UNFCCC – the Struggle for Fairness

By LUO JIBIN

The WWF installed 1,000 ice figures on steps at the Gendarmenmarkt, Berlin, on September 2, 2009, to arouse world concern about global warming. China Foto Press

IN June 1992 the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development convened in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where it officially adopted the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It is the most important international convention relating to environmental protection, and its significance will become increasingly apparent in the decades to come. In the meteorological field, as in its political and economic dimensions, this UN international convention has unprecedented significance.

The Framework Convention underwent several years of deliberation, initiating, drafting and negotiation before it was adopted and signed. Throughout the whole process, the Chinese government remained committed and active. China, an important player in the eyes of the international community, was often the focus of media attention. I was part of process.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

The Framework Convention was the brainchild of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Therefore, any talk about the Convention must begin with the setting up of this panel.

Climate change has long been an important topic of research by climatologists worldwide. Since the 1980s, the view that the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere would cause global warming has gradually become mainstream opinion. This aroused the concern of some governments and media. Under these circumstances, in 1988, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), with the approval of their respective executive councils, decided to jointly sponsor the formation of the IPCC.

In November 1988, a conference to establish the Panel was held in Geneva. I was present on behalf of the Chinese government. The setting up of the Panel meant that the issue of global warming was not limited to discussions among academics in various countries, but should be upgraded to intergovernmental negotiations on common measures and actions to deal with it. Substantive suggestions and decisions were needed.

Subsequently, the IPCC completed its first scientific assessment report: Unless action was taken, at the current rate of increase in global greenhouse gas emissions, by around 2030 the concentration of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide would be double the pre-Industrial Revolution figure. By that time, the global average temperature would be 1.5-4.5 degrees C. higher.

The Second World Conference on Climate Change, held in Geneva two years later, acknowledged and commended the Panel’s achievements, and it proclaimed to the world: Global warming is an important issue with huge implications for man’s living environment in the future. The issue needs active participation and strenuous actions on the part of all countries. This conference grabbed international media attention and sparked off worldwide publicity and debate. The man-in-the-street started to get concerned.

The 1990 conference called upon the 45th session of the UN General Assembly to make decisions on the ways, methods and forms of negotiations on a United Nations framework convention on climate change, and start negotiations without delay, so that it could be adopted and signed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992.

On December 21, 1990, the 45th session of the UN General Assembly adopted a corresponding resolution: Protection of Global Climate for Present and Future Generations of Mankind, which decided to establish the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for the preparation of an effective framework convention on climate change. It was the first resolution on climate change adopted by the UN General Assembly. The negotiating committee was set up by and under the direct leadership of the UN, which also determined the title of the convention and its goals.

Gritty Negotiations

The goal of the Framework Convention negotiations was to draft an international convention on climate protection, namely, inhibiting the acceleration of global warming – in specific terms, to reduce global emission of greenhouse gases. But emission reduction is a long process, and it is impossible to determine the tasks of several decades all at once. Therefore, the negotiations were to reach a framework agreement, listing the goals, principles and steps of emission reduction. The concrete tasks of various periods should be regulated by appended protocols. The Framework Convention was to cover a long period, whereas the protocols could be signed or renewed every few years, and there could be multiple co-existent protocols. This was clear at the very beginning of negotiations.

I participated in five of the six rounds of negotiation, each round lasting 10 working days. There were 60 countries taking part at the beginning, but by the end the number had grown to 130, with over 800 delegates. Finally, the negotiations ended on May 9, 1992.

The process was both complex and contentious. Negotiating with hundreds of parties is no easy matter and debate would rage for a couple of hours or more over one paragraph or a single phrase. Some sessions went on all night.

Western European countries were the most positive about emission reductions. Their energy consumption levels were basically stable: for instance, 60 percent of France’s power supply comes from nuclear generators, and more than 90 percent of Switzerland’s energy comes from hydropower. Emission reduction would improve their environments with minimal impact on their economies. These countries demanded that the 2000-2005 global emission of greenhouse gases be kept at the 1990 level.

