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| In this Aug. 2, 2017 file photo the exhaust pipes of a VW Diesel car are photographed in Frankfurt, Germany.The UN Climate Change Conference 2017 will take place under Presidency of the Government of Fiji in Bonn, Germany and starts on Monday, Nov. 6, 2017. AP Photo/Michael Probst |
Climate change is back on the agenda with a global climate conference kicking off Monday in the German city of Bonn.
Who's coming, what are the key debates about and how green will this
meeting be? Five things to know about the U.N. conference known as
COP23, which runs from Nov. 6-17.
Who Is Coming To Bonn?
Up to 25,000 people are expected to attend the talks, which will be
presided over by Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama of Fiji — the first
time that a small island nation will be at the helm of a major
international climate conference. Participants will include diplomats
from 195 nations, as well as scientists, lobbyists and
environmentalists.
The United States, which has announced its intention to pull out of the
landmark Paris climate accord, will be represented by Undersecretary of
State for Political Affairs Thomas Shannon.
Key countries to watch during the talks are the emerging economic powers
China and India. Other nations — Estonia, Peru, Ecuador, Iran, Mali,
Ethiopia and the Maldives — will also be in the spotlight for leading
major international groupings.
French President Emmanuel Macron,
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other leaders are expected to fly
to Bonn toward the end of the summit to give the talks a final push and
signal their commitment to fighting climate change.
What Are The Big Climate Change Topics Now?
The 2015 Paris accord set a target of limiting global warming to 1.5
degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) — or 2 degrees at the most — by
the end of the century.
But diplomats didn't agree on the details of how their nations will
reach that ambitious goal. The Bonn talks will flesh out the rule book
that countries have to abide by.
This includes coming up with international standards for how to measure
carbon emissions, to make sure that one nation's efforts can be compare
to another's. A second debate centers around how countries take stock of
what's been achieved and set new, more ambitious goals for curbing
carbon emissions after 2020.
The third big issue concerns money. Experts agree that shifting
economies away from fossil fuels and preparing countries for some of the
inevitable consequences of climate change will require vast financial
resources — including some from the U.S. administration of President
Donald Trump, which is doubtful about man-made climate change.
Why Bonn?
Organizing a massive global conference in Fiji would have strained the
Pacific nation's resources and posed a travel nightmare for thousands of
delegates. Germany offered to host the talks in Bonn, the country's
former capital, because it has ample conference space and is already
home to the U.N. climate change agency.
Still, they are going to miss the sunshine of Fiji. The weather in Bonn is generally dreary at best in November.
How Green Will The Conference Be?
Germany says the two-week talks will as environmentally friendly as
possible. The country is setting aside part of the 117 million euro
($136.3 million) budget for a fleet of bicycles and electric buses to
ferry people between venues.
Each participant will receive a bottle to fill with tap water — a move organizers say will save half a million plastic cups.
Germany's environment ministry is also investing in renewable energy
projects to compensate for the greenhouse gas emissions caused by
people from all over the world flying into Bonn for the talks.
And What About Germany's Coal Usage?
Germany likes to portray itself as a leader in the fight against global
warming and Merkel's reputation as the "climate chancellor" is partly
built on the pivotal role she played during past negotiations.
But environmentalists note that Germany still gets about 40 percent of
its electricity from coal-fired plants — one of the most carbon
intensive sources of energy. And German highways are also virtually
unique in having no general speed limit, despite the fact that auto
emissions rise dramatically at higher speeds.
If prosperous Germany fails to meet its own emissions targets, as
current predictions suggest, critics say that would send a bad signal to
the rest of the world.
Links
- Thousands march against coal ahead of climate conference in Bonn
- Nations to work on curbing climate change despite Trump
- Assembly of First Nations to have seat at international climate change conference for first time
- Climate change is a threat to rich and poor alike
- Upcoming UN climate change summit in Bonn "most important" since Paris climate: official
- An Inside Look At The U.N. Climate Negotiations In Bonn
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