Negotiations continued throughout 2010 and allowed us to establish a possible compromise on a series of decisions relating to the most advanced areas of the negotiation:

- the fight against deforestation
- technology cooperation
- adapting to the effects of climate change and the role of agriculture

The negotiators should endeavor to make progress on the issue of quantified emission reduction commitments for each country, on long-term international financing, including in particular the arrangements for establishing the Copenhagen Green Climate Fund, and on the system to monitor commitments (“MRV”).

France, together with its European Union partners, is in favor of a step-by-step negotiation approach, based on the results of the Copenhagen Conference and on the Kyoto Protocol. It supports a second commitment phase in accordance with the post-2012 protocol, within the framework of a broader arrangement paving the way for a comprehensive international framework involving all of the major economies. The European Union will reaffirm its compliance with the financial commitments that it made in Copenhagen with the payment of the first annual installment of the €7.2 billion pledged under the early financing program which will extend until 2012, including €1.26 billion for France.

France is very keen for this new conference to lead to concrete conclusions within the framework of the United Nations, the only legitimate forum for these decisions. It lends its unwavering support to the Mexican presidency of the Conference as well as the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Christiana Figueres.

France will also endeavor to defend the interests of the most vulnerable countries, notably in terms of access to sustainable energy and adaptation to the effects of climate change.

Climate change policy and participation in the international climate change negotiations are one of France’s strategic priorities. The Minister for Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, will go to Cancun from December 6 to 7. Brice Lalonde, former minister, Ambassador responsible for Climate Negotiations, will lead the French delegation throughout the negotiations.

The report is a summary of the presentations given and discussions held during the debate, with written contributions that preceded it.

The debate focused on four major topics:

- Observations and analysis methods used to assess climate change
- Determination of past climates
- Climate models
- Physico-chemical mecanisms

The following conclusions are presented in the report:

- Several independent indicators show an increase of warming from 1975 to 2003.
- This increase is mainly due to the increase in CO2 concentration in the atmosphere
- The increase in CO2 and, to a lesser degree, of other greenhouse gases, is unequivocally due to human activity.
- It constitutes a threat to the climate and, moreover, to oceans as a result of the acidification process it generates.
- This increase drives retroactions of the global climate system, the complexity of which requires the use of models and tests for the purpose of validating them.
- The mechanisms which can play a role in the transmission and amplification of solar forcing, and in particular, of solar activity, are not yet well understood. Solar activity, which has slightly decreased on average since 1975, cannot be dominant in the observed warming during this period
- Important uncertainties remain in the modeling of clouds, the evolution of marine ice and polar ice caps, ocean/atmosphere coupling, the evolution of the biosphere and the dynamics of the carbon cycle
- The projections of climate change over the 30 to 50-year period are only slightly affected by the uncertainty in the modeling of slow-moving processes. These projections are particularly useful in meeting current societal concerns, made worse by the predictable population increase.
- Climate change can only by analyzed by long series of data, both homogeneous and continuous, on a large scale. The major terrestrial and spatial observation programs, must be maintained and developed and their results made available to the international scientific community.
- The interdisciplinary nature of the problems requires an even greater involvement of the various scientific communities to further the advances already achieved in the field of climatology and to open new avenues for future research

The report is available in French here : http://media.enseignementsup-recherche.gouv.fr/file/2010/35/0/Changement_climatique_octobre_2010_159350.pdf

This report ranks France first, followed by Germany and the UK. In particular, France’s performances are high in terms of emissions, investments and skills although it ranks 4th in terms of innovation and policies and institutions. As a matter of fact, nuclear and hydro power result in a very low carbon content of GDP and exports. Low carbon stimulus spending is on the plus side. However, low carbon technologies patenting and the share of venture capital investments in clean tech must be improved. The Grenelle de l’Environnement (see fact sheet) will help France’s greening its economy.

Read “Measuring Up”:
http://www.nrtee-trnee.com/eng/issues/programs/climate-prosperity/benchmarking/benchmarking-eng.pdf

Read Europe’s “Expression of willingness to be associated with the Copenhagen Accord and submission of the quantified economy-wide emissions reduction targets for 2020″ in the following PDF :

EU Climate Change Letter [PDF]

President Sarkozy and Mr Zenawi, Prime Minister of Ethiopia

France and Ethiopia, representing Africa, launch today an appeal to all Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to adopt an ambitious agreement on 18 December limiting the increase of temperatures to 2°C above preindustrial levels, as recommended by the IPCC, and ensuring that vulnerable countries will receive adequate financing to face the challenge.

This agreement will be applicable immediately. It will be translated into a legal international instrument as early as possible in 2010. The Copenhagen accord must seek efficiency, as well as fairness and equity.

Therefore, France and Ethiopia, representing Africa, call for:

- the halving of global CO2 emissions by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. This implies, according to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, that developed countries commit to reducing their emissions by 80% at least by 2050 and to adopting coherent and comparable mid-term objectives; and that the most advanced developing countries adopt ambitious low-carbon growth plans and actions aimed at yielding a significant deviation of CO2 emissions compared to “business as usual” scenarios and compatible with the recommendations made by the IPCC.

