Key challenges at COP22 in Marrakech
COP21 has been a huge diplomatic success and the time has come to set the mechanisms and procedures for implementing the Paris Agreement in Marrakech. Global carbon budget is sinking rapidly and the efforts to limit rise in global temperature will require renewed urgency to ensure full implementation of the Agreement. The conference of parties is beginning three days from now and four key challenges need to be addressed in Marrakech.
Climate finance: Despite the pledge from developed countries to mobilize $100 billion per year from the period 2020 up to 2025, there is no clarity on how such finance will be raised and channeled for appropriate projects. The challenge at Marrakech will be to work out what aspect of the financial support from developed countries will count towards the $100 billion goal and bring clarity on the contribution from each country. Furthermore, the criteria for the recipients of finance and the modalities for distribution need to be worked out to avoid legal and political tug of war in the distribution process.
Lost and damage: Lost and damage remains one of the thorny issues to be worked out at Marrakech. Though the Paris Agreement does not involve or provide a basis for any liability and compensation, the review of the Warsaw Mechanism should ensure that it contains concrete mechanisms to address loss and damage to affected countries. The key is to avoid political and diplomatic tussle over definitions and technicalities and focus on formulating work plans with specific financial, technical and capacity-building measures while ensuring that it is fair to affected parties.
Capacity building: Marrakech offers an opportunity to ensure that the capacity building mechanisms are up and running. Many developing countries lack the knowledge and expertise to design and implement policies and systems to implement their national climate change goals. Despite the various multilateral and bilateral efforts, the existing capacity building efforts lack coordinated sustained approach due to the fragmentation of international institutions. Under the guidance of the Paris Committee in Capacity Building, Marrakech offers a good opportunity to provide coherent and coordinated capacity building efforts among relevant agencies and strengthen cooperation at the international, national, regional, and subnational level.
Emission stocktaking: The final challenge at Marrakech is to develop the fine print for global stocktaking of emission reduction. Under the Paris agreement, there is no standardized measurement unit to assess the real quantum of emission reduction achieved in each country. For example, most countries in Europe use the absolute reduction method whereas many countries in Asia use emission reduction per GDP. There is a need to develop a standardized unit to monitor the quantum and verify the reduction in emissions achieved in each country to avoid duplication of efforts and free riding. It will provide accuracy in the assessment of emission reduction and enable the evaluation of the progress in meeting the 2°C target and to further assess measures needed to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C.
Addressing these four challenges are the key stepping stone for operationalizing the Paris Agreement. Though there exist huge gap between the current INDC pledges and the 2°C target, the ability of parties to address these challenges will set a precedent on how countries and involved stakeholders will commit in their efforts to address climate change and foster further ratcheting up the commitment in the future.