Mr. Chairman,

The Group 77 and China would like to reiterate its grave concerns about the implication of the call by Annex 1 Parties to end the life of the Kyoto Protocol infavour of single legal outcome in Copenhagen under the AWG-LCA. The killing of the Kyoto Protocol would have the effect of undermining the foundational principles of equity, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities and ultimately puts  at risk any ambitious outcome to aggressively address climate change in Copenhagen, as indicated by the IPCC.  

Clearly, this attempt to make the Kyoto Protocol redundant and inoperable for a 2nd commitment period goes back on the agreement reached in Bali to have a 2 track outcome in Copenhagen, with the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol for legally binding mitigation commitments of developed countries (that have joined Kyoto) on the one hand, and on the other hand an agreed outcome that enhance the full effective and sustained implementation of the Convention.

The Group would like to restate its strong position and to make it clearly known to the world that Kyoto Protocol must continue to form the legal basis for Annex I emission reduction commitments beyond 2012 and the Group is ready to stand against all attempts by developed countries to dismantle Kyoto protocol, the only instrument we have for developed countries to take the lead in cutting their increasing emissions.

As we all agreed, the core mandate of the AWG-KP is to define the second and subsequent commitment periods with an ambitious reduction in the emissions of developed countries that help us to minimize future impacts of climate change on our vulnerable communities.

The group would also like to reiterate its serious concern that Annex I Countries have not yet made any progress in defining their quantified emission reduction targets, individually and in aggregate which is the core element of the mandate of this important body. In this regard we have only five days of negotiations here in Barcelona before Copenhagen, we would like to appeal to annex I countries to take on ambitious quantified emission reductions for the 2nd commitment period in line with the principle of equity and their historical responsibility in causing climate change and its devastating impacts on the developing countries and limiting the prospects for sustainable development in our countries.  We need to see the leadership that the entire world has expected to see since the establishment of this process in 2005, and we need it in order to make real progress and complete our clear mandate in Copenhagen and for the benefit to all humankind.  

Finally, the Group of 77 and China, would like to appeal to all Parties, particularly annex I Parties to engage faithfully in the negotiations to complete the mandate of the AWGKP and to build a strong Kyoto Protocol as the basis for a fair, just and equitable outcome in Copenhagen.

I would also like to assure you that the group will continue to engage openly and constructively in the work of the AWGKP to define the second and subsequent commitment periods for the Kyoto Protocol.