Participation of the IIR at COP-10

On December 6-18, 2004, over 6100 participants from 169 countries attended the 10th Conference of the Parties (COP-10) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)  held at the Rural Exhibition Center in Buenos Aires , Argentina

The IIR was represented at COP-10 by its Director, Didier Coulomb, and Jean-Luc Dupont, Project Manager. In its capacity as an intergovernmental organization, the IIR was able to deliver a statement given by Didier Coulomb during the plenary session of the high-level segment on December 17.

This statement focused on the key role of refrigeration for humanity and the importance of promoting objectively, application by application, the most environmentally friendly option (system + refrigerant) by taking into account the total climate impact, i.e. emissions, and above all energy consumption.

Consult this statement: www.iifiir.org/1endossiers (IIR position statements).

This statement summarizes an editorial entitled "Global warming: refrigeration-sector challenges" prepared thanks to networking with the IIR Science and Technology Council. This editorial was published in Responding to Climate Change (RTCC) disseminated to all 6150 participants at COP-10.

Consult this editorial: www.iifiir.org/1endossiers

Didier Coulomb also made a presentation based on this editorial during a RTCC side event devoted to energy efficiency and gathering stakeholders involved in climate change mitigation. - During COP-10, D. Coulomb and J.L. Dupont met government representatives from several countries including Argentina , Brazil and Canada - in order to reinforce links with the IIR. They also had meetings with Mr Roberto Aguilo, the Delegate of Argentina to the IIR and Chairman of the Argentinian Association of Refrigeration, with members of this Association and with Beatriz Liberatore, the Executive Director of La Tecnica del Frio. They also met Mr Lagomarsino, President of the Iberoamerican Congress of Refrigeration, Heating and Air-Conditioning. Before COP-10, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, they met Messrs Lincoln de Camargo Neves Filho and Osmar G. Silva, from ABRAVA (Brazilian Association of Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning) and visited SENAI, the main refrigeration school in Brazil and its Director Mr Paulo Roberto Vidigal.

Report on COP-10
COP-10 marked the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on Climate Change now ratified by 189 Parties. This Conference was eagerly awaited, given that the Russian Federation recently ratified the Kyoto Protocol which consequently will enter into force on February 16, 2005 . The Kyoto Protocol aims to reduce by at least 5% the GHG emissions of industrialized countries (Annex I) during the period 2008-2012 compared with their levels in 1990. Among the 6 greenhouse gases concerned by the Kyoto Protocol are HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons), commonly used in the refrigeration sector.

To date, 132 Parties have ratified the Protocol, including 37 out of 39 Annex I countries, representing 61.6% of Annex I greenhouse gas emissions. During COP-10, Egypt , Indonesia , Liechtenstein , Nigeria , Oman , Pakistan and Ukraine announced their recent or imminent ratifications. The Parties adopted several decisions and drew conclusions on various issues including technology transfer, UNFCCC's financial mechanism, capacity building, adverse effects and adaptation and unanimously recognised that climate change is a reality and that mitigation and adaptation measures are required in order to address it. The main challenge was to define the framework for future GHG emissions reductions after 2012 when the Kyoto Protocol expires.

The Parties also agreed to hold a "Seminar of Governmental Experts" (SOGE) and adopted a Buenos Aires Programme of Work on Adaptation and Response Measures. This SOGE will "promote an informal exchange of information on actions relating to mitigation and adaptation to assist Parties to continue to develop effective and appropriate responses to climate change". It will be held in Bonn , Germany , probably in May 2005. The next annual conference, consisting of COP-11 (for the Convention) and MOP-1 (for the Kyoto Protocol) will be held on November 7-18, 2005.