- the full transparency of commitments taken by developed countries and of the actions adopted by developing countries.

- the adoption of a “fast-start” fund of $10 billion per year covering the next three years, 2010, 2011 and 2012. It will be dedicated to adaptation and mitigation actions, including the fight against deforestation, in developing countries, mainly the poor and vulnerable ones. 40% of the fund should be dedicated to adaptation in Africa. 20% of it should be dedicated to early action on “REDD+”, in order to reach the objective of halving deforestation by 2020 and halting it by 2030. A high-level group, mandated by the UNFCCC, composed of developed and developing countries’ experts will work out details as soon as possible, with a view to launching the fund by the next G20 Summit in Canada after consideration and approval by the UNFCCC.

- a strong commitment on long-term public financing based on developing countries’ needs beyond 2012. Predictable and additional finance must be made available from 2013. France and Ethiopia, representing Africa, believe that various innovative financing mechanisms are key to ensuring the predictability and sustainability of international public efforts. They call, in particular, for the creation of a tax on international financial transactions and are considering other sources such as taxes on sea freight or air transport. Those mechanisms will mainly be dedicated to actions in poor and vulnerable countries, particularly in Africa, least developed countries, small island States and other developing countries with a low per-capita income, according to a plan for climate justice. A high-level group composed of developed and developing countries’ experts will bring forward recommendations, with a preliminary report to be presented no later than the next G20 summit in Canada, and its final report no later than the November 2010 G20 summit in Korea. The report will be submitted for consideration and approval by the UNFCCC.

Long-term financing needs for mitigation and adaptation in developing countries are estimated, at least, at €50 billion by 2015 and €100 billion by 2020. Beyond public financing, France and Ethiopia, representing Africa, encourage the development of carbon markets, which will be a major source of capital flows and investments between the North and the South.

- an ambitious reform of global governance. The Copenhagen Conference offers a historic opportunity to launch a process leading to the establishment of a World Environment Organization. It will ensure that the environment, sustainable development and the fight against climate change remain a top priority in the international agenda beyond COP 15. And it will be a step forward in adapting international governance to twenty-first century challenges and realities./.

Source of English text: Elysée website.

President Sarkozy meets with the non-governmental organizations

President Sarkozy had a meeting today at the Elysée to discuss the Copenhagen conference with the main French non-governmental organizations and leading figures engaged in the fight against climate change.

In the presence of M. Jean-Louis Borloo, Ministre d’Etat, Minister for Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and Marine Affairs, Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, and Mme Chantal Jouanno, Minister of State responsible for Ecology, the Head of State reaffirmed the need in Copenhagen to come up with a political agreement commensurate with the challenges of climate change and designed to take the form of an international binding agreement as swiftly as possible.

The President welcomed the international groundswell in support of climate action since the publication of the joint Franco-Brazilian position last month. The presence in Copenhagen of virtually all the world’s heads of State provides a historic opportunity to conclude the agreement enabling the average global temperature rise to be limited to 2ºC by 2050.

The Head of State renewed France’s commitment to reduce her CO2 emissions, to which the Grenelle Environment Forum and carbon tax will make a substantial contribution. France has undertaken to do the utmost to ensure that the conditions for a 30% reduction in European Union emissions are fulfilled as soon as possible.

President Sarkozy also reiterated his determination that the Copenhagen agreement provide for the creation of a World Environment Organization (WEO) with a remit to monitor the preparation of the future treaty and check that every country fulfils its commitments. Lastly, for the Head of State, the final Copenhagen agreement will have to include a major funding stream to finance the fight against climate change in the poor countries, with contributions based on an international levy on financial transactions.

President Sarkozy concluded by reiterating that he firmly believed in a regular frank dialogue with civil society. But any dialogue has of necessity to have rules. Consequently, he deemed the recent intrusion of an NGO in the National Assembly a wholly unacceptable initiative.

Climate change is a global challenge which requires a response that is global, immediate and guided by principles of justice and equity.

This is the response that is at stake at the Copenhagen Summit and the decision announced by India gives an important signal at a time when the deliberations and negotiations are just getting underway.

This commitment is all the more encouraging given that India is burdened with particular constraints associated with its development and has begun a determined fight against poverty.

Given these circumstances, it is vital that the Copenhagen Summit lead to an agreement that forms the basis of a new model for sustainable development.

France reaffirms its determination to work with India and all of its partners in order to put together an ambitious, just and balanced agreement in Copenhagen, based on the Franco-Brazilian agreement.

Paris, December 4, 2009

The President of the Republic welcomes with a great deal of satisfaction the announcement by President Obama that he will attend the Copenhagen Summit on December 18. He is delighted by this decision which demonstrates the importance the United States attaches to the success of this Climate Conference.

The President of the Republic spoke with President Obama at the beginning of the week and hopes, more than ever, that all leaders will attend the Copenhagen Summit, so that the ambitious commitments needed to protect the planet and future generations can be made together.

Discussions focused mainly on the results of the COP15 and the organization of its high-level segment. Emissions-control objectives were announced by several developing countries (Brazil, Indonesia and South Korea, among others), testifying to the desire of all the ministers in attendance to make Copenhagen a success, despite some differences.

