UN Climate Change Conference poised for breakthrough

Bali -- The United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC), which kicked off in Bali on Monday, is poised for a breakthrough in international climate change negotiations, said a press release of the UNFCCC.

The two-week conference from December 3 to 14, the 13th Conference of the 192 Parties to the UNFCCC and the third meeting of the 176 Parties to the Kyoto Protocol, is expected the result in negotiations on a climate change deal for the period post-2012, the year the first phase of the Kyoto Protocol expires.

"Countries now have to agree on the agenda for the negotiations. This will cover the key areas for the new climate change deal and what the organizational and procedural arrangements are to get to this result," said Indonesian Environment Minister and President of the conference, Rachmat Witoelar.

Witoelar pointed out that the Bali conference will not deliver a fully negotiated climate change deal.

"However, whilst the launch of negotiations and a clear deadline of 2009 to end the negotiations would constitute a breakthrough, anything short of that would constitute a failure," he said.

In addition to the future climate change process, other important ongoing issues will be under negotiation at Bali. These include adaptation to climate change, the management and operation of a fund for adaptation, technology transfer, reducing emissions from deforestation and issues relating to the international carbon market spawned by the Kyoto Protocol.

"It is essential that vulnerable developing countries are in a position to draw up plans to prepare for climate change impacts," said UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer, adding "it is also essential that agreement is reached on how the Kyoto Protocol's Adaptation Fund is managed so that the Fund can begin financing real adaptation projects."

A decision to reduce emissions from deforestation in developing countries is anticipated to include an agreement on methodological work on measuring avoided emissions, pilot projects in developing countries and resources for developing countries to do this.

According to Yvo de Boer, items relating to the ongoing work under the Convention and Protocol need to be speedily concluded at Bali in order to free up the negotiation capacity needed for the post-2012 process.

More than 10,000 delegates from over 180 countries attended the meeting.