Five Indicators of Success at Copenhagen

December 4th, 2009 by Susan Kraemer

How will we know if we have succeeded at Copenhagen this year in turning our one and only human civilization from the brink of extinction – towards a long, clean energy future?

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The World Resources Institute lays it out simply. We are looking for agreement on these five principles.

1. Targets, Timetables and Actions

Developed countries agree on ambitious collective greenhouse gas emission reduction targets for 2020 (25-40% cuts on 1990 levels) and 2050 (80% cuts) and set national 2020 emission reduction targets. Developing countries agree to pursue significant actions, including reducing deforestation, to reduce their emissions.

2. Funding for Global Climate Action

Countries agree on a climate finance mechanism to provide “fast start” funds of $10-$15 billion to developing countries in 2010 to 2012 as well as longer term predictable funding for climate adaptation and mitigation – including forestry and technology support.

3. Common Standards

To enable “apples to apples” comparisons, countries agree to establish common international methodologies to track greenhouse gas emissions and common international standards to account for, and report on, emission reduction measures.

4. Peer Review

Countries agree on a robust mechanism to measure, report and verify (MRV) the implementation of national commitments and actions agreed at Copenhagen.

5. Declaration on a Legal Climate Agreement

Countries decide that a final post-2012 climate agreement, built on these foundations, will be legally binding, with negotiations to be completed in 2010.

That’s it.

(Aside from making Al Gore rich, and world communism, of course)

Image: COP15

Source: WRI

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Tags: Al Gore rich, Copenhagen, success, targets, WRI

About the Author

Susan Kraemer writes at CleanTechnica, CSP-Today, PV-Insider , SmartGridUpdate, and GreenProphet. She has also been published at Ecoseed, NRDC OnEarth, MatterNetwork, Celsius, EnergyNow, and Scientific American. As a former serial entrepreneur in product design, Susan brings an innovator's perspective on inventing a carbon-constrained civilization: If necessity is the mother of invention, solving climate change is the mother of all necessities! As a lover of history and sci-fi, she enjoys chronicling the strange future we are creating in these interesting times. Follow Susan on Twitter @dotcommodity.

Tom

“Legally binding” is nonsense in the case of the United States and likely at least some other nations. Nothing in the way of international agreements can be legally binding on the U.S. without ratification by the U.S. Senate. It’s a Constitutional provision designed to prevent the Executive from binding the U.S. without advise and consent of the Senate, which essentially represents the States and, thereby, the people.
Tom

“Legally binding” is nonsense in the case of the United States and likely at least some other nations. Nothing in the way of international agreements can be legally binding on the U.S. without ratification by the U.S. Senate. It’s a Constitutional provision designed to prevent the Executive from binding the U.S. without advise and consent of the Senate, which essentially represents the States and, thereby, the people.
Tom

“Legally binding” is nonsense in the case of the United States and likely at least some other nations. Nothing in the way of international agreements can be legally binding on the U.S. without ratification by the U.S. Senate. It’s a Constitutional provision designed to prevent the Executive from binding the U.S. without advise and consent of the Senate, which essentially represents the States and, thereby, the people.

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