ShareThe IIR at COP-11/MOP-1 in Montreal
The IIR, as an intergovernmental organization, participated in this "historic" event which gathered 10 000 people for the largest United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change (UNFCCC) ever held.
The conference held on November 28 - December 9, 2005, in Montreal, Canada, was the 11th Conference of the parties (COP-11) to UNFCCC but also the first Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (MOP-1) since this international agreement came into force in February 2005 thanks to the Russian ratification.
Decisions adopted at the conference
Some 40 decisions were adopted at this conference considered as the "most productive" ever held by R. Kinley, Head of the UNFCCC Secretariat. The key decision was no doubt the "initiating of a process to consider further commitments beyond 2012 for Parties included in Annex I" (38 industrialized countries).
This process will be conducted by an open-ended working group of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol which will meet for the first time in May 2006. This process will therefore not include non-Kyoto signatories such as the United States and Australia.
Current commitments of the Kyoto Protocol
The current commitments of the Kyoto Protocol consist in a reduction of the total volume of 6 greenhouse gases (GHGs) in Annex I countries by at least 5% with respect to 1990 levels, during the period 2008-2012. HFCs, widely used as refrigerants in the refrigeration sector, are one of these GHGs. The EU called for a 50% reduction in worldwide emissions of GHGs by 2050.
A last-minute agreement was also found to launch talks on "strategic approaches for long-term global cooperative action to address climate change under the broader UNFCCC (which comprises parties such as Australia and the United States). On the request of the US delegation, the decision states that the talks "will take the form of an open and non-binding exchange of views, information and ideas […] and will not open any negotiations leading to new commitments".
The first week saw the adoption of the Marrakech Accords, which provide the rulebook for implementing the Kyoto Protocol. According to R. Kinley, "there is now certainty for a sustained and effective global carbon market". It was decided to streamline the Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism which allows developed countries to earn GHG reduction credits from investing in clean development projects in developing countries.
IIR position on priorities for the refrigeration sector
The IIR was very visible during the Montreal Conference: Didier Coulomb delivered a statement during the plenary session of the high-level segment on December 9, in the presence of about 1500 ministers and delegates. He expressed the position of the IIR focusing on the top-priority challenge for the refrigeration sector to reduce energy consumption - which has 4 times the impact of emissions - by improving the energy efficiency of refrigerating plants, in order to contribute to mitigation of climate change.
This statement summarizes an editorial entitled "Global warming: refrigeration-sector challenges" prepared in collaboration with the Science and Technology Council of the IIR. This editorial was published in Responding to Climate Change (RTCC) which was distributed to all participants in the conference.
Senegal hosts MOP-17
Furthermore, on December 12-16, 2005, Dakar, Senegal, played host to the 17th meeting of the Parties (MOP-17) to the Montreal Protocol. Didier Coulomb presented a statement on December 16, calling for actions taking into account both protocols for the refrigeration sector.
CFCs are also being progressively banned in developing countries and we must promote more energy-efficient solutions for these countries, with less GHG emissions.
Consult the IIR statements at www.iifiir.org
The video of D. Coulomb's speech in Montreal on http://unfccc.streamlogics.com/unfccc/agenda.asp (December 9, 2005, 10:00 Plenary) and the IISD coverage of MOP-17 (including the IIR's participation) at www.iisd.ca/ozone/mop17
The conference held on November 28 - December 9, 2005, in Montreal, Canada, was the 11th Conference of the parties (COP-11) to UNFCCC but also the first Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (MOP-1) since this international agreement came into force in February 2005 thanks to the Russian ratification.
Decisions adopted at the conference
Some 40 decisions were adopted at this conference considered as the "most productive" ever held by R. Kinley, Head of the UNFCCC Secretariat. The key decision was no doubt the "initiating of a process to consider further commitments beyond 2012 for Parties included in Annex I" (38 industrialized countries).
This process will be conducted by an open-ended working group of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol which will meet for the first time in May 2006. This process will therefore not include non-Kyoto signatories such as the United States and Australia.
Current commitments of the Kyoto Protocol
The current commitments of the Kyoto Protocol consist in a reduction of the total volume of 6 greenhouse gases (GHGs) in Annex I countries by at least 5% with respect to 1990 levels, during the period 2008-2012. HFCs, widely used as refrigerants in the refrigeration sector, are one of these GHGs. The EU called for a 50% reduction in worldwide emissions of GHGs by 2050.
A last-minute agreement was also found to launch talks on "strategic approaches for long-term global cooperative action to address climate change under the broader UNFCCC (which comprises parties such as Australia and the United States). On the request of the US delegation, the decision states that the talks "will take the form of an open and non-binding exchange of views, information and ideas […] and will not open any negotiations leading to new commitments".
The first week saw the adoption of the Marrakech Accords, which provide the rulebook for implementing the Kyoto Protocol. According to R. Kinley, "there is now certainty for a sustained and effective global carbon market". It was decided to streamline the Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism which allows developed countries to earn GHG reduction credits from investing in clean development projects in developing countries.
IIR position on priorities for the refrigeration sector
The IIR was very visible during the Montreal Conference: Didier Coulomb delivered a statement during the plenary session of the high-level segment on December 9, in the presence of about 1500 ministers and delegates. He expressed the position of the IIR focusing on the top-priority challenge for the refrigeration sector to reduce energy consumption - which has 4 times the impact of emissions - by improving the energy efficiency of refrigerating plants, in order to contribute to mitigation of climate change.
This statement summarizes an editorial entitled "Global warming: refrigeration-sector challenges" prepared in collaboration with the Science and Technology Council of the IIR. This editorial was published in Responding to Climate Change (RTCC) which was distributed to all participants in the conference.
Senegal hosts MOP-17
Furthermore, on December 12-16, 2005, Dakar, Senegal, played host to the 17th meeting of the Parties (MOP-17) to the Montreal Protocol. Didier Coulomb presented a statement on December 16, calling for actions taking into account both protocols for the refrigeration sector.
CFCs are also being progressively banned in developing countries and we must promote more energy-efficient solutions for these countries, with less GHG emissions.
Consult the IIR statements at www.iifiir.org
The video of D. Coulomb's speech in Montreal on http://unfccc.streamlogics.com/unfccc/agenda.asp (December 9, 2005, 10:00 Plenary) and the IISD coverage of MOP-17 (including the IIR's participation) at www.iisd.ca/ozone/mop17