It is my honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. I would like to begin by thanking the Co-Chairs on their continued commitment and professionalism, as well as for their latest Reflection Note, which provides in our view a clear and succinct blueprint for our way ahead at this important session.

As we embark on this first round of our work in this final year of the completion of the Paris Agreement Work Program related to the implementation of the Paris Agreement, allow me to assure you that the Group of 77 and China is fully committed to the success of our work, and has every intention to engage constructively with all concerned to achieve our shared goal of fully and effectively implementing the Paris Agreement.

We are fully aware that this will be a challenging task. There are varying and often divergent views on most of the agreement's provisions. This is normal and we can assure you that we take the concerns and views of all delegations seriously and will not dismiss any Party's view as irrelevant. We trust that this sentiment will be reciprocated.

The PA is a landmark agreement. If effectively implemented, it will have far reaching implications on nearly every aspect of every country's sustainable development, and could ultimately transform the development model espoused by most developed countries for more than a century and a half - with devastating consequences- to a more sustainable one. With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that developing countries on behalf of whom I speak today, attach the utmost importance to the key principles of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in light of national circumstances, and will seek to ensure that these principles are preserved and reflected in the outcome of the PAWP as a manifestation of both the principles and provisions of the Convention and the provisions of its Paris Agreement and in the context of sustainable development and in-line with efforts to eradicate poverty.

The Group wishes to recall the importance of ensuring the legitimate right of all developing country parties to access available financial resources through different financing mechanisms including but not limited to GEF, GCF and others.

The G77 and China would also stress that as we navigate this process it is crucial not to overlook, postpone or otherwise sideline any of the agenda items, whether this is in the context of the APA, SBI or SBSTA, rather we should adopt a holistic, coherent, comprehensive and balanced approach which addresses the full gamut of topics including mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology development and transfer, capacity-building and loss and damage. In this regard, the G77 and China stresses the importance of maintaining the balance that was structured by the Paris Agreement and expect reasonably balanced and comparable progress to be made on all Agenda items throughout this and future sessions, while reminding everyone that no issue should be left behind and that only a fair and balanced outcome in Katowice - in particular as it relates to action and support - can move us forward in the operationalization of the PA. To this end, we hope that at the end of this Session, we will have come up with texts that could serve as the basis for negotiation for all issues in the PAWP. We underline that the output for this session should reflect all Parties' views and concerns in a neutral and balanced manner, through clear options to be developed in the informal notes.

The Group would like to draw attention to the fact that several Agenda items under consideration are interlinked and in many cases progress on a given agenda item relies on progress of another. In particular, progress on the transparency framework on action and support needs to be aligned with progress on issues related to NDCs, Adaptation Communications, means of implementation (finance, technology development and transfer and capacity building).

On response measures, the Group reaffirms the importance of giving full consideration to identify necessary actions to meet the specific needs and concerns of developing country Parties arising from the impact of the implementation of response measures and to avoid the negative economic and social consequences of response measures on developing countries. The Group welcomes the in-forum training workshop on the use of economic modeling tools related to economic diversification and just transition of workforce. The Group also emphasizes the importance of fulfilling the mandate of Decision 11/CP21 and advancing the work on the pre-2020 and post-2020 on the modalities, functions and work programs for the permanent forum under the Paris Agreement.

On Agenda Item 3, the Group wishes to draw special attention to the importance of maintaining the nationally determined nature of NDCs in light of equity, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in light of national circumstances. We would also like to confirm that NDCs include mitigation, adaptation, and means of implementation (finance, technology development and transfer, and capacity-building) components as per Article 3 of the Paris Agreement. Guidance developed under this Agenda item should respect the diversity arising from the nationally determined nature of NDCs. It should assist Parties in preparing and communicating their NDCs in order to facilitate clarity, transparency, and understanding of Parties' contributions. In this regard, we are looking forward to achieving progress on further guidance for NDCs as well as further guidance in relation to the adaptation communication, including, inter alia, as a component of NDCs. This guidance should be developed in a flexible manner to accommodate the diversity of NDCs, their nationally determined nature, and the national circumstances of developing country Parties. Furthermore, we urge developed countries to provide finance, technology development and transfer, and capacity-building support to developing country parties for the preparation and implementation of their NDCs.

The Group would also wish to stress that adaptation efforts under the Paris Agreement should be given sufficient attention reflecting the adaptation-mitigation parity under the Paris Agreement. In addition, under Agenda Item 4, the adaptation communications will continue to play a crucial role in enhancing adaptation action to achieve the global goal on adaptation and help developing countries deal with the significant additional burden borne from dealing with the repercussions of anthropogenic GHG emissions. The IPCC has validated these assertions in its latest reports by showing that developing countries will remain on the frontlines of the human-induced climate change over this century. To this end, the G77 is determined to move towards the implementation of all adaptation provisions included in the PA. Moreover, the discussion of Agenda item 4 should consider further guidance in relation to the adaptation communication, including, inter alia, as a component of NDCs as well as interlinkages with transparency, GST and means of implementation and other related items discussed under the subsidiary bodies.

