Efforts to Deal With Climate Change; role of UNFCCC, COPS, Impacts and NON-UN Institutions.

1. Efforts to Deal With Climate Change
UNFCCC, COPS, Impacts, NON-UN Institutions
TSUMA CHARO
CEO
AFRICA CARBON EXCHANGE

2. Origin of Carbon Trading
UNFCCC
The passing of the Kyoto Protocol 1997 by the UN has created carbon trading as a business
This is under the Clean Development Mechanism/Voluntary Carbon Market
UN scientists identified a cluster of green house gases as the causes of global warming and therefore Climate change

3. What is climate change
Climate change in simple terms is the unpredictable occurrence of extreme weather conditions like drought and flooding.
Climate is simply the weather of a place for a long period.
Kenya is a major victim of climate change as drought (2008) is normally followed by flooding like in Budalangi, TanaDelta, NEP (2010) Malaria occurrence in highlands (Kisii)

4. UNFCCC/Kyoto Protocol
•UNFCCC formed after IPCCC proved beyond any reasonable doubt that climate change was linked to global warming.
•COPs-COP 12 Nairobi. Doha COP 18
•Stern Review Report
•“Inconvenient Truth” Al Gore
•Expiry of Kyoto Protocol 2005-2012
•Successor Efforts

5. Climate Change Impacts
Drought/Desertification/water problems
Flooding/poor water quality/
Diseases
Food shortages
Increased vulnerability at household level
Increased development/business costs
Delayed MDG thresh-holds
Conflict

6. Global Warming, Green House Gases and Climate Change
UN scientists identified six gases as the main causes of global warming and therefore climate change
Carbon Dioxide CO2
Methane CH4
NO2 Nitrous Oxide
SF6
Hydro-Fluorocarbons C-Fs
Per-Fluorocarbons PFs

7. How Global Warming Occurs
Earth
Main greenhouse gasesCarbon dioxide from fossil fuels and deforestation. Methane from farm animals. Nitrous oxide from vehicles
Energy radiating from earth
Greenhouse gases
Global greenhouseGreenhouse gases trap much of the energy that the earth radiates out towards space. More gases equals warmer temperatures
Escaping energy
Some is reflected back into space
Sun
Incomingsolarenergy
Some is absorbed in the earth’s atmosphere
Some reaches the earth’s surfaces

8. How carbon credits are created
Carbon credits are created by implementing a project that reduces the emission of GHGs (carbon dioxide) into the atmosphere. 1 ton reduced = 1 carbon credit created
Officially known as CER or compliance credits
Other types are VER or voluntary credits for CSR/philanthropy
Carbon credits projects must be hosted in Non Annex I countries like Kenya, India, Brazil or Latvia
The aim of carbon trading is to catalyze development in countries that are not industrialized
Industrialized countries are guilty of causing global warming therefore they have a limit to the amount of GHGs they can emit

9. The need for Carbon Credits
Companies in industrialized countries have legal limits of GHGs to emit into the air
In case they need to go beyond their limits, they have to buy credits up to the excess amount they want to emit
They can also buy EU permits called EUA
There are Voluntary Carbon Mechanism
Price on GHGs

10. Key Carbon Project Areas
Renewable energy i.e solar, wind, hydro, biogas
Energy efficiency
Forestry
Transport

11. Non-UN Actors
•US Entities/Carlifornia State
•Private Sector (Sustainability)
•NGOs
•Religious Organization

12. CONTACTS
•Tsuma Charo
•charo@africacarbonexchange.com