13th AMUN Historical - COP 15

Historical - COP 15 - UNFCCC

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Topic – Copenhagen: Sealing the destiny of the climate change regime

According to the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 4^th Assessment Report, the atmosphere’s CO₂ concentration was of 388ppm in 2007. During the 650,000 years that preceded the industrial era, the concentration varied between 180 and 300ppm. In the mentioned period, there was never a rise of 30ppm occurring in less than 1,000 years. Between the years of 1990 and 2007 CO₂ emissions increased in 30ppm. Emission never increased so much in such a short period of time.

If the globe stabilizes its emissions of CO₂ in the period between 2000 and 2015, the planet’s temperature will increase between 2,0°C and 2,4°C. The rise in sea level, due to thermal expansion, will vary between 0,4 to 1,4m. If the stabilization is reached only around 2020, temperature may rise 2,8°C, and sea level might rise 1,7m.

Climate change disregards territorial boundaries. Its consequences will affect not only human well-being but biodiversity, ecossistemical equilibrium, food chains, human economic activities and more. In spite of this fact, the member countries of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have not yet achieved common grounds of negotiation regarding the Kyoto Protocol and its targets concerning the reduction of CO₂emissions. The climate change, for its extension and global consequences, is an urgent issue, which cannot be dealt without the full usage of the available international fora of discussion. In this matter, the Conferences of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COPs) are the adequate spaces of debate among the nations, regarding the utterly important matter of global warming.

Bearing in mind the expiration of the Kyoto Protocol targets in 2012, the COP 15 is entailed to a great task: find a consensus among the member states of the convention regarding the future of the Kyoto protocol, as well as of the UNFCCC. Due to this very important duty, COP 15 is considered to be the hitherto most important conference of the 21^st century. Effective measures must be adopted, from December 7th to 18^th, by COP 15 delegates in order to assure the halt and regression of the global warming. During those days, the diplomatic skills of the delegates will not only be serving their countries. On the contrary, the future of our planet and generations to come is lying on their hands. Some effects of global warming cannot be reverted anymore. Countries must let behind frivolous differences and animosities, in order to avoid a common threat, which is already affecting the whole world. All peoples will be observing the developments of this conference, hoping that countries, gathered at Copenhagen, Denmark, may find a solution in favor of the environment’s subsistence.