LIMA COP 20: ANOTHER SMALL STEP ON THE LONG ROAD TO PARIS

The Lima COP 20 summit focused on defining the instructions for a legally binding global agreement to be finalized in Paris in December 2015. Key achievements included the agreement that Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) be presented by October 2015 and the shift away from the Kyoto Protocol's industrialisation-based differentiation, with major emitters like the USA and China showing willingness to reduce emissions. The summit also saw new contributions to the Green Climate Fund, which reached US$10.2m, and progress on the REDD+ mechanism and gender-responsive climate policies. However, issues regarding the International Mechanism for Loss and Damage, market mechanisms, and the Technology Mechanism remained unresolved.

• The primary objective of the Lima summit was not to set specific emission reduction targets, but to establish the groundwork for the COP 21 in Paris. This included defining the instructions for a legal document and agreeing on the conditions, metrics, and deadlines for Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC).
• The summit marked a historic shift in climate diplomacy by ending the differentiation between countries based on their level of industrialisation as defined by the Kyoto Protocol Annexes. For the first time, major emitters including the USA, China, and Australia expressed willingness to commit to significant greenhouse gas reductions.
• Specific mitigation ambitions were highlighted for key entities: the USA committed to a 26-28% reduction below 2005 levels by 2025, China aimed to peak emissions by 2030 and increase renewable energy to 20%, and the EU targeted a 40% reduction below 1990 levels.
• Financial progress was noted with the Green Climate Fund reaching US$10.2m, supporting the goal of developed countries providing US$100b by 2020 for mitigation and adaptation in developing nations. The document notes a specific call to increase financing for adaptation activities.
• The summit introduced initiatives to integrate climate policy with broader social and local dimensions, including the Lima Work Programme on Gender to address women's vulnerability and the Nazca Climate Action Portal to increase visibility for cities, regions, and private investors.
• Several critical issues remained unresolved in Lima, including the functioning of the International Mechanism for Loss and Damage, the financing of technology projects, and the specifics of market and non-market mechanisms.

APA

Galarraga, I., & Román, M. (2015). LIMA COP 20: ANOTHER SMALL STEP ON THE LONG ROAD TO PARIS. Basque Centre for Climate Change. https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/20150213115519775950892.pdf

Chicago

Galarraga, Ibon, and Mavi Román. LIMA COP 20: ANOTHER SMALL STEP ON THE LONG ROAD TO PARIS. Basque Centre for Climate Change, 2015. https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/20150213115519775950892.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{galarraga2015lima, author = {Galarraga, Ibon and Román, Mavi}, title = {{LIMA COP 20: ANOTHER SMALL STEP ON THE LONG ROAD TO PARIS}}, institution = {Basque Centre for Climate Change}, year = {2015}, url = {https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/20150213115519775950892.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }