CIAO DATE: 10/2008

Oxfam Analysis of the Bali Conference Outcomes

December 2007

Oxfam Publishing

Abstract

Mitigation

There is a basis for moving forward on negotiations to achieve emissions cuts...

• The ‘Bali roadmap' process has been launched, aiming for a long term agreement on emissions cuts, including commitments by the US
• Future actions by developing countries to reduce emissions are to be supported by scaling up finance, technology and capacity-building from rich nations
• Negotiations on further emissions cuts beyond 2012 have been launched under the Kyoto Protocol, for completion by end 2009, with a guideline for reductions of 25-40% by 2020 (from a 1990 base)
• Australia is now included in the Kyoto Protocol, leaving the US as the only major developed country outside these negotiations

but these commitments are not as strong as Oxfam has been calling for - poor people needed Bali to deliver far more urgency in cutting global emissions

• Despite the scientific evidence, there is no clear goal for global emissions cuts in the Bali roadmap or even a range of emissions targets for developed countries
• Despite huge flexibility shown by developing countries and the EU, the US is still blocking progress in the Bali roadmap on a wide range of issues
• Under Kyoto Protocol negotiations, the reference to the 25-40% emissions reduction range is only an indirect guideline rather than a clear target, and therefore risks being watered down
• Kyoto signatories Japan, Canada and Russia have already made it clear that they will resist taking on these reduction targets

Adaptation 
Bali has at last started to deal with the impacts of climate change on the poor and agreed a funding structure...

• The Adaptation Fund was established with a balanced governance structure, giving developing countries a stronger voice in funding decisions
• The Bali roadmap recognises the need for "adequate, predictable and sustainable" finance, including "new and additional resources", to fund adaptation in a post-2012 agreement

but not enough progress on Oxfam's call to ensure there is funding for the scale and urgency needed

• There is no provision for scaled up funding before 2012 to support urgent adaptation needs
• There is no mandate for the negotiations to set binding targets for developed countries to ensure there is adaptation funding on the scale needed
• The inclusion of development aid as a possible source of funds is unacceptable since it would divert money needed for poverty reduction, rather than providing new compensatory funding to help communities cope with the severe impacts they face

Technology Transfer
There was progress towards getting much needed technology to developing countries for adaptation and mitigation...

• A ‘strategic programme' for technology development and transfer was agreed, marking an important shift from technical discussions towards implementation
• The Bali roadmap recognises the need for new and additional resources to finance technology transfer

but not enough to meet Oxfam's call for affordable technologies to help poor countries adapt and to move to a low carbon development path

• Developing countries' proposal for a Technology Cooperation Fund was rejected and there is no clear funding mechanism for the new strategic programme
• There was no clear mandate for negotiations to consider the barriers to affordable technology transfer posed by intellectual property right

Finance
There was a step forward in recognising that financial transfers are crucial for progress...

• The Bali roadmap recognized the need for adequate, predictable and sustainable funding, including new and additional resources for mitigation, adaptation and technology cooperation

but no mandate for the negotiations to meet Oxfam's call for binding commitments

• There is no explicit mandate to negotiate binding commitments for rich countries to provide finance for either adaptation or mitigation

Deforestation
There was progress in putting deforestation and degradation of forests on the agenda...

• The Bali roadmap includes possible financial support to halt deforestation and forest degradation

but Oxfam is calling for any agreement to respect the rights of local people and communities

• There is a danger that funding provided to national governments for halting deforestation will not benefit local people, and could lead to a loss of their land tenure rights and rights to use forest resources

Resource link: Oxfam Analysis of the Bali Conference Outcomes [PDF] - 100K