UN Conference of the Parties on Climate Change. Why is the World Preparing for It?

This is a treaty of general actions to address climate change signed by 197 countries of the world so far. They include Central Asian countries. The document was adopted at the Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro in 1992, but became effective in two years only – on March 21, 1994.

The main purpose of the Framework Convention is the stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at the level that would prevent “dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system” of the planet.

After the Framework Convention became effective, a special secretariat was established. Later on, the Conference of the Parties (COP) was held in 1995.

This is a supreme negotiating body for implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Convention, Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement provisions. The conference was first held in 1995 as work sessions. The country for the event is selected on a rotation basis from one of the 5 UN regional groups.

Sessions of subsidiary bodies, including the Subsidiary Body of Scientific and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary Body of Implementation, are held during conferences. If necessary, ad hoc groups working groups are convened.

The first conference on climate change was held in Berlin in 1995. This year the 26^th conference is expected to be held in Glasgow, United Kingdom.

The UN Conference on Climate Change will be held this year from October 31 to November 12. It will be the 26^th session of the UN Framework Convention Conference of Parties.

The event was planned for November 2020, but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In the Conference of Parties, the countries tackle the following main tasks:

1. Consider implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement.
2. Decision-making on further development and implementation of these international treaties.

This year, organisers of the Conference are Great Britain and Italy, and Great Britain is the chair.

On the threshold of the event, Great Britain works with every country to reach the agreement on how to resist climate change. Over 190 global leaders are expected to come together with tens of thousands of members of delegations, representatives of governments, business communities, and civic organisations. They will be holding negotiations for 12 days.

The United Kingdom recognises all vaccines of the delegates to hold the conference in a safe mode amid Covid-19, and offers vaccines to all registered parties, admitted observers and media representatives. This offer is available to those who have not yet received a vaccine, cannot access a vaccine through other means before the Conference.

The vaccine is being offered by the UK government, but will be administered by the United Nations in various cities around the world.

Yes, it is. It was named after the third Conference of Parties at Kyoto (Japan) and became effective in 2005. Its main purpose then was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5 per cent in 2008-2012 based on the 1990 levels.

The Protocol covers developed countries only, who have extra obligations under the principle of “common but differentiated responsibility and respective capabilities.”

Under the Protocol, the countries have to meet their obligations by taking measures at the national level. Its mechanisms encourage reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by stimulating green investment in developing countries and including the private sector in this endeavour to cut and hold steady greenhouse gas emissions at a safe level. A special registry system is used to monitor the process. Thus, the UN Secretariat keeps an international transaction log to monitor the issue.

The Kyoto Protocol was ratified by 191 countries and the European Union, but the United States of America. Every year countries hold sessions in the framework of the conference. In 2012, the protocol was prolonged until 2020.

Kyrgyzstan joined the Kyoto Protocol on May 13, 2003.

Yes, it is. The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 parties on the 21^st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on December 12, 2015 in Paris. The Agreement became effective on November 4, 2016.

The basis of the agreement and its long-term objectives are the nationally determined contributions. In other words, the parties determine their contributions to achieving the objectives and revise them every five years.

The key points of the Paris Agreement contain the following tasks:

• To limit a global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius, as well as to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius;
• To keep and increase the forest area for greenhouse gas removal;
• To accelerate development and international exchange of clean technologies;
• Carbon neutrality 2050 – in the second half of the 21^st century we need to reach the balance between emitting and absorbing greenhouse gases;
• The countries must revise the goals and measures to fight climate change every 5 years;
• Rich countries transfer at least 100 billion dollars to poor countries to make them adapt to climate change until 2020.

Yes, it has, but it returned in 2021. In 2017, Donald Trump during his presidential campaign promised to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. According to him, this decision would help American companies and workers, especially in natural resources mining.

But, according to the agreement, the withdrawal is possible only after the 2020 report submission. As a result, the US formally withdrew on November 4, 2020.

The next president of the US Joe Biden promised to return to the Paris Agreement and kept his promise during the inauguration, early in 2021.

The Paris Agreement sets its main goal as to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius as it can be hazardous both to human and to the nature. Besides, there are risks of food and water shortages, decline in economic growth, animal extinction.

Global warming by 2 degrees has even more devastating effects to the people and nature as one-third of the global population would suffer from strong heat, which can result in rise in mortality. Among threats there are the following consequences:

• Coral reef destruction;
• Melting Arctic sea ice once in a decade, which could result in extinction of wildlife that depends on it.

See more: Climate Change: Why Should I Care About It?

On September 17, 2021, the UN Secretariat published a document summarising all information about climatic strategies of countries.

According to the report, the countries tend to show gradual decline in the gashouse emission levels. According to estimates, the greenhouse gas emissions will decline by 12 per cent by 2030 as compared to 2010.

