Bali Action Plan

Bali Action Plan
Name	Bali Action Plan
Date adopted	2007-12-14
Location	Denpasar, Bali
Adopted by	United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Parties	192 United Nations
Language	English

Bali Action Plan The Bali Action Plan was an outcome of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations concluded at the thirteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP13) held in Bali in December 2007. It launched a two-year process aimed at producing a comprehensive agreement addressing mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology by the 2009 UNFCCC COP in Copenhagen. The decision framed subsequent multilateral diplomacy involving major emitters, developing nation coalitions, and international institutions.

Background and Negotiation Context

The decision emerged amid interactions among key actors including the European Union, the United States, China, India, and negotiating groups such as the G77 and Alliance of Small Island States. It followed diplomatic precedents like the Kyoto Protocol negotiations and global policy debates linked to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessments and the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change. High-profile events and figures influencing the context included the G8 summits, leaders from Indonesia, and envoys from Australia and Canada. Scientific and civil society stakeholders from institutions such as the World Bank, International Energy Agency, Greenpeace International, and WWF contributed to the framing of options discussed in the Bali talks.

Objectives and Key Provisions

The plan set explicit negotiating elements: deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, enhanced adaptation measures, technology development and transfer, and financial resources and investment to support action. It called for measurable, reportable and verifiable actions from both developed and developing Parties, referencing mechanisms comparable to those in the Kyoto Protocol and ideas debated in forums like the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate. The provision list intersected with concepts advocated by the United Nations Development Programme, proposals from the Caribbean Community, and positions advanced by the African Union and Least Developed Countries group. It also sought to mobilize funding architecture drawing on institutions such as the Global Environment Facility and proposals linked to the Adaptation Fund.

Institutional Framework and Implementation Mechanisms

Implementation modalities envisioned engagement of established bodies including the UNFCCC Secretariat, the Subsidiary Body for Implementation, and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice. The plan opened pathways for creation or reinforcement of funding channels involving the Global Environment Facility, multilateral development banks like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, and potential new entities discussed by coalitions such as the Like-Minded Developing Countries. Technology transfer arrangements referenced approaches promoted by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and cooperative mechanisms akin to emissions trading systems seen in the European Union Emissions Trading System. Verification and compliance dialogues built upon precedents from the Kyoto Protocol compliance mechanism and reporting formats used by Parties in annual UNFCCC submissions.

Role in UNFCCC Process and COP13 Outcomes

As the headline result of COP13, the plan effectively established the Bali Road Map, a timetable and set of workstreams to guide the subsequent COP14 and the lead-up to COP15 in Copenhagen. It bridged divergent proposals from the United States and the European Union and reconciled positions advanced by the G77/China and the Alliance of Small Island States. The Bali outcome influenced negotiation tracks such as the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the UNFCCC and became a reference point during ministerial meetings, informal consultations, and high-level dialogues involving heads of state who participated in preparatory processes like the Major Economies Meeting.

Reactions and International Reception

Reactions spanned praise from environmental NGOs including Friends of the Earth and criticism from business groups and some national delegations wary of binding targets. Developed Parties such as members of the European Union generally welcomed the roadmap as a vehicle for ambitious mitigation, while some delegations led by the United States and Australia emphasized voluntary approaches and flexible mechanisms. Developing country coalitions including the G77/China and the African Group stressed the need for finance, technology transfer, and recognition of common but differentiated responsibilities, reflecting longstanding positions from negotiations around the Rio Earth Summit and the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.

Legacy and Influence on Subsequent Climate Agreements

The Bali outcome shaped the architecture and agenda of the 2009 Copenhagen Accord negotiations and informed elements of later agreements including the Paris Agreement of 2015. Its emphasis on integrated action—mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology—influenced program design at the Green Climate Fund and institutional reforms at the Global Environment Facility. Negotiators drew on modalities trialed under the Bali process in subsequent treaty texts, multilateral finance pledging mechanisms, and verification frameworks adopted in later COP decisions. Elements of the plan persist in the ongoing workstreams of the UNFCCC and in capacity-building initiatives coordinated by agencies like the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Environment Programme.

Category:United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Category:International environmental treaties