Environment

(1)The 19th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the 9th Session of the Conference of the Parties Serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP 19 / CMP 9) took place in Warsaw, Poland, November 11-23. From Japan, Mr. Nobuteru Ishihara, Minister of the Environment, and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism attended the conferences.

 

(2) The conferences adopted COP and CMP decisions, including those below, after working-level negotiations at the Ad-Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) and meetings at two subsidiary bodies as well as further ministerial discussions at the High-Level Segment from November 19.

(3) The conferences achieved results that advanced discussions concerning a new legal framework beyond 2020, such as decisions that all Parties are invited to initiate domestic preparations for their intended nationally determined contributions and to communicate them well in advance of the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties (by the first quarter of 2015 by those Parties ready to do so), and the ADP was requested to identify, by the twentieth session of the Conference of the Parties, the information that Parties will provide when putting forward their contributions. The Government of Japan has thus achieved its goal of making sure that the COP19 would complete preparatory work for an agreement at COP 21 on a new legal framework applicable to all Parties.

(1) Aiming for an agreement by 2015 on a new legal framework beyond 2020, as decided at COP 17 in Durban, South Africa, the Government of Japan conducted negotiations with the objective of advancing discussions on elements which should be included in a new legal framework and clarifying workplans until 2015.

 

(2) In his speech at the High-Level Segment, Minister Ishihara explained that greenhouse gas emissions by Japan for the first commitment period is forecasted to be 8.2 percent lower compared to the base year and as a result, its target under the Kyoto Protocol of 6 percent reduction has been achieved, and that Japan has set a target to reduce emissions by 3.8 percent compared to the 2005 level in 2020. He also outlined the Japanese Government's strategy to implement Actions for Cool Earth (ACE), espoused by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, composed of further technical innovation, global applications of Japan's low-carbon technology, and pledged assistance by Japan of 1.6 trillion yen, which is approximately 16 billion U.S. dollars, to developing countries over the three years from 2013 to 2015. He also attended the High-level Ministerial Dialogue on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action and contributed to advancing negotiations by making remarks on Japan's stance on a new legal framework.

 

(3) Minister Ishihara held bilateral talks with representatives of participating countries to explain Japan's emission reduction target and seek their understanding and also reaffirmed their cooperation for the success of the COP 19 / CMP 9 conferences. He also held the “JCM Partners Roundtable -Actions for Cool Earth-”, attended by all eight signatory countries to the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), and confirmed that Japan would actively formulate JCM projects. Minister Ishihara also emphasized Japan's efforts on climate change at side events organized by the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) and the Government of Japan.

(1) For the ADP, future steps were decided under Workstream 1 (new legal framework beyond 2020). According to the decisions, all Parties are invited to initiate domestic preparations for their intended nationally determined contributions, and to communicate them well in advance of the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties (by the first quarter of 2015 by those Parties ready to do so), and the ADP was requested to identify, by the twentieth session of the Conference of the Parties, the information that Parties will provide when putting forward their contributions. Under Workstream 2 (enhancing mitigation ambition by 2020), it was decided to hold the technical examination of opportunities for actions with high mitigation potential and a forum to help share among Parties the experiences and best practices of cities and subnational authorities. With regard to the schedule in 2014, decisions were also made to hold its first additional session 10-14 March, consider the possibility of a second additional meeting in the second half of next year and convene an in-session high-level ministerial dialogue in June and December (COP 20). Developed countries were requested to revisit its quantified economy-wide emission reduction target under the Convention and, its quantified emission limitation for the Parties which have their target for the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

 

(2) On financing, the following decisions were adopted: the acknowledgment of financial pledges and announcements made by developed countries since COP 18, the holding of a biennial high-level ministerial dialogue on climate finance from 2014 to 2020, the convening of in-session workshops on strategies and approaches for scaling up climate finance, and an agreement on arrangements between COP and the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Developing countries insisted that a midterm target toward the goal of 100 billion U.S. dollars by 2020 be set and that the specific timing and figures for funding to the GCF be included in the decisions. Eventually, however, these were not included in the decisions. They also asked developed countries as a whole to maintain continuity of mobilization of public climate finance at increasing levels from the fast-start-finance period from 2010 to 2012. Developed countries were also requested to prepare biennial submissions on their updated strategies and approaches for scaling up climate finance from 2014 to 2020.

 

(3) Regarding loss and damage associated with climate change impacts, it was decided that the Warsaw international mechanism for loss and damage should be established under the Cancun Adaptation Framework, subject to review at COP 22. Specifically, decisions were made on the establishment of an executive committee of the mechanism consisting of representatives of existing bodies under the UNFCCC, as an interim measure, , the functions of the mechanism (sharing of knowledge, such as data and best practices, cooperation with relevant organizations inside and outside the UNFCCC including the United Nations, and enhancing action and support, including finance, technology and capacity-building), development of its initial two-year workplan for the implementation of the functions and consideration of the composition of, and procedures for, the executive committee by December 2014, and a review of the mechanism at COP 22.

 

(4) On Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in developing countries and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+), a framework was decided for coordinating assistance, including technical guidance, financing and organization.

 

 (5) The Government of Japan set up an event space for the first time and hosted many successful events to introduce efforts by the government, various organizations, and researchers and offered a forum for discussions.

 

(6) COP 20 will take place in Lima, chaired by Peru. It was also decided that France will chair COP 21, while Senegal expressed its will to serve as the chair of COP 22.