Implementing the Paris Agreement

167 Pages·2017·2.92 MB·English

DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR INTERNAL POLICIES
POLICY DEPARTMENT A: ECONOMIC AND SCIENTIFIC POLICY

Implementing the Paris Agreement –
New Challenges in View of the
COP 23 Climate Change Conference

STUDY

Abstract
This study summarises the developments leading to the adoption of the Paris
Agreement on climate change in 2015 and provides an overview of its contents.
The further implementation process and the roles of the main Parties and other
stakeholders are discussed, as well as related international developments and the
challenges of the climate change conference in Bonn in November 2017.
The study was provided by Policy Department A at the request of the Committee
on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI).

IP/A/ENVI/2017-04 October 2017
PE 607.353 EN
This document was requested by the European Parliament's Committee on the Environment,
Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI).

AUTHORS
Lorenz MOOSMANN, Environment Agency Austria
Henrik NEIER, Environment Agency Austria
Nicole MANDL, Environment Agency Austria
Klaus RADUNSKY, Environment Agency Austria

RESPONSIBLE ADMINISTRATOR
Tina OHLIGER

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Eva ASPLUND

LINGUISTIC VERSIONS
Original: EN

ABOUT THE EDITOR
Policy departments provide in-house and external expertise to support EP committees and
other parliamentary bodies in shaping legislation and exercising democratic scrutiny over EU
internal policies.

To contact Policy Department A or to subscribe to its newsletter please write to:
Policy Department A: Economic and Scientific Policy
European Parliament
B-1047 Brussels
E-mail: [email protected]

Manuscript completed in September 2017
© European Union, 2017

This document is available on the Internet at:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/supporting-analyses

Please use the following reference to cite this study:
Moosmann, L., Neier, H., Mandl, N. and Radunsky, K., Implementing the Paris Agreement –
New Challenges in view of the COP 23 Climate Change Conference, Study for the ENVI Com-
mittee, 2017, European Parliament, Policy Department for Economic and Scientific Policy,
Brussels

DISCLAIMER
The opinions expressed in this document are the sole responsibility of the author and do not
necessarily represent the official position of the European Parliament.

Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised, provided the
source is acknowledged and the publisher is given prior notice and sent a copy.
Implementing the Paris Agreement