Regarding Agenda Item 5, the Group looks forward to making progress on developing the modalities, procedures, and guidelines for the Enhanced Transparency Framework for Action and Support, in a balanced fashion recognizing the importance of both transparency of action, which has achieved significant progress, and transparency of support, which continues to lag behind. In this regard, the Group highlights the importance of achieving comparable progress on both transparency of action and support. In our view, the Transparency Framework should take into consideration the realities of national circumstances and limited capacities of developing country parties compared to those of developed countries, which have been in the process of developing their national MRV systems for more than 15 years. Consequently, sufficient time and support should be afforded to developing countries to increase their capacities to implement the enhanced transparency framework over time.

On Agenda item 6, noting the Global Stocktake's role under the different elements of the Paris architecture, it must be conducted in the light of the equity and the best available science, and continuing to recognize the transparent, comprehensive and facilitative nature of the Global Stocktake. In this regard, the Group calls for the inclusion of mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation (finance, technology development and transfer, and capacity building) within the scope of the modalities, sources of inputs and planned outcomes of the Global Stocktake. Moreover, the Group strongly insists that the Global Stocktake process in its role of informing the updating and enhancing Parties actions shall not lead to any type of mandatory approach to increase ambition.

On APA item 7 on Article 15 Committee, the G77 and China believes that in general all elements and provisions of the Paris Agreement shall be covered by the work of the Committee, while the scope may differ in respect to the function of facilitating implementation and promoting compliance. The Group is also of the view that establishing the relevant linkages with support arrangements is key for fulfilling the facilitative role of the Committee. In addition, the Committee shall pay particular attention to the respective national capabilities and circumstances of Parties, in particular developing country parties both in procedures and outcomes of the Committee. Engagement with the Party concerned is a crucial element in this regard.

On Agenda item 8, the Group would like to stress that further matters related to the implementation of the PA are vital in securing the balance envisaged in the outcome at the end of this year, as they relate to the full package of the Paris Agreement Work Program. With this in mind, we reiterate the urgent need to decide on the agreed processes including, inter alia, in relation to the communication of information on public finance by developed country Parties, the Forum on the Impact of the Implementation of Responses Measures to serve the Paris Agreement, the Adaptation Fund to serve the Paris Agreement, the Financial Mechanism as well as the LDC Fund and the SCCF under the Paris Agreement, and the establishment of a new long term financial goal, taking into account the needs and priorities of developing countries. Financial support is of fundamental importance to developing countries, in particular in the implementation of the Paris Agreement and their NDCs. However, there is nothing concrete on the table on financial support from our developed country partners in the post 2020 period. Therefore, we must acknowledge the urgent need to scale up financial resources for developing countries in order to implement ambitious mitigation and adaptation actions. The current goal is not enough.

The Group remains concerned over the lack of progress on all finance issues and the reluctance of our partners to advance on these issues. We are equally concerned by the application of unilateral coercive economic measures that affect the capacities of developing countries to finance their efforts in mitigation and adaption to climate change. In this context, it is of utmost importance for all necessary measures to be undertaken to depoliticize the flow of international financial resources such as through the GEF mechanism.

At COP23, the G77 and China advocated for a standalone SBI item on the identification of the information to be provided by Developed Country Parties in accordance with Article 9.5. For the G77 and China, concluding work under the new SBI item is a key and necessary element of the implementation of the Paris Agreement Work Program. Developing country parties consider that this information on the pathway to scaling up the mobilization of financial resources is essential for enhancing predictability and effectiveness of Climate Finance in responding to the needs and priorities of Developing Countries as reflected, inter alia, in our NDCs and National Adaptation Plans, as well as support needs to avert, minimize, and address loss and damage.

APA agenda item 8(b) is intended separately to address the modalities for biennially communicating finance information in accordance with Article 9.5 and we will address the potential linkages with other items of the Paris Agreement Work Programme, such as transparency and the global stocktake, for the effective implementation of the Agreement.

The G77 and China has, for the past several years, attached great importance to the long-term finance process, and we look forward to contributing to the in-session workshop to be held during this session. Our deliberations on finance and LTF in particular come at a time when the Global Environment Facility's 7th replenishment concluded recently in Stockholm with a total of US$ 4.1 billion pledged, out of which only $3.3 billion is actually new funding. However, we noted that climate change will see a 47% decrease in developing country allocations and an aggregate 37% decrease compared to GEF 6. Coupled with the lack of clarity on resources for the Adaptation Fund and a delayed start to the Green Climate Fund's replenishment, the outcome in Stockholm does not reflect the progression of ambition as articulated in COP decisions and the Paris Agreement.

The G77 and China attaches great importance to concluding our work on the Adaptation Fund serving the Paris Agreement in 2018. We request the Co-Chairs, in the organization of work, to ensure due time is provided for negotiations to conclude this matter and for us to finalize arrangements for the Adaptation Fund to take its rightful place in the climate finance architecture of the Paris Agreement.

In conclusion, allow me to once again assure you that we will spare no effort towards making our work this year a success. The G77 and China is committed to this objective. But here I must be clear. We want an outcome but not just any outcome… rather one that everyone can subscribe to, embrace and implement in good faith. Any alternative scenario may seem attractive, but in reality may have the opposite effect. To this end, you have our assurances that we will work with you Madame Co-chairs and with all other groups towards our shared objective of a balanced outcome at Katowice.