EP - UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

Commission statement - United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Debate : 10.01.2005

The Commission will make a statement on the UN Convention on Climate Change.

The Tenth Session of the Conference of the Parties was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from 6 to 17 December 2004 at the "La Rural" Exhibition Centre. The conference adopted the Buenos Aires Programme of Work on Adaptation and Response Measures. The Programme includes further scientific assessments of vulnerabilities and options for adaptation, support to the National Action Plans on Adaptation of least developed countries, new workshops and technical papers on various aspects of climate change risk and adaptation and support for mainstreaming adaptation into sustainable development planning. Other key decisions relate to the rapidly evolving carbon market where allowances and credits from projects that reduce emissions can be bought and sold. In a few days, on 1 January 2005, emissions trading will become a reality for 12,000 companies in the European Union. The sophisticated system ensuring reliable accounting was presented to Ministers present in Buenos Aires. Meanwhile, several new countries, namely Indonesia, Liechtenstein and Nigeria, joined the Protocol during or just before the conference, bringing the total Kyoto membership up to 132 Parties. Several others announced that their ratification was underway.

Other highlights of the conference included the much-anticipated submissions by Brazil and China of their first national communications outlining their strategies for addressing climate change.

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• Emissions trading (6/1/2005)