Marrakech Climate Change Conference Closes Successfully with Both Challenges and Opportunities in th

     Links to the original article: http://www.cnenergy.org/gj/gjcj/201611/t20161121_408985.html

    From November 7 to 18, the 22nd United Nations Climate Change Conference was held in Marrakech, Morocco, attended by more than 25,000 people from 196 countries and regions. It was the transitional conference in the aspect of implementation of actions upon effectiveness of the Paris Agreement.

    The Paris Agreement was finalized on December 12, 2015, and went into force and effect on November 4, 2016. It symbolized the formation of the global climate treatment system which features cooperation for win-win, fairness and rationality.

    The main topics of the Marrakech Climate Change Conference include that the subsequent road map and timetable shall be made upon promulgation of the rules for the implementation of the Paris Agreement; that all countries shall be urged to comply with the provisions of the Framework Convention on Climate Change, Kyoto Protocol and the Doha Amendment, enhance the strength of actions before 2020, carry out their own undertakings and lay the political foundation for the implementation of the Paris Agreement; that the developed countries shall provide assistance to the developing countries in terms of capital, technology and capability construction to deal with climate change; in particular, they should deliberate the proceeding of the capital of USD 100 billion provided by the developed countries to the developing countries; and that they should deliberate the actions of all countries in the implementation of “the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions.”

    As of November 15, 109 countries had signed the Paris Agreement, whose greenhouse gas emissions exceeded 75% of the total of the world. On November 14, Germany passed the 2050 Climate Action Plan to become the first country which passed such detailed long-term emission reduction plan, thus raising higher bar for the 2050 emission reduction target for European Union. On November 8, Japan also officially completed the internal approval procedure for the signing of the Paris Agreement.  

    Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, said at the high-level meeting of the Marrakech Climate Change Conference that the Paris Agreement had been fully supported by all countries on the ground that all of them realize that it is in the interests of their own in the seeking of common benefits by signing the Paris Agreement.

    Morocco, host state of the Marrakech Climate Change Conference it had made the promise that it will increase the installed capacity for producing renewable energy sources by 52% before 2030, making it the leader in North Africa in the fighting against climate change.

    In the reaching and effectiveness of the Paris Agreement, China has made historic, fundamental and key contribution, thus winning the general consent and praises of the international community. Salahuddin Mezouar, Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Morocco especially appreciated the establishment of the Climate Change South-South Cooperation Fund by China, thinking that the solution of practical problems by means of projects had reflected the features of practical affair in the cooperation. He appealed that the developing countries should take the mindset of cooperation to jointly voice their opinions and solve common issues.

    On November 16, Liu Zhenmin, first deputy head of the Chinese Delegation and Vice Foreign Minister, said, “We hope that the participating parties can focus on the overall situation and the future to reach the action declaration of ‘the balanced comprehensiveness’.” As for the commitment of fund by developed countries, he pointed out that their road map was not clear in the issue of fund measurement standards, and the funding efforts were far from adequate, despite that they are obligated to assume the historical responsibility in the emission reduction.

    Analysts held that as the first conference after the official effectiveness of the Paris Agreement about climate change, the result of the Marrakech Climate Change Conference will produce decisive impact on the discussions on the climate in the coming years, and inspect the effectiveness and credibility of the commitments of all states in a realistic manner.

    Some other observations pointed out that all countries had demonstrated the wish of dealing with the global climate change in the execution and effectiveness of the Paris Agreement, but the subsequent implementation will require all parties to continue releasing the political will of commonly coping with the climate change as well as the wisdom and courage of shifting the development modes. In such way will they make practical efforts in the promotion of establishment of a fair and effective global mechanism of dealing with climate change, realization of higher-level global sustainable growth and construction of cooperative and win-win international relations.

    The implementation of the Paris Agreement has indeed encountered the new barrier — Donald Trump’s success of winning the election. He ever declared publicly during the campaign that “the concept of climate change is a conspiracy,” threatening to urge the United State to withdraw from the agreement upon his winning the election; therefore, the American representatives expressed in succession that they “could not predict” the future climate policy of the United States at this conference.

    French President Hollande called on the next government of the United State to respect the commitment it had made in the Paris Agreement, saying that it is in the interests of all people. The compliance of the United State, the largest economy in the world, with the commitment is not only the responsibility, but is in the interests of the American people who are affected by the climate change for no single country can be retain intact when faced with the climate change.

    German media expressed that after Trump won the election, the successful Sino-American Alliance at the issue of climate change is exposed to the threat of breakup; in such circumstances, EU, as “the shadow figure,” is expected to walk under the spotlight to fill the gap left by the United State, and it is hopeful that China and Europe will become the new engine in the protection of world climate.