Cancun Agreements Further International Climate Efforts, Energy Efficiency

Date: Dec 21, 2010

Shortly after 3 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 11, international negotiators from 193 countries finalized the Cancun Agreements, which establish a variety of international programs to combat climate change.

The Cancun negotiations constituted the 16^th Conference of the Parties (COP16), annual meetings conducted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The agreements establish a variety of programs that seek to address global energy challenges, in part through the deployment of energy efficiency. Alliance President Kateri Callahan and other key Alliance personnel ventured to Cancun to champion energy efficiency at a number of side events.

“The most significant outcome from Cancun was that the negotiations actually resulted in concrete agreements that were adopted by the United Nations, evidencing that the UNFCCC process can make progress toward tackling climate change through international accords,” Callahan said.

Going Beyond the Copenhagen Accord

The Cancun Agreements build on the Copenhagen Accord by developing programs to help meet goals established in the Accord. The Cancun Agreements also reinforce pledges made in the Copenhagen Accord to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Unlike the Copenhagen Accord, which negotiators officially “took note of,” the Cancun Agreements were fully adopted by UNFCCC. This full adoption is in part thanks to a determination by COP16 President Patricia Espinosa that “consensus,” as required by the framework, does not mean unanimous consent. This ruling allowed Espinosa to approve the text despite lingering objections from the Bolivian representative, and sets an important precedent.

Agreements Facilitate International Cooperation

The Cancun Agreements establish global partnerships to advance the mission of lowering greenhouse gas emissions worldwide while preparing to mediate the economic and environmental hazards of climate change. Programs such as the Green Climate Fund and Technology Executive Committee specifically address the disparities in impact and preparedness between the developing and developed nations that comprise UNFCCC’s 194 country membership.

“It is noteworthy that these ‘first actions’ taken by the U.N. to establish a Green Energy Fund and a Technology Executive Committee both will help to drive energy efficiency into economies around the world at an accelerated pace,” the Alliance’s Callahan said.

The Cancun Agreements include:

Green Climate Fund – The Green Climate Fund will help finance clean energy improvement projects, including energy efficiency, in developing nations. It also will be used for mitigation of climate impacts. Industrialized nations have pledged $30 billion in start-up financing and an additional $100 billion to be raised by 2020 to fund the program.

Technology Executive Committee – A committee will be charged with developing rules and frameworks for the transfer of advanced energy technologies between countries. This committee will facilitate international cooperation and promote energy efficiency, especially in developing nations.

Measurement and Verification – UNFCCC countries will follow guidelines established in the Cancun Agreements for the evaluation, measurement and verification of mitigation efforts, as well as a method for reporting these measurements.

Forest Protection – New financial mechanisms will reduce forest clear-cutting to protect these important greenhouse gas sinks, which help the environment by actively removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

Energy Efficiency Key in Meeting Carbon Goals

In addition to being a core part of several agreements, energy efficiency was featured in several special reports released at COP16.

The World Economic Forum, in partnership with Accenture, released Energy Efficiency: Accelerating the Agenda, which found that 57 percent of required carbon abatement could be achieved through energy efficiency by 2030. The report also identifies the challenges that must be overcome to reach this potential.

In addition, the Business Council for Sustainable Energy released the report Clean Energy: Fueling Sustainable Global Growth, which features a case study on the Alliance's Watergy program.

Mexico Advances Efficient Housing

While playing host to COP16, Mexico also utilized the opportunity to showcase its own efficiency efforts. On Dec. 6, Callahan joined the Mexican President Felipe Calderón for a visit to one of Mexico’s net-zero energy home projects. These homes are being built as a collaboration between the Mexican government, builders and NGOs.

Additionally, Calderón announced that in 2011 all new mortgages made by INFONAVIT, the Mexican housing authority, will meet improved green standards.

An Ongoing Process

While much work remains to be done, COP16 did much to restore faith in international climate negotiations – which had been in doubt in the wake of Copenhagen’s COP15.

At the next Conference of the Parties, COP17, negotiators hope to move toward more legally binding programs and goals. Negotiators also must decide on the future of the Kyoto Protocol, which is the international climate treaty set to expire in 2012. COP17 will take place in Durban, South Africa, from Nov. 28 to Dec. 9, 2011.

Alliance to Save Energy Involvement

In Cancun, the Alliance teamed up with friends from around the world to highlight the potential of energy efficiency. The Alliance participated in a variety of side events which explored efficiency from a local to global scale:

On Dec. 1 the Alliance partnered with the Business Council for Sustainable Energy to host a side-event, “Energy Efficient Cities: Local Projects Delivering Global Climate Benefits,” which explored energy-efficient local projects that had significant economic and environmental benefits in cities around the world.
On Dec. 3 the Alliance teamed up with the European Alliance to Save Energy (EASE) and Alliance Associate Johnson Controls for an event entitled, “Opportunities for Advancing Energy Efficiency in Global Efforts to Create 21st Century Electric Grids.”
Alliance President Kateri Callahan moderated a plenary session as part of “World Climate Summit – The Business Conference During COP16” on Dec. 4. The session was titled “Energy Efficiency - Driving Competition and Unlocking Barriers to Global Adoption.” Panelists included representatives from a number of Alliance Associates, including Danfoss, Philips Lighting, Johnson Controls and The Dow Chemical Company.
On Dec. 7 the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and the U.S. Department of Commerce hosted “Clean Energy Technologies for the Developing World,” which featured Callahan as a panelist.