Bali Climate Conference

By Barrie | June 16th, 2007 | No Comments

With the first commitment phase of the Kyoto Protocol climate change treaty set to end in 2012, the world is turning to Bali, where the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will take place in December. Moekti Handajani Soejachmoen, director of independent think tank for environmental policy analysis Pelangi Indonesia Foundation shared her views on climate change based on her experiences from taking part in previous climate conferences and expectations for the Bali conference with The Jakarta Post’s Stevie Emilia.

Question: What can we expect from the Bali climate conference?

There are hopes that several issues that have been left hanging in past climate conferences and meetings can be discussed in Bali, such as an agreement on funding mechanisms related to adaptation, especially regarding mechanisms to obtain funds, as well as (the establishment of an) international institution in charge of managing the funding mechanism.

On the other side, the transfer of technology is a crucial issue, the implementation of which is currently neglected. Technology transfer mechanisms, including its institution, are still under heated debate. At least, there is a hope for development (in negotiations) on a technology transfer mechanism and its management although decisions on the matters might not yet be final.

Another important factor is reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries. REDD, a new agenda in climate change negotiation, is intended to appreciate efforts to cut emissions from deforestation. Until now, this agenda has not been made part of official negotiations and is still being discussed on its basic issues, such as definitions, policy options and incentive mechanisms.

During the Nairobi meeting last year, it was hoped the Bali conference would mark the end of this discussion process (on REDD) and the start of the negotiation process. But during the UN meeting in Bonn, Germany, in May, there was a proposal to extend the deadline on this matter until the end of 2008. But it is hoped the Bali conference will reach agreements on several issues that can serve as a base for the negotiation process.

The Bali conference is also hoped to be the place which marks the start of negotiation process to find a successor climate change treaty after the first commitment phase of the Kyoto Protocol (which expires in 2012).

In Bali, it is hoped agreements will be reached on criteria for countries that are obligated to cut emissions after 2012 based on scientific analysis which takes into account economic and technology factors.

What should the government prepare to do to reach those goals?

As the host, Indonesia is the event’s president, meaning it will have a chance to show its leadership in directing the negotiation processes to reach the expected results and meet the world citizens’ wish to officially start negotiation process to deal with global warming and climate change post-Kyoto Protocol.

In order to reach the goals, the Indonesian government should approach several key players, including the Annex-I countries, including the U.S. and Australia, as well as several developing countries that have emerged as key players.

The government should take into account that several unsolved issues are important elements in determining negotiation direction and the form of the post-2012 treaty.

The government should also prepare several scenarios for the Bali conference and should hold several meetings, both formal and informal, related to its agenda to get common understandings of several sensitive issues ahead of the conference.

Indonesia plans to push for a reforestation fund, what do you think of this?

Based on the ongoing climate change negotiation process, it is likely that efforts to deal with the matter will go through REDD. But it should be remembered that REDD is an agenda that is still in the very early discussion phase and it is likely to be implemented after 2012.

It means that in the first commitment phase there is no funding mechanism under the UNFCCC or the Kyoto Protocol that supports reforestation efforts besides the clean development mechanism but the existing criteria and methodology in the mechanism cannot yet support the rehabilitation of Indonesia’s forests. In this case, there is a need to prepare the forestry sector to face various possibilities on the negotiations and mechanisms that might be introduced under REDD.

If the U.S. continues to reject the treaty, what should be done?

The U.S. government’s attitude toward the Kyoto Protocol has
not changed but its residents and even its Senate have different views. So there is a need for an internal process in the U.S. from its own residents and the Senate to shift their government’s position.

On the other hand, the facts have shown (there have been) various climate-related disasters and other nations have not rejected global efforts to deal with this problem.

Some say there might be a need to buy time waiting for a change of the U.S. government (leaders) as well as in Australia so that both will join the global cooperation. Many clean technologies have been introduced, including in countries that rejected the Kyoto Protocol. Are they doing enough to deal with global warming or is global cooperation really significant?

Clean technologies being introduced should be seen as an added effort of in the global fight against rising global temperatures.

(But) global cooperation in dealing with climate change is important since the effort is not basically to try to cut greenhouse gas emissions but also a joint effort to deal with its impacts.

The join efforts include adaptation, technology transfer, capacity building and various funding mechanisms to support the efforts.