According to Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Patricia Espinosa, it is necessary to reach the peak of emissions as soon as possible, anyway until 2030, and to support developing countries in strengthening their climate sustainability.

“The pledge by developed nations to mobilise 100 billion dollars to developing nations by 2020 is a commitment made in the UNFCCC process more than a decade ago. It’s time to deliver. I ask you to come to COP26 determined to succeed. Developing nations need support to make more ambitious climate commitments,” she said.

The UN Secretariat expressed concern about some aspects of climate strategy of the countries. Global emissions of greenhouse gases are expected to increase by 2030 approximately by 16 per cent as compared to 2010. According to the latest data, this increase can lead to the rise in temperature on the planet by 2.7 degrees Celsius by the end of the century.

“The increase in emissions by 16 per cent is a cause for serious concern. This value is in violent contrast with the calls of scholars for rapid, sustainable and far-reaching decrease of emissions to prevent the most serious climate consequences and suffering, especially the ones concerning the most vulnerable groups in the world,” Espinosa said.

All five Central Asian states are the participants of the Framework Convention on Climate Change and submit national reports regularly, make an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, estimate vulnerability and adaptation.

Kazakhstan ratified the Paris Agreement in 2016 and committed itself to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15 per cent by 2030 by using innovative solutions with participation of the private sector.

The country implements a series of projects to control greenhouse gases. Moreover, the country started implementation of the country change project with the support of the UNDP in 2020. Its main goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Kazakhstan by increasing the forest area and improving the forest use practice, as well as by raising public awareness of climate change. Also, the republic has laws “On energy saving and energy efficiency”, “On supporting the use of renewable power sources” and “The concept of transition to Green Economy”. These documents set forth the goals to reduce emissions in power system by 2020 and by 2030.

Kyrgyzstan signed the Paris Agreement on September 21, 2016 and ratified it on November 11, 2019. According to the 2015 goals, the republic committed itself to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the range of 11.5 and 13.8 per cent by taking measures in power, agricultural, forestry and waste disposal sectors. The target assignment for 2030 may be extended to reductions by 29-30.9 per cent with the intenrational financial support.

The country launched the process to prepare to adaptation actions consisting of two stages. The first stage was to prepare the common document for the country, “Priority areas in adapting to climate change in the Kyrgyz Republic until 2017”.

At the second stage, the government prepared industry-specific programmes and plans to adapt to climate change, including sector assessment, vulnerability analysis and justification of events to adapt to climate change. The programmes include plans with estimated required expenditures for their implementation. Such industry-specific programmes and plans were prepared for the sectors of water resources and agriculture, emergency, health care, forestry and biodiversity.

Tajikistan joined the Paris Agreement in 2016. According to its goals, the republic committed itself to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10-20 per cent by 2030 by own efforts, and by 25-35 per cent by 2030 with international support.

The country implements the National Country Development Strategy for 2016-2030, national action plan to mitigate the climate change effects. Moreover, Tajikistan receives aid from intenrational donors in the form of loans and grants:

• Pilot programme to increase sustainability to climate change – 150 million dollars,
• Green Climate Fund and World Bank, Global Environmental Facility, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development – 350 million dollars.

Turkmenistan is also the participant of the Paris Agreement since 2013. The country committed itself to stabilise greenhouse gas emissions or start their reduction by 2030, which will let them shift to low-carbon economy.

Turkmenistan has adopted the National Strategy for Climate Change that provides for the measures to improve efficiency of power use in all key sectors of economy, to technically modernise and introduce power systems based on renewable power sources in remote and thinly populated areas.

The majority of funds for financing the events to fight climate change are allocated from the state budget. Some funds are allocated by GEF and the Adaptation Fund to finance measures to reduce damage caused by droughts and to adapt to climate change, namely to ensure reliable supply of drinking water for the people, to ensure cattle breeding, to improve energy efficiency of water supply systems. The European Union provides support to introduce the principles of sustainable development and rational use of natural resources in the power sector of Turkmenistan and branches related to the environment.

Uzbekistan joined the Paris Agreement in 2018. The key commitment of the country is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per GDP unit by 2030. Uzbekistan is ready to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with international assistance by 2030 by 10 per cent of the 2010 level.

The country started developing the climate change strategy until 2030, which will focus on mitigation of negative effects of climate change and adaptation to climate change. A sector-based action plan was developed with the support of UNDP to tackle issues of the sectors of economy most vulnerable to climate change, agriculture and water resources, energy-efficient construction, reduction of risks for health and climate.

Moreover, the republic has a range of environmental strategies and programmes and climate-related issues are included into programmes for development and financing of energy, construction, transport, water resources and forestry, as well as into structural reform strategy project of Uzbekistan, ‘Vision-2030’.