CAN Position: Mitigation elements for a COP decision on pre-2020 ambition in Paris, August 2015

~Parties to the UNFCCC recognize that current pre-2020 mitigation efforts are not sufficient to get the world onto an emissions pathway consistent with the 2°C limit, let alone 1.5°C. Thus, there is a recognized gap between the emissions reductions needed, and what is being done. This gap will be 8-12 Gt CO2e in 2020, according to UNEP. Therefore, in Durban in 2011, parties agreed to enhance pre-2020 mitigation ambition under the so-called ADP workstream 2 (WS2).

So far in 2015, five country groups have submitted suggestions for a COP decision in Paris to advance the work on WS2 in the period from 2016 to 2020, covering different options to increase mitigation ambition.

Based on this input the Co-chairs have produced a draft decision on WS2, published on the 24th of July , which will to be discussed during the next ADP session to be held from 31 August to 4 September 2015 in Bonn, Germany.

In this document, the Climate Action Network offers comments and recommendations to the Co-chairs’ text for how to progress towards a truly ambitious WS2 decision. While the Co-chairs’ document provides a good basis for discussion, trying to find middle ground between the five negotiation group proposals currently on the table, it falls short of providing a clear approach to closing the gap by adopting an action-oriented mode of work or taking advantage of other innovative forms of collaboration within WS2.

The current draft also fails to adequately prioritize solutions that respect human rights and environmental safeguards while promoting social and gender equality. In particular renewable energy and energy efficiency, whose co-benefits for, inter alia, health, poverty reduction, and energy access are many and universally recognized, should be given greater priority.

In order to use all possible avenues to increase mitigation ambition, the Climate Action Network proposes changes and amendments to the Co-chairs’ draft decision text in this position.

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