G-77: Legally-binding Compliance Regime for Kyoto Protocol Imperative

MARRAKECH (7 November 2001) - Ms. Massoumeh Ebtekar, Iranian Vice-President and Head of the Department of Environment, speaking on behalf of the Group of 77 at the High-level Segment of the COP-7 of the Climate Change Convention in Marrakech, emphasized the critical importance of a legally binding compliance regime for the implementation of the provisions of the Kyoto Protocol. She expressed satisfaction with the completion of the negotiations at COP-7 on “Compliance” and considered the outcome in line with the political decisions made in Bonn by Ministers back in July. She further added that the consensus reached in this regard would help safeguard the environmental integrity of the Protocol.

While underlining the extremely positive and constructive role the Group of 77 and China, and its leadership, have been playing this year in the climate change negotiations, in Bonn and in Marrakech, Dr. Ebtekar assured the President of the Conference of the full cooperation of the Group towards the final success of the meeting. She asserted: “The message of the Group of 77 and China to COP-7 is a message of dialogue, understanding, engagement and proactive, constructive flexibility.” She also expressed hope that all negotiating partners would lend themselves in good faith to resolving the remaining outstanding issues.

The Head of the Iranian Delegation underscored the centrality of implementation of past agreements, decisions and commitments to the Group’s outlook and approach, including as relates to the three Funds established in the Bonn Agreements. While noting the positive pronouncements made in Bonn in July with respect to these Funds, she added “we need to be assured in COP-7 that a substantive discussion on them in COP-8 will lead to agreement in principle on practical modalities for burden-sharing for their original replenishment.” Further, the importance of the implementation of Bonn decisions on technology transfer, capacity-building, economic diversification and adaptation was underlined in the Statement.

The Iranian official also affirmed the G-77’s strong position that “neither COP-7 not the Johannesburg Summit is the proper forum for addressing the question of new commitments for the developing countries.” She affirmed that Group considered the ratification and entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol as the best contribution of COP-7 to the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). She said, in her closing remarks, that “our message to WSSD will be on the compelling and urgent need for genuine multilateralism across the board and international cooperation for long-term development, including the necessity of the full implementation of the Agenda 21 as well as a concomitant future-looking vision for serving the cause of sustainable development on a global scale.”

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