Status of the UNFCCC Negotiations

The report details the progress and divergences in UNFCCC negotiations leading up to COP 15. It examines the 'four pillars' of the Bali Action Plan: mitigation, adaptation, technology, and financing. While some progress was noted in adaptation, significant divides remain between developed and developing nations regarding emission targets, the role of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), and the nature of financial commitments. The document highlights the critical role of the United States' domestic legislation and the potential for a U.S.-China accord to influence the final outcome in Copenhagen.

• Negotiations in Bonn during June and August 2009 resulted in a 200-page revised negotiating text, but progress was hindered by a divide between developed and developing countries, with the latter preferring general discussions and the former pushing for streamlined, line-by-line negotiations.
• In mitigation talks, developed countries focused on the nature of commitments and comparability of effort, while developing countries focused on nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs), insisting that NAMAs should not be considered mitigation targets or financed through the carbon market.
• Under the AWG-KP, parties failed to agree on the scale of emission reductions for Annex I Parties; many developing countries advocated for reductions of 25% to 40% below 1990 levels by 2020.
• Adaptation was identified as an area where progress exceeded expectations, with general agreement that an overarching framework is needed, although developing countries specifically requested public grant funding additional to official development aid.
• Significant divergence exists regarding technology transfer, with developed countries emphasizing private sector investment and the existing intellectual property rights regime, while developing countries argued that the current system is a barrier and requested public sector funding.
• Financial negotiations are split over the source of funds; developing countries, particularly the African Group, seek public financing and a commitment of 1% of GDP from developed nations, whereas developed countries advocate for the use of private funding and carbon markets.
• The outcome of COP 15 is heavily dependent on the United States, which is expected to propose an emission-reduction target of 0% to 5% below 1990 levels, though its position is contingent on domestic legislation and its desire for binding commitments from major developing economies.

APA

Murphy, D., Drexhage, J., & Gass, P. (2009). Status of the UNFCCC Negotiations. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/status_unfccc_negotiations_bonn.pdf

Chicago

Murphy, Deborah, John Drexhage, and Philip Gass. Status of the UNFCCC Negotiations. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2009. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/status_unfccc_negotiations_bonn.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{murphy2009status, author = {Murphy, Deborah and Drexhage, John and Gass, Philip}, title = {{Status of the UNFCCC Negotiations}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2009}, month = sep, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/status_unfccc_negotiations_bonn.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }