The EU climate change diplomacy: the case of Greenhouses Gases emissions from tropical deforestation

The global climate governance has to face many sectoral issues and conflicts between actors on the regulation objectives. According to the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 2007), among these issues deforestation appears as a main vector of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions with 17% of GHG emissions. Thus, deforestation is the third source of GHG emissions after energy- (26%) and industry-related emissions (19%). Instead of such a situation, forests were excluded from the Kyoto Protocol. In 2005, some countries, especially Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica which ones were followed by European Union and its Member States asked for a mechanism which provides financial compensations for the reduction of GHG emissions from deforestation and degradation of forest (REDD) in developing countries. Such a proposition involves States, synergies and conflicts on technical challenges, on the implementation, on the financing and on the scale of action. But, States with large tropical forest cover (Brazil) stalemate negotiations on the implementation of this mechanism. In December 2009, Forest issues still remain marginal in the COP15. Thus, the multilateral negotiations held were focused on the bargaining between China and the US. Nevertheless, regarding forest issues and climate change, the problematization and the implementation of the REDD mechanism involve many States in a multilateral negotiations both in the UN climate negotiations but also in bilateral ones. Finally, in the Cancun Conference (December 2010), a consensus on REDD objectives was found, but only to pursue negotiations. Grounded on International relations Theories (Realism and international regime), documents from the EU Institutions and interviews, the purpose of our communication is to present the climate diplomacy of the EU regarding the REDD mechanism. Who is involved? What conflicts does the EU face? How does the EU problematicize and politicize (political work) the tropical deforestation in multilateral climate diplomacy?