COP21 Conference on Climate Change: What's in Store for Least Developed & Developing Countries?

Government delegations from around the world and global stakeholders gathered in the French capital Paris from 30th November to 11th December, 2015 for the 21st yearly session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). Dubbed as COP21, the 12 days international conference aims to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on issues relating to climate change and global warming across all nations of the world.

The UNDP believes that COP21 has the potential to galvanize action and solidarity amongst all stakeholders - simultaneously helping to reduce carbon emission (zero carbon), while supporting efforts to adapt to the long term impacts of climate change. The United Nations body also states that it support an ambitious outcome in Paris that will help bolster efforts to tackle climate change, and put all countries on the path towards zero-carbon, sustainable development.


Stories on climate change. Source: UNDP

Easier said than done as there is always a clear differentiation in opinion between developed and developing countries in such conferences whenever it comes down to policy adaptation. Here is hoping for a different outcome in Paris. According to Climate Change Policy & Practice, Head of States and Governments attending the first day of the conference addressed, among other things:

• the inclusion of gender for ensuring climate justice;
• the importance of differentiation;
• the legal form of the agreement;
• the periodicity of the review process;
• transparency and accountability rules;
• whether or not to anchor loss and damage in a permanent mechanism;
• the role of natural capital accounting;
• the link between climate change and development;
• balancing mitigation and adaptation finance;
• technology transfer in providing mitigation support;
• and the need to address the degradation of forests, desertification, and biodiversity loss.

Meanwhile, in answering the question; what's in store for least developed and developing countries? Switzerland announced a 75% increase in its annual contribution to the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF). Norway promised to double its contribution to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) by 2020 in the context of verifiable emissions reductions from REDD+. Spain pledge to increase its annual climate finance for developing countries, to doubling contributed funds by 2020. And New Zealand announce support of NZ$200 million (about £90 million) for climate-related actions over the next four years, primarily for pacific nations.

All looks promising for a start but there are lots of complex issues that are very tricky to address. For instance when it comes to the issue of 'differentiation', most developed countries wants to see a change in how countries are classified into 'developed' and 'developing', and would like emerging economies to take more lead and become climate finance donors. Whereas most developing countries especially those of emerging economies are not very keen on idea of changes to the classification. Moreover, China and several G77 countries warned against denying legitimate needs of developing countries to improve living standards and developed economically.

Another complex topic is the issue of 'loss and damage' due to climate change which least developed countries branded as a "red line issue" for them. According to the irishtimes, no agreement will be reach in COP21 without addressing the issue of 'loss and damage'. The Gambian environment Minister Pa Ousman Jarju who happens to be the chair of least developed countries at the conference is reported in the same newspaper as saying: 

"It was of paramount importance that a clear pathway would be laid out in Paris to meeting the commitment by developed countries to provide up to $100 billion dollars in aid annually. Mr. Jarju went further to state that he's yet to see the rhetoric from world leaders filter into the negotiating rooms, but he remained optimistic saying; there is not going to be a second Paris. This is the time. This is our moment."

We at gambiamonitor hope that Mr. Jarju and all delegates at COP21 are able to come to a mutual agreement that is beneficial to all, and to achieve meaningful solutions to combat the threats of climate change  for the benefit of present and future generations.