Copenhagen Accord

Copenhagen Accord
Name	Copenhagen Accord
Type	Environmental
Date signed	December 18, 2009
Location	Copenhagen, Denmark
Parties	United Nations, European Union, China, United States, India, Brazil, South Africa

Copenhagen Accord. The Copenhagen Accord was a pivotal agreement reached during the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark, attended by Barack Obama, Hu Jintao, Manmohan Singh, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Jacob Zuma. This accord aimed to mitigate the effects of climate change through international cooperation, involving countries like Canada, Australia, and Japan. The agreement was the result of negotiations between major emitting countries, including Russia, Germany, and France, under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Introduction

The Copenhagen Accord was a significant development in the global effort to address climate change, building on the foundations laid by the Kyoto Protocol and the Bali Roadmap. The accord was supported by Ban Ki-moon, Yvo de Boer, and other prominent figures, including Al Gore, Angela Merkel, and Gordon Brown. It recognized the scientific view that the increase in global temperature should be below 2 degrees Celsius, as emphasized by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and NASA. The accord also acknowledged the importance of sustainable development, poverty reduction, and the protection of biodiversity, as highlighted by the World Wildlife Fund and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Background

The Copenhagen Accord was negotiated during the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009, which was attended by representatives from over 190 countries, including China, United States, India, Brazil, and South Africa. The conference was preceded by a series of meetings and negotiations, involving European Union leaders like José Manuel Barroso and Fredrik Reinfeldt, as well as G8 and G20 summits, which discussed the need for a new international agreement on climate change. The accord was influenced by the Bali Action Plan, which was adopted at the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2007 in Bali, Indonesia, and the Poznań Conference in Poznań, Poland. Key players, such as Hilary Clinton, Wang Yi, and Jairam Ramesh, played important roles in shaping the agreement, which was also informed by the work of scientific organizations like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the European Space Agency.

Provisions

The Copenhagen Accord included several key provisions, such as the recognition of the need to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, as recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and supported by Greenpeace and the World Meteorological Organization. The accord also provided for the establishment of a Green Climate Fund, which would support mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries, such as Bangladesh, Nepal, and Tanzania. Additionally, the accord encouraged countries to submit their nationally appropriate mitigation actions, which would be subject to international measurement, reporting, and verification, as outlined by the International Energy Agency and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The accord also recognized the importance of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+), as emphasized by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme.

Signatories_and_support

The Copenhagen Accord was supported by over 120 countries, including major emitters like China, United States, India, Brazil, and South Africa. The accord was also endorsed by the European Union, the African Union, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as well as by prominent non-governmental organizations like the World Wildlife Fund and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Key leaders, such as Barack Obama, Hu Jintao, and Manmohan Singh, played important roles in promoting the accord, which was also supported by business leaders like Richard Branson and Bill Gates. The accord was seen as a significant step forward by environmental organizations like the Sierra Club and the Nature Conservancy, as well as by scientific institutions like the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society.

Criticism_and_controversy

The Copenhagen Accord was criticized by some countries and non-governmental organizations for its lack of binding commitments and its failure to establish a legally binding treaty, as advocated by Bolivia, Venezuela, and Cuba. The accord was also criticized for its emphasis on voluntary actions, which some argued would not be sufficient to address the scale and urgency of the climate crisis, as highlighted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the World Health Organization. Additionally, the accord was criticized for its lack of transparency and accountability, as well as its failure to provide adequate support for vulnerable countries, such as Maldives, Tuvalu, and Kiribati. The accord was also opposed by some environmental groups, like the Friends of the Earth and the Green Party, which argued that it did not go far enough in addressing the climate crisis.

Aftermath_and_impact

The Copenhagen Accord had a significant impact on the global effort to address climate change, as it recognized the need for international cooperation and provided a framework for countries to submit their nationally appropriate mitigation actions. The accord also led to the establishment of the Green Climate Fund, which has provided support for mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries, such as Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Costa Rica. The accord also influenced the development of subsequent international agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, which was adopted at the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2015 in Paris, France. The accord was also seen as a significant step forward by business leaders like Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, as well as by scientific institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California, Berkeley. The accord's impact was also felt in the European Union, where it informed the development of the EU's climate and energy policy, as well as in China, where it influenced the country's climate change mitigation efforts, as outlined by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Development and Reform Commission.

Category:International environmental agreements