Promoting a Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Strategy
Preamble
WHEREAS Preventing temperature increases that virtually all countries have agreed to will require much more serious commitments to contain emissions both from developing and especially from developed countries as well as transfers of significant funding to developing nations to meet their commitments and to address the impacts of climate change brought on primarily through the actions and negligence of high-emitting developed nations;
WHEREAS The current pattern of using offsets to encourage emissions reductions in developing countries that have no requirement to reduce carbon emissions has allowed emissions to grow both in developed and developing countries because the value of offsets is speculative and has been shown to be routinely overvalued;
WHEREAS The 2014 IPCC report suggests that a single global price for carbon is the least expensive way to achieve the emissions reductions required to avoid unacceptable temperature increases, as defined by international agreements;
WHEREAS Respected climate leaders such as Canada's own Stephane Dion, Union of Concerned Scientists climate and equity expert Paul Baer, Managing Director of the Global Basic Income Foundation Rene Heeskens and groups such as EcoEquity and Feasta have proposed global approaches to addressing climate change that would require equitable participation of all nations;
WHEREAS some of these plans would require that any funds collected through parcelling out of carbon are distributed in a way that benefits those countries with lowest per capita emissions, thus encouraging all nations to continually reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
Operative
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Green Party of Canada will seek to work with Green Party partners in other countries to develop a global strategy to restrict greenhouse gas emissions to levels that would make it likely for the planet to remain below the threshold established by the Copenhagen Accord. This strategy would create a common global incentive to reduce greenhouse gases and would distribute at least a portion of the funds collected globally on a proportional basis so that countries with low emissions will benefit most;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT The Green Party of Canada will promote the pursuit of such a global strategy.
Background
This motion proposes forging a new direction in international cooperation toward meeting the global greenhouse gas emission reductions which would be required to avoid such damage to the planetary climate that virtually all nations have agreed to avoid.
While important work in international negotiations has laid the groundwork for solid agreements and should continue, various respected analysts have advocated a new, common and thus less adversarial approach to discouraging emissions.
It is the intention of this motion that these options be pursued in tandem with more traditional approaches, and that any breakthroughs in international cooperation anywhere should be celebrated and encouraged. Promotion of a common global greenhouse gas emission reduction strategy could be pursued in UNFCCC negotiations, in independent international relations or both.
Code
Proposal Type
Submitter Name
Party Commentary
This policy is consistent with existing Green Party policies on greenhouse gas reduction. It deals with the promotion of international efforts while existing policies focus on the domestic arena.
Preamble
WHEREAS Preventing temperature increases that virtually all countries have agreed to will require much more serious commitments to contain emissions both from developing and especially from developed countries as well as transfers of significant funding to developing nations to meet their commitments and to address the impacts of climate change brought on primarily through the actions and negligence of high-emitting developed nations;
WHEREAS The current pattern of using offsets to encourage emissions reductions in developing countries that have no requirement to reduce carbon emissions has allowed emissions to grow both in developed and developing countries because the value of offsets is speculative and has been shown to be routinely overvalued;
WHEREAS The 2014 IPCC report suggests that a single global price for carbon is the least expensive way to achieve the emissions reductions required to avoid unacceptable temperature increases, as defined by international agreements;
WHEREAS Respected climate leaders such as Canada's own Stephane Dion, Union of Concerned Scientists climate and equity expert Paul Baer, Managing Director of the Global Basic Income Foundation Rene Heeskens and groups such as EcoEquity and Feasta have proposed global approaches to addressing climate change that would require equitable participation of all nations;
WHEREAS some of these plans would require that any funds collected through parcelling out of carbon are distributed in a way that benefits those countries with lowest per capita emissions, thus encouraging all nations to continually reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
Operative
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Green Party of Canada will seek to work with Green Party partners in other countries to develop a global strategy to restrict greenhouse gas emissions to levels that would make it likely for the planet to remain below the threshold established by the Copenhagen Accord. This strategy would create a common global incentive to reduce greenhouse gases and would distribute at least a portion of the funds collected globally on a proportional basis so that countries with low emissions will benefit most;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT The Green Party of Canada will promote the pursuit of such a global strategy.
Sponsors
Background
This motion proposes forging a new direction in international cooperation toward meeting the global greenhouse gas emission reductions which would be required to avoid such damage to the planetary climate that virtually all nations have agreed to avoid.
While important work in international negotiations has laid the groundwork for solid agreements and should continue, various respected analysts have advocated a new, common and thus less adversarial approach to discouraging emissions.
It is the intention of this motion that these options be pursued in tandem with more traditional approaches, and that any breakthroughs in international cooperation anywhere should be celebrated and encouraged. Promotion of a common global greenhouse gas emission reduction strategy could be pursued in UNFCCC negotiations, in independent international relations or both.
Party Commentary
This policy is consistent with existing Green Party policies on greenhouse gas reduction. It deals with the promotion of international efforts while existing policies focus on the domestic arena.