STATEMENT OF THE DELEGATION OF MOROCCO ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA DELIVERED BY MR. MOHAMMED ARROUCHI AT THE OPENING OF THE 9th CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES TO THE UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE (Milan, 1st December 2003)

Mr President,

On behalf of the G77 and China, allow me at the outset, to congratulate you for your well deserved election to the Presidency of this very important session of this COP9 on climate change. I would like also to seize this opportunity to extend our sincere thanks to his Excellency Minister M.T.R. BAALU from India for the invaluable efforts he invested during the Presidency of the COP8. Our thanks go as well to the Executive Secretary of the Convention Mrs. Joke Waller-Hunter and all the Secretariat staff, for the continuous support they provide for the implementation of our Convention.

Mr President,

Climate change is a process and a global challenge which necessitates an urgent global action. Reversing this trend through an effective global response is a necessary step towards the attainment of sustainability.

Since Rio, and despite the efforts made so far to meet the goals and objectives of our Convention, significant steps are still to be taken in order to ensure an effective and durable implementation of our Convention at a time the climate change continues to have enormous negative impact on the world's regions and populations, particularly in developing countries, including the least developed countries and Small Island Developing States.

The G77 and China therefore believes that efforts should be doubled to translate our joint commitments into concrete and effective actions, thus meeting the objective of protecting our common global climate for present and future generations of mankind.

In this context, the G77 and China is looking forward to see concrete progress and action oriented decisions taken by the COP9 while avoiding repetitive normative debate. We would like to highlight the following elements of particular importance to the Group:


1. Different Aspects of the Kyoto Protocol and CDM (Clean Development Mechanism)

We would like to recall that in the United Nations Millennium Declaration, Heads of State and Government resolved to make every effort to ensure the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol and to embark on the required reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases. It is worth noting in this regard that, to date, the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has attracted one hundred and twenty ratifications, including from parties mentioned in annex I to the Convention, who account for 44.2 percent of emissions.

However, the entry into force of the KP is still awaiting particularly the ratification by the Federation of Russia.

While reiterating that the protection of the global nature of climate change calls for the widest possible cooperation by all countries and their participation in an effective and appropriate international response, in accordance with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities and their social and economic conditions, the G77 and China firmly calls on the Parties who have not yet ratified the KP, notably the United States of America, to come back on board as soon as possible.

The Group of 77 and China notes the significant work accomplished by the CDM Executive Board since its establishment two years ago in Marrakech. In this respect, we would like to emphasize the importance of reliable support by the developed countries to the developing countries to ensure equitable geographical representation within the operational entities. Developing countries are also in need of a strong support to set up their Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Designated National Authority (DNA), and to master the CDM technical aspects.

The G77 and China is looking forward to a final decision on the LULUCF (Forestation and reforestation) in the CDM process during this COP.


2. Vulnerability and adaptation

While expressing our deep concern at the enormous negative impact of climate change which continues to hinder social and economic progress, in particular in developing countries, the issue relating to vulnerability and adaptation should be given due consideration in conformity with the terms of the Convention.

In this respect we would like to emphasize the urgency of putting all the expected funds created by the Convention and KP into operation and identifying other structural financial mechanisms where Annex I Parties can comply with their commitments. This would, in particular, enable Parties to implement an efficient and integrated strategy to deal with adaptation. Therefore, we expect this COP to give guidance to the GEF to develop the necessary rules and procedures to make these new funds operational.


3. IPCC's Third Assessment Report (TAR)

We would like to underline with regret that according to this report, emissions from developed countries continue, contrary to the provisions of the Convention, to increase. We, therefore, call on developed countries to take the necessary effective measures to reverse this trend.

The objective of the Global Climate Observation System is to improve the world climate observation system. We therefore encourage the creation of a fund to reach this objective.

4. National Communication of Annex I Parties

The Group of G77 and China looks forward to the evaluation of the third national communication of Annex I Parties to draw conclusions on the progress accomplished by these countries in the implementation of their commitments.


5. National Communication of Non Annex I Parties

On this aspect COP8 adopted new guidelines for the second national communication. GEF has also elaborated and adopted at its last council meeting the guidelines for the use of theses funds. Hence, all the practicalities are ready now for theses second National Communication.

Given the complexity of the guidelines of this second national communication, we believe that the discussion of the issue of National communication frequency should be reported to a later stage.


6. Capacity Building and Transfer of Technologies

Capacity Building and Transfer of Technologies are indispensable components in the implementation process of the Convention. The G77 and China is looking forward to concrete decisions in this respect.

This COP should examine the barriers and obstacles which prevent the transfer of technologies notably towards developing countries, and how to ensure an enabling environment for the transfer of technologies according to the Convention and KP provisions.


7. Secretariat of the Convention's Budget:

The Group 77 and China is concerned about the low level of contribution by Parties to this Convention, given the increasing needs, notably related to the complex tasks that the Secretariat is entrusted with. Therefore, the G77 and China invites Parties to increase significantly their contributions and provide the Secretariat with adequate resources to deliver adequately and as expected the various programmes.


Mr President,

The G77 and China while reiterating its full cooperation to the presidency for the success of this session, stands ready to engage with a constructive spirit in the forthcoming negotiations with our partners keeping in mind our common objective and guiding principle of protecting global climate for present and future generations.

Finally, let me seize this opportunity to recall here that the city of Marrakech where COP7 took place and where important decisions were taken is going to host from 15 to 19 December 2003 a high level Conference on South-South cooperation where the issue of Climate Change will be addressed within the context of sustainability.