Copenhagen conference concludes with final accord

The Copenhagen Climate Change negotiations went in to extra time with the final Accord still being discussed and agreed in Plenary in the early hours of Saturday 19 December 2009.

The move towards global and immediate action on climate change has been agreed as part of the Copenhagen Accord, following two weeks of intensive negotiations and two years of talks.

The Accord – agreed by major developed and developing country leaders and backed by a large majority of countries - will reinforce the need for strong domestic action on climate change across the world, as the UK is itself doing through its Low Carbon Transition Plan.

The Accord includes international backing for an overall limit of 2°C on global warming; agreement that all countries need to take action on climate change; and the provision of immediate and longer term financial help to those countries most at risk of climate change.

For the first time, the new Copenhagen Accord will also:

• List what each country is doing to tackle climate change – including economy-wide commitments to cut emissions by developed countries and actions by developing countries.
• Introduce real scrutiny and transparency to ensure emission targets are put into effect, with mandatory reporting every two years for developing countries.
• Provide US$ 30 billion of immediate short term funding from developed countries over the next three years to kick start emission reduction measures and help the poorest countries adapt to the impacts of climate change.
• Commit developed countries to work to provide long term financing of US$ 100 billion a year by 2020, a figure first put forward by Prime Minister Gordon Brown in June of this year.

The UK and other countries will now be working to convert the accord into a legally binding agreement as soon as possible.

The benefits to the UK of the shift to low carbon are clear and the UK stands by its domestic commitment to reduce emissions by at least 34% by 2020, and more if the European Union moves to a total 30% cut.

The UK wants to see the European Union move to a target of a 30% cut in emissions by 2020, compared with the current 20% figures, alongside other countries moving to the top of their emissions reduction ambitions.

Countries now have until 31 January 2010 to submit their commitments.

The Accord will be published on the DECC site as soon as it is available: http://www.decc.gov.uk

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/23122009/copenhagen_conference_concludes_with_final_accord/