STATEMENT BY H.E. MR. MOHAMED EL YAZGHI, MINISTER OF TERRITORY DEVELOPMENT, WATER AND ENVIRONMENT, ON BEHALF OF THE G-77 AND CHINA, DURING THE DISCUSSIONS OF THE FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD ROUND TABLES OF THE HIGH LEVEL SEGMENT OF COP9 ON CLIMATE CHANGE (Milan, 1-12 December 2003)

COP9
Ministerial Round Table 1

Climate Change, Adaptation, Mitigation
and Sustainable Development

Context

• The conclusions of the TAR indicate clearly that the negative impacts of CC are already in action in our world, particularly in developing countries, the most vulnerable to CC.
• This explains why developing countries are so concerned about adaptation to already unavoidable impacts of CC. This concern has not yet been given the urgent attention it deserves.
• These impacts undermine the enormous efforts put by developing countries to achieve their sustainable development.
• Annex I countries emissions continue to grow at an alarming rate despite their Commitments under the Convention.
• Many developing countries are implementing mitigation strategies in their development plans, despite their low emissions level

Achievements under the Convention

• Limited progress has been made in the implementation of art 4.8 and 4.9 of the convention since its entry in force
• Funds created under Marrakech Accords meant to deal with adaptation, are not yet operational
• Through their national communications, developing countries have shown their commitment to contribute to the ultimate objective of the Convention, putting efforts into mitigation.
• Very limited efforts to mitigate GHG emissions have been made by some Annex I Parties; the main tools to achieve the ultimate objective of the Convention, particularly the KP, seem to be resisted.
• Most of developing countries have ratified the KP showing their willingness to help Annex I countries to fulfill their emission reduction commitments.

Expectations

• Strong support to developing countries, particularly the most vulnerable ones, with technology transfer, capacity building and additional financing, to cope with the negative impacts of Climate Change.
• A recognition of adaptation as a priority for developing countries and an urgent start of action, notably implementation of the NAPAs
• Early entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol
• Consideration to be given to the negative impacts of the implementation of response measures on concerned developing countries with support to be provided to these countries in diversifying their economies.
• A global move of the world towards Sustainable Development.


 

G77 & China
COP9
Ministerial Round Table 2


Technology, including technology use and
development and transfer of technologies

Context

To achieve the objective of the Convention both for mitigating the effects of greenhouse gases emissions and for adapting to climate change, we require technology use and development, and rapid and widespread transfer of environmentally sound technologies (EST). These needs are particularly crucial for developing countries, which are adversely affected by climate change. However, as indicated by the various technical papers tabled during this Conference, not much progress has been done. Hopes for accelerated transfer and diffusion of EST has remained largely unfulfilled. Most government equated transfer of technology with commercialization citing private sector domain and IPR as the main reasons for such a failure. As such, developing countries continue to be lacking in scientific capacity to generate scientific inventions and produce technological innovations and to adapt and absorb technologies.

Achievements under the Convention

The Convention recognized that transfer of technologies is the basic element for developing country Parties to meet their commitments. This is clearly stipulated under Article 4.7 of the Convention. To facilitate such transfer, the Convention under Article 4.3 and 4.5 provides the necessary guidance for Annex II countries to carry out their commitments to ensure that transfer of technologies is carried out.

In this regard, the UNFCCC Reporting Guidelines contain a mandatory requirement for Annex II Parties to provide information on technology transfer activities including activities for financing access by developing countries to soft and hard environmentally sound technologies.

We are therefore pleased that COP 7 has set up the Expert Group of Technology Transfer to examine the effective means for transferring technologies. We are also pleased that many developing country Parties have already done their technology needs assessments.

Expectations

Although we have seen some progress in this area, we believed that there are many more things that need and can be done to ensure faster rate of transfer of technologies in particular adaptation and mitigation technologies. Among them are:

i. providing financial support to meet the full incremental cost of implementing all the technology needs identified by non- Annex I Parties,
ii. disseminating information regarding existing EST,
iii. establishing concrete programs such as joint research, access to and development of technology;
iv. providing incentives to the private sectors in developed country Parties to facilitate the transfer of technologies;
v. innovative financing of development and transfer of technologies;
vi. promotion of indigenous technologies ;and
vii encourage the south-south cooperation in the transfer of technologies.


COP9
Ministerial Round Table 3
Assessment of Progress in the national, regional and international levels to fulfill the promise and the objective enshrined in the climate change agreements, including the scientific, information, policy and financial aspects

Context

• The promise enshrined in the climate change agreements is the achievement of the ultimate objective of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in the context of sustainable development, and based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
• The G77 and China have clearly demonstrated their willingness to fulfill the promise and objectives enshrined in the climate change agreements.
• The vast majority of their members have ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.
• According to Article 4.7 of the Convention, the extent to which developing country Parties will effectively implement their commitments under the Convention will depend on the effective implementation by developed country Parties of their commitments under the Convention related to financial resources and transfer of technology and will take fully into account that economic and social development and poverty eradication are the first and overriding priorities of the developing country Parties.
• The Clean Development Mechanism has opened important possibilities for strengthening international cooperation, fostering capacity building in developing countries and creating a significant incentive for the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol.

Achievements under the Convention

• At the policy level, several initiatives have been taken and programs put in place to address climate change in areas such as energy efficiency and technologies, cleaner technologies, waste management and land use.
• As regards to information, important efforts have been made by G77 and China members in the areas of education, training and public awareness. Through the process of elaborating the national communications to the Convention, developing countries are providing relevant information referring to emissions of greenhouse gases by sources and removals by sinks, as well as steps taken to implement the Convention.
• On the scientific side, coordinated actions have been taken in the areas of research and systematic observation and climate modeling, contributing to an improved understanding of climate change and its impacts. To the extent possible, developing countries’ experts have progressively increased their participation in the work of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice of the Convention and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Expectations

Noting that the largest share of historical and current global emissions of greenhouse gases has originated in developed countries, that per capita emissions in developing countries are still relatively low and that the share of global emissions originating in developing countries will grow to meet their social and development needs, the main expectations of countries from G77 and China are as follows:

• In order for developing countries to progress in their efforts to address climate change and adapt to the impact of response measures, including economic diversification, there needs to be a significant increase in the efforts by the developed country Parties in the transfer of financial resources and technology, as well as the development of capacity building and institutions, in fulfillment of their commitments under the Convention.
• There is an urgent need to allow a greater space for the participation of developing countries in the scientific efforts do address climate change. Difficulties are particularly visible in the context of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, where literature in languages other than English is not given due consideration, and the participation of experts from developing countries is still very limited.
• In order to advance in the provision of information referring to climate change, support for the preparation of national communications by developing countries needs to be improved, through simplification of procedures and increase of financial resources provided by the Global Environment Facility. Improvements are also necessary in the areas of methodology and data provision
• The failure of some countries to ratify the Kyoto Protocol has so far prevented it from entering into force, to the detriment of the international regime for climate protection. G77 and China urge countries that have not yet ratified the Kyoto Protocol to do so in a timely manner.