WARSAW CONFERENCE: “SMALL STEPS FORWARD WHILE AWAITING MAJOR DECISIONS AT THE 2015 PARIS CONFERENCE”

The Warsaw Conference (COP 19) achieved several technical milestones but failed to secure ambitious new mitigation commitments or a clear financial roadmap. Key outcomes included the creation of the Warsaw International Mechanism for loss and damage and the Warsaw Framework for REDD+, alongside a draft for a universal agreement to be finalized in Paris. However, the event was marked by reduced mitigation goals from Japan and the removal of carbon taxes in Australia, highlighting a persistent divide between developed and developing nations over the priority of funding versus emission cuts.

• The conference established a draft for a universal agreement on mitigation to be finalized at COP 21 in Paris, though the term "commitment" was changed to "contribution without prejudice to the legal nature" to accommodate opposition from India and China.
• The "Warsaw International Mechanism" was created to provide advisory and financial support for climate change impacts, although it was launched without a dedicated budget.
• The "Warsaw Framework for REDD+" was established to coordinate the financing of activities to combat deforestation, with an initial funding commitment of 280 million dollars from the United Kingdom, Norway, and the United States.
• Developed countries agreed to provide biannual reports starting in 2014 regarding their strategies to mobilize the promised 100,000 million dollars annually by 2020, though some nations refused to set a quantified timeline.
• Japan significantly lowered its mitigation target to a 3.8% reduction relative to 2005 levels, citing the 2011 Fukushima accident and the subsequent suspension of 50 nuclear power stations.
• Australia announced the removal of its national carbon tax and indicated it was not prepared to make new commitments regarding funding or mitigation.
• The Adaptation Fund received over 100 million dollars in pledges from developed countries including France, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Belgium, Austria, and Switzerland, though the fund's sustainability remains tied to volatile carbon prices.

APA

Galarraga.I, & M.V, R. (2013). WARSAW CONFERENCE: “SMALL STEPS FORWARD WHILE AWAITING MAJOR DECISIONS AT THE 2015 PARIS CONFERENCE”. Basque Centre for Climate Change. https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/201403171253391356202623.pdf

Chicago

Galarraga.I, and Román. M.V. WARSAW CONFERENCE: “SMALL STEPS FORWARD WHILE AWAITING MAJOR DECISIONS AT THE 2015 PARIS CONFERENCE”. Basque Centre for Climate Change, 2013. https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/201403171253391356202623.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Galarraga.I |last2=M.V |first2=Román. |title=WARSAW CONFERENCE: “SMALL STEPS FORWARD WHILE AWAITING MAJOR DECISIONS AT THE 2015 PARIS CONFERENCE” |publisher=Basque Centre for Climate Change |date=2013 |url=https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/201403171253391356202623.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{galarragai2013warsaw, author = {Galarraga.I and M.V, Román.}, title = {{WARSAW CONFERENCE: “SMALL STEPS FORWARD WHILE AWAITING MAJOR DECISIONS AT THE 2015 PARIS CONFERENCE”}}, institution = {Basque Centre for Climate Change}, year = {2013}, url = {https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/201403171253391356202623.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }