Background Information On The Upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference - Bali, 3 - 14 December 2007
What Will Bali Be About?
When will the Bali conference be and who will attend?
The United Nations Climate Change Conference 2007 in Bali will start on Monday, 3 December and close on Friday, 14
December 2007. The Conference will be presided over by Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmat Witoelar, with support
from the UN's Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC), headed by Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer.
The first week will involve negotiations among the Parties at the level of high-ranking government officials on a wide
range of issues. On Wednesday, 12 December, the high-level segment will start with addresses by the UN Secretary-General
and the President of Indonesia. It is expected to be attended by 130 Environment Ministers.
Why is the Bali Conference of such importance?
This year's scientific report from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has made clear beyond doubt
that climate change is a reality and can seriously harm the future development of our economies, societies and
eco-systems worldwide. Immediate action is needed to be able to prevent the most severe impacts.
Since climate change is a global issue, tackling climate change and its impacts can only be successfully coordinated at
the international level. The UN Framework on Climate Change presents the appropriate forum to do this. It has been
expanded by the Kyoto Protocol which includes emission reduction commitments for developed countries over the period
2008–2012.
A new international climate change deal must be put in place in time to ensure that necessary action is undertaken
immediately after 2012 when the current phase of the Kyoto Protocol ends. Therefore, comprehensive negotiations on a new
climate deal need to begin without further delay. At the Bali Conference, Parties are expected to agree to the launch of
this process.
What can the Bali conference deliver? (and what not)
The main goal of the Bali Conference is to deliver this necessary breakthrough and get negotiations going on a new
international climate change agreement. The Bali Conference will not deliver a fully negotiated and agreed climate deal
but is aimed to set the necessary wheels in motion. Parties need to agree on the key areas which the new climate
agreement should cover, such as mitigation (including avoided deforestation), adaptation, technology and financing.
They also need to agree on when the talks and negotiations will conclude so that the new climate change deal can be
ratified by national governments before the end of 2012. Furthermore, countries should decide on the organisational and
procedural arrangements to get to this result.
Other important issues will be under negotiation in Bali including adaptation to climate change, the lauch of a Fund for
adaptation, reducing emissions from deforestation, issues relating to the carbon market, and arrangements for a review
of the Kyoto Protocol.
ENDS