open popup Climate change Photo: picture alliance/dpa

Progress was also made on the controversial issue ofmonitoring national climate change mitigation measures. The terms agreed by all parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with the exception of Bolivia, were laid out in the Cancún Agreement.

The German government sees this agreement as a huge success, declared Federal Government Spokesman Steffen Seibert. "It is a good thing that the international community has shown in Cancún that it can pull together. It is good that we have demonstrated a clear will to take action to tackle this, the most serious of all global challenges."

Naturally climate change problems could not be resolved in Cancún, Steffen Seibert continued. For the first time, though, all states declared their will to keep global warming down to a maximum rise of 2°C. The Federal Government Spokesman also saw the decision to put in place a Green Climate Fund with annual contributions of 100 billion dollars, as a major success story. 

The basic principles

For the first time ever, the UNFCCC states committed themselves to keeping global warming down to a rise of 2° Celsius. Even the USA and China, which together account for 40 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions, subscribed to this goal. The Cancun Agreement notes that global warming is in all probability anthropogenic.

The parties to the UNFCCC also reserved the right to adjust the ceiling on temperature rise downwards to 1.5°C if this proves necessary. Between 2013 and 2015 the valid targets are to be reviewed.

Emissions reduction targets

No binding reduction targets were set in Cancún. A substantial cut in worldwide emissions of greenhouse gases was demanded by 2050, but this must be translated into concrete figures at the next climate change conference, which is to be held at the end of 2011 in the South African city of Durban. 

The national emissions reduction targets presented remain voluntary. They are recorded in a separate list. Emerging economies and developing countries too are to make voluntary national contributions to reducing emissions and inform the UNFCCC accordingly.

Ambitious reduction targets have been drawn up for the states covered by the Kyoto Protocol (the industrialised states with the exception of the USA). By 2020 they are to reduce their total CO2 emissions by between 25 and 40 per cent of the 1990 levels. A second commitment period of the Protocol is mentioned, but a decision is still to be made on this. It is, however, to be ensured that a new regime follows on immediately when the first period expires at the end of 2012.

Support for developing countrie

Climate protection hits the poorest countries hardest. The developing countries are to receive support to help them adjust to climate change as well as financial support for climate change mitigation measures. To this end a Green Climate Fund is to be put in place. Initially it will be managed by the World Bank. As of 2020 100 billion dollars are to be contributed to the fund every year, both from public budgets and private and other sources. The offer made by the industrialised states one year ago in Copenhagen to make available 30 billion dollars by 2012 in the form of emergency aid has been noted.

A new institution is also to be established, the Cancún Adaptation Framework. It is to identify needs and coordinate adjustment strategies. 

The transfer of environmental technology too is to help tackle climate change in developing countries.  

Forest protection

Support is to be made available to developing countries to help them protect their forests. In Cancún the foundations were laid for a new forestry agreement. The destruction of tropical forests is to be halted, and the countries affected are to receive appropriate compensation.

Where do we go from here?

The next United Nations Climate Change Conference is scheduled for 28 November to 9 December 2011 in the South African city of Durban. Significant worldwide emissions reduction targets, which were not agreed on in a binding form in Cancún, are to be stipulated there.  

The UN Conference on Sustainable Development, to be held in May 2012 in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, could be vitally important for climate change. Twenty years after the first Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, the heads of state and government of the world are to meet again.

The 11^th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, which is to be held in October 2012 in India, will also be looking at certain aspects of climate change, especially forest protection