The climate talks at COP20 in Lima can be divided in two parts, two so called work streams. One about a global agreement, to be adopted next year in Paris, and to be implemented from 2020 and onwards, and one about the urgent action necessary in the years up to 2020.
One of our partners, Boonny Tep, from the Cambodia Climate Change Network, made it clear in his expectations for COP20: "My main hope for COP20 is to see more support now, before 2020, for least developed countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change, and for transfer of renewable energy technologies."
Pre-2020 talks have been characterized by UN-committing roundtables, workshops and dialogue which is good for sharing experiences, but less effective for reaching agreements which can deliver joint action. The idea of two work streams is important. Developing countries agreed to have a global agreement, where all countries commit, from 2020, if developed countries promised to take the lead up to 2020. The pre-2020 work stream should ensure this.
An important element in the pre-2020 work is the existing climate agreement, the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto protocol focus on reduction of emissions, and only commit developed countries to take action. However, in the current commitment period (running to 2020), only EU and some fellow European countries have signed and ratified the agreement. Pre-2020 action is urgently needed.
Here are some advice from me to the parties in Lima:
* All developed countries join, ratify and start to implement the Kyoto protocol agreement, or to take action on similar levels.
* Agree on a roadmap for climate finance to ensure predictable climate finance in the coming years to support developing countries in scaling up climate action.
* Countries with fossil fuel subsidies, unite, and take action to reform and end fossil fuel subsidies. In total, governments worldwide provide at least $775 billion to perhaps $1 trillion annually in subsidies. This figure varies each year, but it is consistently in the hundreds of billions. These money should be shifted so that they can promote a green low carbon development.
* Develop a mechanism for shipping and aviation to reduce these sectors’ emissions and at the same time generate climate finance. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) should develop the mechanisms, but the climate talks in Lima should give them guidance.
There is need for climate action in the years to come, and any initiative to increase the climate ambition is welcome.