The Economies in Transition as Part of the Climate Regime: Recent Developments

Since the adoption of the Climate Convention in 1992 at the latest, formerly communist countries have been following the climate debate despite serious domestic economic and social problems. Since 1990 the region has contributed the most to curbing the problem of climate change, albeit accidentally, through the sharp decline in their emissions in parallel with the decline in their economies. In this paper we review the role played by the economies in transition in the climate negotiations until early 2000, especially in light of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol to the Climate Convention. We consider emissions trends and the scope for further emissions reductions. Subsequently, the potential benefits of the “Kyoto Mechanisms”, which include emissions trading, joint implementation, and the Clean Development Mechanism, are discussed. We find that the climate policies in Central and Eastern Europe and in the former Soviet Union are drifting further apart. Activities in Central and Eastern Europe are dominated by the EU accession process, while the countries further east continue to grapple with economic crises.