CONTENTS
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 7
LIST OF BOXES 14
LIST OF FIGURES 15
LIST OF TABLES 16
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 17
1. INTRODUCTION 20
1.1. The Paris Agreement and the climate change conference in Bonn 20
1.2. Aim of the study 20
1.3. Structure of the document 20
2. A BRIEF HISTORY OF CLIMATE NEGOTIATIONS 22
2.1. The UNFCCC and the Conference of the Parties 22
2.2. The Kyoto Protocol and the Doha Amendment 23
2.3. Towards a new agreement 24
2.4. The COP in Paris (2015) 26
3. THE PARIS AGREEMENT AT A GLANCE 28
3.1. Mitigation 30
3.2. Adaptation 31
3.3. Loss and damage 32
3.4. Finance 33
3.5. Technology development and transfer 33
3.6. Capacity-building 34
3.7. Transparency of action and support 34
3.8. Global stocktake and increasing ambition 35
3.9. Compliance, meetings, entry into force 36
3.10. Enhanced action prior to 2020 36
3.11. Summary and discussion 37
4. IMPLEMENTING THE PARIS AGREEMENT 39
4.1. Signature, ratification and entry into force 39
4.1.1. Signature ceremony 39
4.1.2. Conditions for entering into force 40
4.1.3. Progress of ratification and entry into force 40
4.1.4. Conditions for withdrawal 41
4.2. Negotiation bodies under the Paris Agreement 41
4.3. COP 22 in Marrakesh (2016) 42
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4.3.1. Mitigation 43
4.3.2. Adaptation 44
4.3.3. Loss and damage 45
4.3.4. Finance 45
4.3.5. Technology development and transfer 46
4.3.6. Capacity-building 46
4.3.7. Transparency of action and support 46
4.3.8. Global stocktake and increasing ambition 47
4.3.9. Compliance, meetings, entry into force 47
4.4. The meeting of the APA and the subsidiary bodies in Bonn (SB 46, 2017) 47
4.4.1. Mitigation 48
4.4.2. Adaptation 48
4.4.3. Loss and damage 49
4.4.4. Finance 49
4.4.5. Technology development and transfer 49
4.4.6. Capacity-building 49
4.4.7. Transparency of action and support 50
4.4.8. Global stocktake and increasing ambition 50
4.5. Progress towards the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement 50
4.5.1. Carbon budget 51
4.5.2. NDC pathway 51
4.5.3. UNEP emissions gap report 52
5. MAIN PARTIES 54
5.1. China 56
5.1.1. Emission profile 56
5.1.2. Climate policies and status of implementation of the Paris Agreement 56
5.2. United States of America 58
5.2.1. Emission profile 59
5.2.2. Climate policies and status of implementation of the Paris Agreement 59
5.3. European Union 61
5.3.1. Emission profile 61
5.3.2. Climate policies and status of implementation of the Paris Agreement 62
5.4. India 65
5.4.1. Emission profile 65
5.4.2. Climate policies and status of implementation of the Paris Agreement 65
5.5. Russian Federation 66
5.5.1. Emission profile 66
5.5.2. Climate policies and status of implementation of the Paris Agreement 67
5.6. Japan 67
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5.6.1. Emission profile 67
5.6.2. Climate policies and status of implementation of the Paris Agreement 68
5.7. Islamic Republic of Iran 69
5.7.1. Emission profile 69
5.7.2. Climate policies and status of implementation of the Paris Agreement 69
5.8. Republic of Korea 70
5.8.1. Emission profile 70
5.8.2. Climate policies and status of implementation of the Paris Agreement 70
5.9. Canada 71
5.9.1. Emission profile 71
5.9.2. Climate policies and status of implementation of the Paris Agreement 72
5.10. Saudi Arabia 72
5.10.1. Emission profile 73
5.10.2. Climate policies and status of implementation of the Paris Agreement 73
5.11. Other Parties 74
6. GROUPS OF PARTIES 78
6.1. Group of G-77 and China 78
6.2. Umbrella Group 79
6.3. Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDC) 80
6.4. Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) 81
6.5. African Group 82
6.6. Arab Group 82
6.7. Least Developed Countries (LDC) 82
6.8. Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) 83
6.9. Independent Alliance of Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC) 83
6.10. Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) 84
6.11. Conclusions on the positions of groups 84
7. OTHER STAKEHOLDERS 86
7.1. NGOs and local government organisations 86
7.1.1. Environmental non-governmental organisations (ENGO) 87
7.1.2. Research and independent non-governmental organisations (RINGO) 88
7.1.3. Business and industry non-governmental organisations (BINGO) 88
7.1.4. Youth non-governmental organisations (YOUNGO) 88
7.1.5. Indigenous peoples non-governmental organisations (IPO) 88
7.1.6. Local government and municipal authorities (LGMA) 88
7.1.7. Women and gender non-governmental organisations 89
7.1.8. Trade union non-governmental organisations (TUNGO) 89
7.1.9. Farmers non-governmental organisations 89
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7.2. Groups of countries 90
7.2.1. Petersberg Climate Dialogue 90
7.2.2. The Group of Seven (G7) 90
7.2.3. The Group of Twenty (G20) 91
7.2.4. The Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF) 92
7.3. International organisations 93
7.3.1. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 93
7.3.2. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) 95
7.3.3. International Maritime Organization (IMO) 96
7.3.4. The World Bank Group 96
8. OTHER SECTORAL AGREEMENTS 98
8.1. International aviation 98
8.2. International shipping 100
8.3. Fluorinated gases 101
9. OTHER DEVELOPMENTS 103
9.1. UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 103
9.2. Energy markets and policies 106
9.3. Refugee crisis and migration 108
9.4. Emerging topics – geo-engineering 109
10. OUTLOOK: COP 23 AND BEYOND 111
10.1. The conference in Bonn 111
10.2. Negotiating topics at COP 23 111
10.3. The challenges of the COP 23 negotiations 114
10.4. Additional challenges facing the implementation of the Paris Agreement 115
10.5. Beyond COP 23 – Work in 2018 and beyond 117
REFERENCES 118
INDEX 148
ANNEX 1: CONTENTS OF THE PARIS AGREEMENT 152
ANNEX 2: ELEMENTS OF THE DECISION ACCOMPANYING THE PARIS
AGREEMENT 154
ANNEX 3: GROUPS OF COUNTRIES AND THEIR MEMBERS 156

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

A4A Airlines for America
AC Adaptation Committee
ADP Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action
AF Adaptation Fund
AILAC Independent Alliance of Latin America and the Caribbean (Asocia-
ción Independiente de Latinoamérica y el Caribe)
ALBA Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (Alianza Boliva-
riana para los Pueblos de Nuestra América)
AOSIS Alliance of Small Island States
APA Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement
AR5 Fifth Assessment Report of the IPCC
AR6 Sixth Assessment Report of the IPCC
AREI Africa Renewable Energy Initiative
BASIC Brazil, South Africa, India and China
BAU Business As Usual
BINGO Business and Industry Non-Governmental Organisations
C Celsius
C40 Network of 40 cities addressing climate change
CAD Canadian Dollar
CAEP Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection
CAN Climate Action Network
CARICOM Caribbean Community
CCAFS Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security
CBDR Common But Differentiated Responsibilities
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CCRIF Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility
CCS Carbon Capture and Storage
CDM Clean Development Mechanism
CDP Carbon Disclosure Project
CFCs Chlorofluorocarbons
CfRN Coalition for Rainforest Nations
CH Methane
4
CMA Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to
the Paris Agreement
CMP Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to
the Kyoto Protocol
CO Carbon dioxide
2
COP Conference of the Parties
CORSIA Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation
CPRD Center for Participatory Research and Development
CTCN Climate Technology Centre and Network
CVF Climate Vulnerable Forum
EAG Environment Advisory Group
EEDI Energy Efficiency Design Index
EIG Environmental Integrity Group
ENGO Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations
EPA (United States) Environmental Protection Agency
ESD Effort Sharing Decision
EU European Union
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