The Council adopted its conclusions on the follow-up to the 12th conference of the parties (COP 12) to the UN framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC) in conjunction with the 2nd session of the conference of the parties serving as the meeting of the parties to the Kyoto protocol (COP/MOP 2), which took place in Nairobi, from 6 to 17 November 2006.

The Council welcomed the outcome of the conference and found the following particularly encouraging:

- the adoption of the Nairobi programme of work on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change;

- the agreement on the principles and modalities for the operation and governance of the Adaptation Fund;

- the agreement on the work programme for the completion of the mandate of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol;

- the decision that the second review of the Kyoto Protocol pursuant to Article 9 shall take place at COP/MOP 4 in 2008 and shall be prepared by COP/MOP 3 in 2007;

- the progress in advancing the Dialogue on long-term cooperative action to address climate change by enhancing implementation of the Convention, with a view to a fruitful outcome at COP 13 in 2007;

- the agreement to hold a workshop on the proposal of the Russian Federation on voluntary commitments.

Delegations had the opportunity to exchange views about the strategy for reaching an agreement for after 2012 and about its possible shape. They were invited to provide guidance for the Spring European Council. Discussions focused in particular on the following topics:

- the EU leadership role in 2007 and beyond;

- the kind of opening that the EU should make now on its possible role in a future agreement; the way in which the global context of the EU's commitments should be taken into account;

- general elements on which the EU should focus when developing options for a post 2012 arrangement.

At the end of the debate, the President summed-up the delegations interventions as follows:

- there is agreement that the EU needs to show strong leadership in order to prevent the international negotiations from stalling and to accelerate them in order to reach agreement on a global post-2012 regime by 2009 at the latest;

- in this context, the EU looks forward to the Energy Strategy and the Climate Change Communication package, to be presented by the Commission on 10 January;

- on the basis of these documents, the EU will need to determine its position to move forward the international negotiations. It is to be hoped that on the basis of our work and our renewed commitment, the EU will be able to reinvigorate the international negotiations in order to achieve as soon as possible the much needed global agreement.

SP(2006)5316-2

Results of vote in Parliament

In adopting a joint resolution on the EU strategy for the Nairobi Conference on Climate Change, the European Parliament urged the European Union to maintain its leading role in the negotiations at the COP 12-COP/MOP 2 Conference in Nairobi, and to maintain a high level of ambition in future discussions with its international partners.

Parliament recalled its request that there should be no gap between the first and the second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol and that the time limit for reaching agreement on future climate commitments should be the end of 2008. It also recalled its support for the continuing use of flexible mechanisms, and for the long-term goal of a global carbon market based on cap and trade.

Parliament called on the parties to COP 12-COP/MOP 2 to address the climate change impacts of international aviation and called for a discussion on a global tax on flights at the upcoming negotiations at the COP 12-COP/MOP 2 Conference in Nairobi.

The resolution stresses that economic development is a right for all developing countries. Parliament emphasises, however, that developing countries do not have to repeat the polluting practices of the industrialised countries, and calls therefore for increased attention to be paid to technology cooperation and capacity building in the field of sustainable energy.

Industrialised countries must continue to play a vital role in tackling climate change at world level. Annex I Parties must meet their existing commitments and take on ambitious targets for a second commitment period after 2012. Those industrialised countries that have not ratified the Kyoto Protocol should reconsider their position, and take vigorous domestic measures with a view to their participation in the future climate change regime.

MEPs called on the Commission and the Council to make access to efficient and low-carbon energy technologies a priority within EU development cooperation. Parliament also emphasised the key importance of engaging the rapidly industrialising developing countries in a future international climate change regime, while fully respecting their vital concerns about promoting their economic development and fighting poverty.

Parliament insisted that individual EU countries, and the European Union as a whole, live up to their existing commitments under the Kyoto Protocol and the burden sharing agreement, since the EU’s leading position in international talks would be undermined if this cannot be achieved. It felt that the EU delegation played an important role in these negotiations on climate change, and therefore found it unacceptable that the members of the European Parliament part of that delegation were unable to attend the EU coordination meetings at the previous Conference of the Parties.

T6-0460/2006

B6-0543/2006

Debate in Parliament

B6-0440/2006

The Council adopted conclusions in which it expresses concern at the increasing scientific evidence of climate change and its adverse environmental, social, economic and security impacts. In this context, it reiterates the urgency of taking action to meet the ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change of stabilising greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. It reaffirms that, with a view to meeting this objective, overall global mean surface temperature increase should not exceed 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

The Council emphasises that a global shift to low greenhouse gas emitting economies and the integration of climate protection goals in all sectors in all countries, in particular in the energy system, is required urgently in order to achieve the ultimate objective of the Convention and that this must be an integral part of and will actively contribute to the general endeavour to achieve sustainable development in its economic, social and environmental dimensions.

Moreover, it reaffirms the resolve of the European Community and its Member States listed in Annex B to the Kyoto Protocol to meet their Kyoto Protocol commitments and recalls that the European Community and its Member States have reported on demonstrable progress through actions already taken. It underlines the importance of the immediate and effective implementation of agreed policies and measures and recognises that the implementation of planned additional policies and measures is needed.

The Council looks forward to COP 12 and COP/MOP 2 and considers it important that this first meeting in Sub-Saharan Africa should bring special focus on issues which are of particular importance to developing countries. It notes that many of these countries, including the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), are particularly vulnerable to climate change.

Other salient issues were also discussed by the Council:

- the central role of technology in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change;

- that both "push" and "pull" factors need to be considered when addressing the full chain of research and development, deployment, diffusion and transfer of technologies in the short and long term;

- the importance of fully exploiting opportunities provided by deployment of existing and emerging technologies, in particular those related to energy efficiency and renewable energy sources;

- the emergence of technologies such as carbon capture and geological storage as part of the full range of mitigation technologies and that relevant technical, legal and accounting issues have to be addressed to minimise environmental risks;

- the commitment to exploring options to reduce emissions from deforestation in developing countries, in synergy with efforts undertaken in other fora;

- the importance of using project-based mechanisms during the first commitment period and beyond in a global framework and that such mechanisms rely in particular on the continued existence of binding quantified emission limitation or reduction commitments beyond 2012;

- that the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) provides important opportunities for supporting sustainable development in developing countries and for achieving cost-effective emission reductions;

- the need to ensure the strengthening of the capacities of less developed countries, particularly in Africa, to prepare and administer CDM projects, including through learning-by-doing project implementation;

- the important role market-based instruments, in particular emissions trading, together with project-based mechanisms have and should have in a future arrangement to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions;

- that the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is the nucleus of this market and a key driver of its expansion; the Council recalls its intention to consider establishing links with other mandatory emission trading schemes so as to develop an efficient global emissions trading market;

- the forthcoming Commission proposal on the inclusion of aviation in the EU ETS.

Lastly, the Council emphasises that due to the number of provisions and elements of the Kyoto Protocol needing to be updated and reviewed in light of experience, this work should start immediately and an adequate forum should be found in which to carry it out in a complete, thorough and efficient manner.