental impacts of ICTs.

12. Contributing to and aligning emissions “accounting” standards and practice


The UNFCCC encourages a:

• Country-driven, integrated approach, at a national and sectoral level to further technology

transfer.

• Promotes contributions from the private sector, governments, the donor community, bilateral

and multilateral institutions, non-governmental organizations and academic and research

institutions.

13. Finding the right roles for the ICT sector to support technology transfer for sustainable development


Five areas of action for technology transfer may be explored:

a) Contributing to technology needs and needs assessments at national level

b) Supporting a global technology information exchange system

c) Providing advice, sharing information and expertise

d) Contributing to capacity-building

e) Exploring participation in the proposed Technology Mechanism and its Climate

Technology Centre and Network that will be discussed at the upcoming UN Climate

Change Conference in Cancún in late November 2010


UNFCCC “Nairobi Work Programme” seeks to:

a) Enhance capacity at international, regional, national, sectoral and local levels to further

identify adaptation responses, and implement practical and effective adaptation actions

b) Enhance development, dissemination and use of knowledge from practical adaptation

activities

c) Enhance cooperation among government, business, civil society

14. Partnering with governments, UN and NGOs to further action on adaptation


• ICT sector has opportunity to build on its networks to improve communication and access

to information in support of adaptation.

a) ITU has become a “Partner” in 2010 and may now make action pledges.

b) Possible examples of the types of actions are:

• Projects like “mWomen” with GMSA Foundation and Cherie Blaire Foundation to

provide women in developing countries with mobile phones to improve their lives

and further sustainable development.

• Or use such mobile technologies to provide farmers with weather information or

early warning in case of disasters.


Working at national, corporate and international levels

to support action on climate change

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