French minister Jean-Louis Borloo presented the climate-justice plan and held talks with several partners on the sidelines of the meeting.

source:  French Ministry for Ecology, Energy and Sustainable Development [French]
photo: nagillum

Brazil and France reiterate their conviction that climate change is one of the most pressing challenges we face today and that it requires immediate global response guided by fairness and equity. The two countries underline that combating climate change is an imperative that must be fully compatible with sustainable economic growth and the fight against poverty. They endorse the scientific findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report and support the objective that global mean temperature increase should not exceed 2ºC above the pre-industrial levels, which implies a peak in global emissions as early as possible and reducing global emissions by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 1990.

Brazil and France are engaged in working together before the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to be held in Copenhagen, in December 2009. They emphasize the importance of establishing bridges among countries and are willing to further advance understandings between the G77/China and the industrialized countries. They commend the fact that two countries with different national and regional circumstances can express common views on major issues of the climate change negotiations. They are determined to step up the pace of negotiations in order to reach a positive and ambitious agreed outcome, based on the Bali Road Map, in Copenhagen later this year.

Brazil and France commit themselves to cooperating to strengthen the international climate change regime, through the enhanced implementation of the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol. In this regard, they recall that all Parties should formulate, implement, publish and regularly update national programmes containing measures to mitigate climate change and facilitate adaptation to climate change. These plans should be the vehicle for low carbon growth.

They underscore that all Annex I countries should adopt new and ambitious mid-term emission reduction targets in line with their historical and present responsibilities and capabilities, consistent with the 2°C and the recommendations of the IPCC. Annex I countries should outline emission pathways consistent with the goal of reducing their emissions by at least 80% by 2050 compared to 1990. In this context, they agree on the central importance of comparability of economy wide reduction targets among all Annex I countries.

Meanwhile, non-Annex I countries should pursue low carbon growth by implementing nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) in the context of sustainable development, enabled and supported by developed countries with new and additional financing, technology cooperation and capacity-building. Developing countries should also contribute to the global effort by undertaking a substantial deviation from the business as usual projections of their emissions increase consistent with the IPCC recommendations, with a view to reducing the carbon intensity of their economies and peaking emissions as early as possible, bearing in mind that social and economic development and poverty eradication are the first and overriding priorities in developing countries.

Our two countries will support the establishment of a registry as part of the general framework for measuring, reporting and verifying (MRV) both NAMAs by developing countries and the support received from developed countries. The registry would channel enabling means of implementation of mitigation actions by developing countries, allowing for an important contribution to an enhanced global mitigation effort.

Brazil and France also underline the importance of adaptation to the adverse effects of climate change and agree that mitigation and adaptation should be given equal consideration under the Convention. Despite their limited responsibility for climate change, developing countries are already facing its adverse effects. Brazil and France stress the need for the development of a fair, comprehensive and robust framework for adaptation. This framework must include significant new financial support for developing countries, particularly for poor and vulnerable countries in Africa, Least Developed Countries and the Small Island Developing States, so that they may face the additional burden that climate change poses regarding the existing challenge of social and economic development and poverty eradication.

They recall that the provision of financial resources is one of the key building blocks for the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention. In this context, they underscore that the scaling-up of international public financing will be paramount for the successful outcome of COP-15. They underline the role of financial instruments, innovative financing and the role of the private sector in supporting action on mitigation and adaptation, as well as technology development and transfer. Investments should support low carbon growth and sustainable production and consumption patterns.
They highlight the need for enhanced cooperation between developed and developing countries for the research, development, deployment, diffusion and transfer of environmentally sound technologies. Technological cooperation can also be enhanced through the establishment of international hubs for knowledge and information sharing and capacity-building as well as national and regional centres for environmentally friendly technologies. Innovative solutions are needed to significantly enhance access to technologies.

They underscore the importance of stimulating enhanced action aimed at reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD). They recognize that this objective is an important part of mitigation efforts by several developing countries and may play a significant role in the global effort to tackle climate change. Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, through conservation of forests, sustainable management and enhancement of carbon stocks in forests can and should promote social and environmental co-benefits.

In this sense, they agree that such activities should receive adequate financial and technological support, as part of nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) to be undertaken by developing countries. They emphasize the need to strengthen capacity-building and technology cooperation – both North-South and South-South – in the forestry sector, including the use of remote sensing tools. They commit to ensure the inclusion of REDD in the Copenhagen agreed outcome, with a view to establishing effective and reliable means of support for this objective under the Convention.
Brazil and France underline the need for ambitious results in reducing greenhouse gas emissions on a global scale. In this sense, they stress the role of promoting energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy, including socially and environmentally sustainable bioenergy, as part of the global effort to address climate change.

Brazil and France concur on the need for the establishment of an international organization devoted to the environment and sustainable development, which would give coherence to the efforts of the international community in these areas. They are convinced that the impetus should be given in Copenhagen in December so that the organization could be established at the Rio+20 Conference in Rio de Janeiro in 2012./.

¹ Source of English text: Elysée website.