Informal Thematic Debate on Climate Change as a Global Challenge

It is my honour and privilege to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China at this important thematic debate on “Climate Change as a Global Challenge”.

2. I also take this opportunity to commend you Madam President for your initiative and leadership in convening a series of thematic debates on a number of important issues including on MDGs and Gender.

3. The Group of 77 and China welcome today’s thematic debate on “climate change as a global challenge”.

4. As we are all aware, Climate Change poses serious risks and challenges particularly to developing countries and therefore demands urgent global action and response. We are concerned about the fact that adverse effects of climate change and the associated phenomena including sea level rise and the increase in frequency and intensity of hurricanes, cyclones, floods and other weather patterns as well as deglaciation, drought and desertification threaten the sustainable development, livelihoods and the very existence of many developing countries and in particular countries in Africa, the LDCs, the LLDCs and disaster prone developing countries.

5. The Group of 77 and China, therefore, view these discussions as an integral part of the wider sustainable development debate.

6. The entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol provided renewed optimism for effectively tackling this problem at the multilateral level. We, once again take this opportunity to renew our call upon all member states that have yet not done so to ratify and implement the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol.

7. We would also like to reaffirm the Rio principles on environment and development, in particular Principle 7 of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities. We would like to highlight that without effective mitigation, all efforts to address climate change will remain fruitless. Developed countries have a specific responsibility in instituting deeper cuts in Greenhouse Gas emissions in accordance with the commitments made under the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol.

8. In this regard, the G-77 and China, have consistently called for efforts to address climate change in a manner that enhances the sustainable development and sustained economic growth of the developing countries and the universal elimination of poverty hunger and disease. To this end, all three pillars of sustainable development: economic development, social development and environmental protection, we strongly believe, should be addressed in an integrated, coordinated and balanced manner.

9. This challenge is beyond the capacity of the developing countries to address on their own. In fact, the challenge can only be effectively addressed through a partnership with the developed countries premised on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.

10. It is the view of G-77 and China that the decisions on Climate Change should, therefore, fulfill the commitments, undertaken at the Rio and Johannesburg Conferences, including Agenda 21 and the Rio Principles, specially taking into account the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.

11. Looking back at what the international community has achieved in the past, we notice that the world showed tremendous stewardship in outlining a comprehensive global development agenda through the agreements reached and commitments made in major UN Summits and Conferences. Unfortunately, these commitments have not been translated into action on the ground. Implementation remains the Achilles Heel of the global development agenda and the biggest challenge for sustainable development. So far, the implementation of the development agenda remains the biggest challenge for sustainable development.

12. Perhaps the most formidable challenges before us in addressing climate change and its adverse effects include: lack of fulfilment of commitments in the Kyoto protocol; inadequacy of financial resources for adaptation efforts; lack of progress to secure access to and transfer of adaptation technologies; degradation of natural resources leading to people’s vulnerability; lack of capacity to predict the timing, frequency, scale of adverse impacts of climate change; inadequate integration of climate change policy and adaptation measures in national development strategies; weak or sometimes absence of climate observation systems and networks; insufficient national institutional capacity for participation in CDMs; lack of adequate arrangements for joint activities at regional and sub regional levels, huge gaps in knowledge relating to climate change; inadequate insurance markets and arrangements to deal with extreme weather patterns associated with climate change; lack of action to address needs and concerns arising from the implementation of response measures.

13. The G-77 and China also emphasizes the urgent need for building the resilience of communities and nations to natural disasters including those related to Climate Change and establishing early warning systems in order to prevent and reduce the adverse impact of such events.

14. In order to enable the developing countries to pursue sustainable development and to address the challenges posed by climate change, the developed countries should:

15. Besides the above measures, let me also suggest, in my national capacity, the following, which may also be taken into account:

Firstly, to agument the efforts of combating climate efforts, the Adaptation Fund and LDC Fund may be made operational at the earliest. The CDM seems to be developing in favour of large commercial type of projects, which generate substantial amount of Carbon Credits and could have lesser impacts on sustainable development in the host country. Ways need to be explored to increase the number of small scale community based projects in order to increase the sustainable development benefits in developing countries.

Secondly, there is need to integrate adaptation into future planning and investment and Poverty Reduction Strategies. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) resources may be availed for adaptation projects for supporting the interventions that increase resilience to the adverse impacts of Climate Change.

16. The Group of 77 and China also welcome the Secretary General’s proposal to convene an “informal High-Level Event on climate change” on September 24, 2007 on the margins of the 62nd Session of the UN General Assembly. The special event together with the thematic debate today, we believe, should sensitize international community on the challenges we face in the important area of Climate Change and is, therefore, a most timely initiative.

17. The United Nations has always been at the center of the Sustainable Development debate including on its environmental pillar. This must be maintained and Climate Change should be pursued within the framework of the United Nations. It is important to emphasize that any special events or initiatives, whether individual, national, regional or multilateral should complement ongoing negotiations under the UNFCCC, which serve as the multilateral agreed structure within which the international community agreed to address the challenges of Climate Change. Such initiatives, in our view, should in fact provide impetus and political support to the ongoing processes by promoting global consensus on Climate Change and contribute to a successful conclusion of the forthcoming 13th Conference of Parties (COP.13) of UNFCCC/Third Meeting of Parties of the Kyoto Protocol, to be held in Bali, Indonesia in December 2007. A successful conclusion is one that takes fully into account the needs and concerns of all developing countries.

18. Pakistan, if I may add in my national capacity, strongly believes and urges that the International Community must reach an agreement on post 2012 Kyoto regime during the Bali Conference. With the clock continuing to click, we need to move fast and act before Climate Change turns into a climate crises. A comprehensive and clear timeframe evolved in Bali will be an adequate and visible measure of the success of our deliberations.