Climate Change
JULIA WAYGOOD
FOR THE RECORD, WHEN THE KYOTO PROTOCOL WENT
INTO EFFECT FEB. 16, 2005, 141 COUNTRIES HAD RATIFIED
IT, INCLUDING EVERY MAJOR INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRY
EXCEPT THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA AND MONACO.
Climate Change
Climate
change law has developed to try to prevent and combat the problems that arise from climate change.
UKELA's climate change working party considers a wide range of issues relating to the science, policy and law of climate
change.
International
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change agreed at Rio Summit in 1992 and entered into force in 1994.
It sets the framework for intergovernmental action against climate change.
The objective to stabilise greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at a level to avoid dangerous climate change.
A non-binding commitment was placed on developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by
2000.
Kyoto
Protocol
in 1997 and finally in force in 2005, first international treaty to set legally binding emissions reduction targets on
developed countries that have ratified it.
Developed countries (listed available) agreed targets to reduce their overall emissions of basket of six greenhouse gases by 5.2
per cent below 1990 levels for the period 2008-2012.
Only listed countries have legally binding emissions reduction targets (e.g. European Union and its member states agreed to
reduce their emissions from 1990 levels by 8 per cent).
The Protocol also established flexible mechanisms to help listed countries cut the cost of reducing their emissions targets and
opened the possibility for a system of trading between listed countries.
These market-based mechanisms allow parties to earn and trade emissions credits through projects implemented either in
other developed countries (Joint Implementation) or in developing countries (Clean Development Mechanism) which they can
use towards meeting their commitments
Introduced
Climate Change
Copenhagen Accord
The non-binding Copenhagen Accord was agreed at the UN Climate Change Conference in
Copenhagen in December 2009.
Under the Copenhagen Accord countries have agreed voluntarily to take action in order to stop the
average global temperature rising by more than 2 degrees Celsius.
The Copenhagen Accord does not specify targets or actions for each country. Instead, it leaves it for
countries themselves to set out actions they will take.
Developed listed countries are to specify the emissions cuts they will commit to delivering by 2020
and developed countries (non-listed) are to specify mitigation actions that they will implement to
reduce emissions.
The Copenhagen Accord also provides for funding to help developing countries adapt to the
impacts of climate change and take mitigation measures. It sets an immediate target for assistance
totalling 30 billion dollars between 2010 and 2012. This figure will rise to 100 billion dollars per year
by 2020.
The Copenhagen Accord has been regarded as a disappointing outcome by environmentalists who
had hoped for an ambitious new, legally binding global agreement with specific emissions reductions
targets applying after 2012 (the deadline for cuts under Kyoto).
The sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP) was held in Cancun, Mexico, from 29 November to
10 December 2010.
Copenhagen Accord
Ambitious
Limits warming to 2C (avoiding dangerous climate change)
Reducing global emissions by at least 50% on 1990 levels by
2050
With strong mid-term commitments from both developed and
developing countries to deliver in the region of 44Gt in 2020
Covering all sources of emissions, including aviation, shipping
and deforestation
Copenhagen Accord
Effective
A framework which provides certainty for, and therefore
drives investment in, clean energy, sustainable forestry and
land use and adaptation.
A reformed and expanded global carbon market
Low carbon and adaptive technologies to be developed and
disseminated more rapidly
Robust monitoring, reporting and verification arrangements
Copenhagen Accord
Fair
Support for countries to adapt to the climate change
that is now unavoidable
Provision of sufficient finance, technological assistance
and capacity building to enable developing countries to
take action on both mitigation and adaptation
Establishment of governance structures that
strengthen the voice of developing countries
Climate Change
Energy Efficiency
Specific measures adopted to improve energy performance of
buildings and labeling of energy-using products.
Also plans to introduce mandatory emissions standards for vehicles
to achieve the threshold of 120g of CO2/km by 2012.
Renewable Energy
EUs goal to ensure that 20% of European energy consumption from
renewable energy sources by 2020.
Measures exist to promote renewable energy sources and develop
markets in biomass and biodiesel sectors
Climate Change
UK Climate Change Programme
This is the UKs key strategy to tackle climate change, setting out the policies and measures
which the UK is using to cut its emissions of greenhouse gases.
Climate
Change Act 2008
The Act setsUK framework to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050
compared with 1990 levels.
It establishes independent Committee on Climate Change, provides for 5 year carbon budgets to
be set, and potentially enables Government to extend carbon trading.
On 30 June 2010, Committee on Climate Change published second annual report to Parliament
on progress Government is making meeting carbon budgets and reducing emissions of
greenhouse gases
Climate
Reduction Committee-Energy Efficiency Scheme
New mandatory emissions trading scheme known as Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy
Efficiency Scheme introduced 1 April 2010.
The scheme aims to improve energy efficiency of large non-energy intensive public and private
sector organisations.
Climate Change
Renewables
Renewable fuels and energy: key part in the UKs Climate Change Programme and
Renewables Obligation: key support mechanism for expansion of renewable electricity
The Renewables Obligation: obliges licensed electricity suppliers to source specific portion of electricity they
supply from renewable sources.
Generators qualifying renewable energy awarded Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) based on their
output.
Suppliers satisfy their renewables obligation by surrendering sufficient ROCs (to Ofgem) or else paying into
buy-out fund.
Renewables Obligation therefore provides renewable electricity generators with an additional revenue stream.
Feed-In Tariffs: introduced in April 2010, are expected to encourage renewable generation at a smaller scale.
The Feed-In Tariff: requires energy suppliers to pay a guaranteed amount or tariff for energy generated or "fed
into" the grid.
Climate Change
Carbon Offsetting
Offsetting is way of compensating for emissions produced with equivalent
carbon dioxide saving and Government is trying to establish voluntary Code of
Practice.
Carbon Capture and Storage
CCS involves capture of carbon dioxide, its transportation to permanent
storage facility, and storage of captured C02 deep underground.
CCS is still in the early stages of development but it is hoped will enable
thermal power stations (and perhaps heavy industry) to dramatically reduce
their C02 output.
The EU Emissions Trading Scheme proposed C02 captured & stored will be
regarded as not having been emitted (and therefore no allowances would be
required to be surrendered in respect of it).
Climate Change
European Union
The EU Emissions Trading System
Introduced in January 2005 and one of the key instruments of EUs Climate Change Strategy.
The system puts a price on carbon used by businesses.
Each member state draws up a national plan indicating allowances they intend to allocate to
relevant installations (typically heavy industry).
Allowance is right to emit a ton of carbon dioxide, or an amount of any other greenhouse gas
with an equivalent global warming potential, during a specified period.
Companies can emit in excess of their allowances by purchasing on the market from other
companies with excess allowances.
The system has been running in phases.
Phase I ran from 2005-2007.
More sectors were brought with the system for Phase II, which runs from 2008 to 2012.
Aviation will be included from 1 January 2012.
Phase III will run from 2013-2020.
Climate Change
Useful Links for Climate Change
UKELA's Climate Change Working Group
Department for Energy and Climate Change
The Climate Change Act 2008
The United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change
The Kyoto Protocol
The Copenhagen Accord
The UK's Committee on Climate Change Report
(June 2010)
The UK's CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme
