As UN climate talks in Madrid neared their closing last year, a group of leading countries put forth a set of principles known as the San Jose Principles for High Ambition and Integrity in International Carbon Markets, promoting them as the basis upon which a fair and robust carbon market should be built
Recognizing that it will be more than a year before Parties are able to meet under the auspices of the COP, the group committed to making the most of that time to build momentum for a robust, ambitious outcome for Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. In an effort to help build up this momentum a group of 36 Parties gathered last friday, October 30th for the formal launch of the San Jose Principles Coalition in a virtual event hosted by Minister Andrea Meza, of the Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica.
The Coalition will seek to improve understanding at a technical and political level on how to deliver clarity, robustness and integrity to the international framework for use of market-based approaches towards international climate goals and develop actionable, high-ambition solutions to deliver an ambitious outcome at COP26 in Glasgow.
Quotes by participants in the meeting:
“The main objective of the San José Principles Coalition is to build up momentum for Article 6 negotiations on the road to COP26. The San Jose Principles have always been meant to help us fight for the things we care about, in a way that leads others to join us. They will continue to foster thorough political discussions and we will, as a group, determine the best way for them to evolve to help us develop actionable, high-ambition solutions for international carbon markets. This is a call to be a Coalition of the Willing and to enable solutions,” Andrea Meza, Minister of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica
“We very much welcome Costa Rica’s leadership on this issue, and are committed to continuing our conversation, initiated in San Jose last year, on how we can work together to deliver a robust multilateral framework for international markets; one that both protects and enhances ambition” Mauro Petriccione, Director General for Climate Action at the European Commission
“With the launch of this coalition, the position of Peru and the other countries that comprise it is strengthened, not only to bring international negotiations on the carbon market to a successful conclusion, but also to allow its rapid implementation, helping to accelerate the climate action. Therefore, we salute the formation of this Coalition and we are proud to be a part of it.” Kirla Echegaray, Ministra del Ambiente del Perú
“Italy, in partnership with the United Kingdom under the British presidency of COP26, is working to make the ‘Youth4Climate’ and the PRE COP, which we will host in Milan from 28 September to 2 October 2021, essential steps for mobilizing and relaunching the global commitment to the full implementation of the Paris Agreement. It is therefore necessary to continue the technical discussions on Article 6, to agree on a gradual transition from the Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement. I can assure you that, as president of PRECOP, Italy will reap the legacy of Costa Rica in terms of ambition. Even as presidents of the G20 in 2021, we will put the climate agenda at the centre, involving the big economies and the main carbon emitters.
Dialogue with each of the G20 members will be our guiding light.” Sergio Costa, Minister of the Environment, Italy
“The launch of the San José Principles Coalition could not be timelier. The Coalition will be instrumental to achieve agreement at COP 26 on multilateral rules on Art. 6 that deliver clarity, robustness and integrity. Switzerland stands ready to work together with Costa Rica and others to ensure that high-ambition carbon markets will become reality” Katrin Schneeberger, Director of the Federal Office for the Environment of Switzerland
“We simply cannot afford to settle for zero sum games when staying within 1.5C is a matter of survival for small island developing states. Article 6 must point markets to substantial, quantified contributions to global net emission reductions, and so move us toward closing our enormous mitigation gap. And we must be able to link markets with the wider efforts for increasing support to adaptation. That would be a major win for the credibility of markets, and it will set a good example for the private sector to follow. Belize looks forward to working closely with other supporters of the San Jose Principles, to put these principles into operation, so that we can deliver an Article 6 rulebook in which we can all take pride.” Lois Michele Young, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Belize to the United Nations
“We are committed to achieving an ambitious rulebook chapter on Article 6 next year in Glasgow which embodies the spirit of the San José Principles. In order to help reaching this objective we will coordinate with the broadest possible spectrum of partners” Karsten Sach, Director General at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of Germany
“The Republic of the Marshall Islands welcomes the launch of the San Jose Principles Coalition today. Progress on Article 6 negotiations in the run-up to COP-26 is absolutely crucial. We look forward to working with our colleagues to ensure we secure an ambitious outcome that preserves environmental integrity.” Kristina Stege, Climate Envoy for the Marshall Islands
“The Netherlands supports the San Jose Principles and looks forward to working together with Costa Rica and like-minded countries in their spirit. Rules for the next generation of carbon markets should preserve environmental integrity and help us to achieve the long term goals of the Paris Agreement.” Marcel Beukeboom, Climate Ambassador for the Netherlands
“The San José Principles Coalition for High Ambition and Integrity in International Carbon Markets which were led by Costa Rica constitute a key framework for the discussions among the Parties about innovative and high ambition solutions for the negotiation of the rules and guidance related to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, but also as a guide for the early implementation of carbon markets in participating countries.” Cindy Monge, Viceministra de Ambiente de Panamá
“Denmark is committed to an ambitious and environmental sound outcome of the Article 6 negotiations at COP26. We believe further deliberations among like-minded countries would be beneficial towards achieving this.” Tomas Anker Christensen, Danish Climate Ambassador
“We reiterate Colombia’s commitment to the implementation of the San José Principles to achieve a strong agreement and to ensure that our efforts lead to the definition of a market mechanism that promotes a high level ambition” José Francisco Charry Ruíz, Technical Director of Climate Change and Risk Management, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia
“Spain is committed to keeping a high level of ambition and the environmental integrity of the multilateral system. The San José principles provide a very good basis both to guide and strengthen our common views as well as to broaden the number of countries and stakeholders supporting them” Valvanera Ulargui, Director General of the Spanish Office of Climate Change, Ministry of Ecologic Transition and Demographic Challenge of Spain
“We do understand the San José Principles as a significant pathway towards markets that have to deliver on Paris and do not undermine Paris. For that to achieve we need the broadest support possible by Parties to bring these Principles to life.“ Jürgen Schneider; DG Climate Action and Environment; Federal Ministry of Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology; Republic of Austria
“Trinidad and Tobago is committed to the full and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement in order to achieve its objective of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5 degree Celsius. To do this, accounting for net greenhouse gas emissions along this trajectory must reflect environmental integrity. Applying the San Jose Principles to markets will go a long way in ensuring this.” Camille Robinson-Regis; Minister of Planning and Development; Trinidad and Tobago
