Kiisler: Estonia must reduce emissions 80% by 2050
Negotiations leading to the adoption of the rules on the implementation of the Paris Agreement held at the UN's Katowice Climate Change Conference in Poland were not easy, Minister of the Environment Siim Kiisler (Pro Patria) said on Monday.
"The negotiations were not easy, and all parties had to make compromises," Kiisler was quoted by spokespeople from the Ministry of the Environment as saying. "However, what was achieved in Katowice demonstrates that states are ready to act together in order to achieve goals. Following the adoption of this set of rules, we will now have a common understanding of how to begin implementing that which has been agreed upon."
Following two weeks of difficult negotiations, participating states late on Saturday evening endorsed the rules for the implementation of the Paris Agreement which had been in the works for three years. The more than 100-page document includes detailed guidelines for the implementation of the treaty from 2020 onward.
Items agreed upon include reporting guidelines, in order to ensure the transparency of actions, as well as guidelines for how midterm reviews of advancement toward objectives are to be conducted. In order to implement the Paris Agreement, Estonia must also make certain changes to its reporting arrangements, including improved descriptions of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which come as an update to the Paris Agreement.
Difficult negotiations also took place on climate-related financing, including various funds and financing-related reporting. This is particularly important for developing nations which currently lack the capacity to implement climate measures without necessary support.
Lengthy negotiations were held, ultimately to no avail, on the rules of the mechanism for trading in greenhouse gas emission credits; no agreement was reached. The rules concerning the mechanisms are to be adopted at a conference next year. In addition, a political dialogue, known as the Talaona Dialogue, was also held at the conference.
Estonia has endorsed the long-term policy guidelines for the transition to a low-carbon economy. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Estonia by approximately 80% of 1990 levels by 2050.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla
