United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Editor's note 20Mar13: Source D141 (common sections), D241, D341.

History and current status

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or Convention) was one of three conventions adopted at the 1992 "Rio Earth Summit", alongside the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and entered into force on 21 March 1994. The Convention was born amid recognition that "the climate system is a shared resource whose stability can be affected by industrial and other emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases" .

Aims and objectives

The objective of the UNFCCC is to stabilize greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere "at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic (human induced) interference with the climate system". This should be done within an appropriate time-frame that enables ecosystems to naturally adapt to climate change, ensures that food production is not at risk and enables the continuation of sustainable economic development. Under the Convention, parties aim to protect the climate system for the present and future generations, take into account the needs and circumstances of developing country Parties, utilize the precautionary approach, promote and employ sustainable development and, finally, cooperate in order to facilitate a positive international economic system leading to sustainable economic growth and allowing Parties to better attend to climate change problems.

Structure and components

The Convention comprises 26 articles and 2 annexes. The main sections outline relevant definitions, principles/objectives, commitments, research, education/public awareness, the bodies of the Convention (Conference of the Parties, Secretariat, Subsidiary body for scientific and technological advice, Subsidiary body for implementation), financial mechanisms and aspects related to implementation. Parties agree to adopt a cross-sectoral approach to climate change and develop national programs to mitigate climate change, reaffirming, however, the principle of national sovereignty in international cooperation.

The most demanding requirements are placed on industrialized nations, according to the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities". Industrialized nations assist climate-change related activities in developing countries via the provision of financial support and the transfer of technology. This assistance is provided through a grants and loans system managed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), subject to review every four years.

Parties have also set up special funds in addition to providing guidance to the GEF, namely: the Special Climate Change Fund, Least Developed Countries Fund, the Adaptation Fund and more recently the "Green Climate Fund". Further support may be provided by developed country Parties via bilateral, regional and other multilateral channels.

Implementation process

There are currently a total of 195 Parties (194 States and the EU) to the UNFCCC, divided into three groups: Annex I and II (developed countries) and non-Annex I (countries with economies in transition to a market economy and least developed countries). All LEDDRA study site countries are parties to the convention. Greece, Italy and Spain are Annex I countries, while China and Morocco are non-Annex I.

The UNFCCC does not set any mandatory limits on GHG emissions or include enforcement mechanisms. However, the Kyoto Protocol (2005) supplementing the UNFCCC, has established legally binding obligations for developed countries to reach GHG emissions goals and a compliance mechanism with comprehensive competences. Major emitters – such as the US – are not Parties to the Kyoto Protocol.

At the national and regional levels, Parties are to promote and support awareness of and public access to information on climate change and its effects. Scientific, technical and managerial personnel should also be trained accordingly. Internationally, cooperation should be promoted regarding the development and exchange of informational materials on climate change and its effects as well as on education and training programs.

Commitments of Parties differ according to Annex. General requirements include the periodic submission of national reports to the COP on implementation progress. For Annex I Parties, it's necessary to submit national communications (reporting on national GHG emissions, climate-related policies and measures, GHG projections, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change, financial assistance and technology transfer to non-Annex I Parties, and actions on raising public awareness on climate change) as well as national GHG inventories containing information on GHG emissions (such as activity data, emission factors and methodologies used to estimate these emissions). National communications are submitted every 4-5 years and national GHG inventories annually.

Non-Annex I Parties are subject to differing requirements for their national communications than the Annex I countries in terms of necessary content and timetables for submission and additionally receive financial and technical support for the document preparation. A general requirement is for non-Annex I countries (except for the least developed countries) to submit an initial national communication.

The Kyoto Protocol also contains additional reporting requirements for land use, land-use change and forestry activities (LULUCF). Annex I Parties must account for changes in carbons stocks resulting from afforestation, reforestation and afforestation. Emissions from forest management, cropland management, grazing land management and revegetation are part of voluntary accounting.

Regarding cropland, Parties are required to submit information on CO2 emissions from liming, N2O emissions to disturbance due to land converted to cropland, non-CO2 emissions from biomass burning on land converted to cropland and biomass burning (field burning of agriculture residues) on cropland. For grasslands, Parties are required to submit information on stock changes of soil organic carbon and living biomass; CO2 emissions from liming; CO2 and non- CO2 emissions from burning of grasslands outside the tropics; and CO2 and non- CO2 emissions from burning on land converted to grasslands.

For forest land, parties must report on land converted to forest land, non- CO2 emissions (N2O, CH4) reported for forest fertilization, forest fires and drainage of forest soils, CO2 emissions from liming on forest land; CO2 emissions from forest fires either as C stock changes or emissions, and direct N2O emissions from fertilizer applied to forest (Sanz-Sánchez 2008).For forest land, parties must report on land converted to forest land, non- CO2 emissions (N2O, CH4) reported for forest fertilization, forest fires and drainage of forest soils, CO2 emissions from liming on forest land; CO2 emissions from forest fires either as C stock changes or emissions, and direct N2O emissions from fertilizer applied to forest.

REDD+

In addition to reporting requirements, the Kyoto Protocol contains two flexible mechanisms which allow for the implementation of LULUCF projects. The clean development mechanism (CDM) makes provisions for implementation of afforestation and reforestation in non-Annex I countries whereby Annex I parties can achieve compliance with reduction commitments. Moreover, joint implementation, enables Annex I Parties to implement sequestration projects in another Annex I country.

The most relevant element within UNFCC with direct implications for LEDD processes is the REDD+ mechanism (2007), whereby developing countries are encouraged to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, conservation of forest carbon stocks, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. REDD+ implementation relies upon (i) "the development of national strategies or action plans, policies and measures, and capacity-building"; (ii) "the implementation of national policies and measures and national strategies or action plans that could involve further capacity-building, technology development and transfer and results-based demonstration activities"; (iii) "results-based actions that should be fully measured, reported and verified".

The maintenance of forest carbon stocks, afforestation and reforestation activities can have strong synergies with biodiversity, contributing to the prevention or reversal of LEDD processes in degraded forests / shrubland. Moreover, afforestation can be an appropriate measure for the reversal of LEDD on degraded croplands and grazing lands. On the other hand, poor design and implementation of REDD+ activities may also entail risks to biodiversity and local indigenous people, including, for example, the introduction of biofuel crops, displacement of deforestation and forest degradation to areas of lower carbon value and high biodiversity value, or increased pressure on non-forest ecosystems with high biodiversity value.

At this stage, funding for pilot REDD+ projects is available from the GEF through allocations to individual countries within the scope of biodiversity, climate change and land degradation activities. Numerous uncertainties surround REDD+ centering around its specific design at national levels which will define its ultimate environmental and governance impacts.

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