The island countries, small Pacific Ocean nations in particular, were also an active force supporting emission reductions. Their carbon emissions are low, and they fear that sea-level rise resulting from global warming would submerge their territory. The United States, Japan and Australia are leading energy-consuming countries, with large per capita carbon emissions, and a relatively small proportion of nuclear power in their energy mix. Emission reduction would have a great impact on their economies, so they were fierce opponents.

Middle East oil-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq also opposed emission reduction, since it implied reduction of their oil exports and a crippling of their revenue source. China and India were considered big emitters, with rapidly rising emissions. However, both are developing countries with huge populations, so per capita emission is small. Reducing their emission quotas would impede their economic development, a situation also faced by other developing countries.

The Motion Is Proposed

During the negotiations, 20 delegations including the Chinese put forward their own full draft proposals for the Framework Convention. China, together with other developing countries such as India, and especially the Group of 77 coalition, put forward many important suggestions and revisions, thereby winning a breathing space for China and other developing countries to adjust the structure of their energy sources and improve energy efficiency. Therefore, the Chinese delegation was seen as an important player and a force to be reckoned with.

For instance, the final version included the concept of per capita emission, thanks to efforts made by China, India and other developing countries. In terms of total emission, China ranked third or fourth in the world. Certain delegations demanded that countries of large emissions, China among them, should be the first to cut their emission quotas. This would mean restricting China’s energy development and use, and would be detrimental to economic development in large developing countries such as China, India and Brazil. The adoption of the per capita emission concept exempted China and most other developing countries from emission quota reduction. At that time, China’s per capita emission was only one-tenth to one-sixth that of developed countries and less than half the global per capita emission. Controlling carbon emission on the basis of per capita level provided a more relaxed environment for China to develop its economy.

The text also pointed out that the quota for developing countries would increase, allowing them more emissions for a considerably long period. This proposal was fair for both developing and developed countries, since the latter group had discharged greenhouse gases for more than 200 years in their industrialization. At that time, China was only recently embarked on its reform and opening-up: most power plants and heating relied on coal; industrial energy consumption was high, but energy efficiency low. It would take a long time for China to change its energy structure, to learn to exploit renewable and clean energy sources, and to improve energy efficiency.

Even so, the Chinese delegation declared repeatedly that at even this stage China would work hard to control and gradually reduce the rate of increase of carbon emission. China promised to reduce its total emission by a given date.

The Framework Convention negotiations reached an agreement on the evening of May 9, 1992. This version was presented to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development for adoption and signing.

Signing the Convention

In June 1992 the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro adopted the UNFCCC. The Convention was signed by 153 countries and the European Community. That the signatures for 71 countries were those of heads of state or government demonstrated the importance they accorded the Convention. In 1994 the UN announced that its Framework Convention on Climate Change would go into effect on March 21, 1994.

At the Second World Conference on Climate Change and during the Framework Convention negotiations certain people, some scientists even, queried the issue of global warming on the grounds that climate change had many uncertainties. They said that increased greenhouse gas emission was only one of the factors impacting climate change, and other possible factors were yet to be confirmed, rendering it uncertain that the trend of global warming would continue. In fact, some Chinese climatologists had similar doubts. Therefore, the IPCC assessment report and the Conference declaration acknowledged this body of opinion, admitting: “There are uncertainties regarding climate change.”

If global warming turns out to be mild or even reverses to global cooling in the future, will the Convention lose its significance? Like the majority of delegates I subscribe to the following view: the Convention and its protocols aim to restrict and reduce emission of greenhouse gases. This involves adjusting energy structure, reducing consumption of fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas, increasing the usage of renewable and clean energy, and improving energy efficiency. Even if the global warming is not obvious or even turns to global cooling, the measures are beneficial to economic development and environmental protection in various countries. Therefore, the Convention can be called a “no-regret policy.” It will certainly be an important milestone in the history of man’s protecting his living environment.