Mr. President,

        I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

Mr. President,

        Allow me at the outset to congratulate you on your election as President for the fifteenth session of the Conference of Parties and the fifth session of the Conference of Parties serving as a Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol at this historical time. I would also like to express our appreciations and gratitude to the Government and people of Denmark for hosting this historical event in the beautiful city of Copenhagen, and would also like to thank Convention's Secretariat for their excellent arrangements.

Mr. President,

        Two years ago, in the beautiful island of Bali, we all agreed to launch a comprehensive process to enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention through long-term cooperative action, now, up to and beyond 2012, in order to reach an agreed outcome and adopt a decision at the fifteenth session of the Conference of Parties. Mr. President, we are now at the fifteenth session, and the Group of 77 and China is ready to fulfill the mandate that we agreed upon in Bali.

Mr. President,

        For the past two years, the Group of 77 and China has worked relentlessly to fulfill this mandate. As a group, as groups of countries among us, and as individual countries, we have put on the table concrete proposals that would allow us to implement this only legally-binding, science-based, universally-agreed Convention and its Kyoto Protocol fully and address the greatest global challenge that we confront today.

        On the fundamental elements of the Bali Action Plan for the provision of financial resources, development and transfer of technology, and capacity-building, the Group of 77 and China has tabled detailed proposals that would bridge the important shortfalls in the implementation of the commitments of developed countries, and that would allow developing countries to comply entirely with their obligations under the Convention.

Mr. President,

        We engaged fully in this process in an open, transparent, and inclusive manner because we, all of developing countries, bear the brunt of the adverse effects of climate change, have only meager resources to cope with these adverse effects, and because of our constant struggle to provide for the basic needs and aspire for a decent life for our peoples.

        We engaged fully because we are fighting for our survival, Mr. President, for the present and for future generations. These are recognized in the Convention, Mr. President, where it states that poverty eradication and economic and social development are the first and overriding priorities of developing countries.

Mr. President,

        We are now told that we will only get a "politically-binding agreement" in Copenhagen, that mean the process will have to continue until developed countries achieve their objective of shifting the responsibilities for addressing climate change and its adverse effects are imposed upon developing countries, in another legally-binding instrument that would put together the obligations of developed countries under the Kyoto Protocol and would revoke the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities under the Convention, by imposing these obligations as well to developing countries under the guise of a "shared vision."

Mr. President,

        According to the recent data on greenhouse gas emissions from Annex I Parties to the Convention, as contained in document FCCC/SBI/2009/9, between 2007 and 1990, GHG emissions from developed countries increased by 11.2% excluding LULUCF, and increased by 12.8% including LULUCF. Many developed countries, though realized their industrialization more than half a century ago, have yet peaked their emissions. There is a huge gap in developed countries leadership in modifying their longer-term trends in anthropogenic emissions as required by the Convention. On the contrary, developing countries are now being required to take the leadership in cutting emissions while developed countries are continuously increasing their emissions and hence continuously over-occupying the global climate space.

Mr. President,

        The Group of 77 and China is looking forward for the adoption of the draft decision on the work of the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention - the CGE -, which has been forwarded for the adoption at this COP session, as contained in the report of the SBI on its thirtieth session. After two years of intense negotiations, the CGE will be finally reconstituted, at least for the period 2010-2012. Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that the time that has been lost without the assistance of the CGE cannot be recuperated and, certainly, Mr. President, the process of preparation of National Communications from non-Annex I Parties has been undermined.

Mr. President,

        The Group 77 and China looks forward for COP 15 to adopt a decision on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks, and acknowledges the need for capacity building and technology transfer to promote readiness for REDD.

        For many developing countries reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation is directly linked, among others, with sustainable development, improved livelihood of local communities and indigenous peoples, and conservation of biodiversity. It is fundamental that COP defines the appropriate positive incentives and policy approaches for REDD plus, ensuring adequate and predictable funding for those developing countries that voluntarily decide to engage in this effort.

        Finally, Mr. President,

        The Group of 77 and China comes to Copenhagen to engage fully and negotiate in good faith to fulfill the mandate of the Bali Action Plan and to make this historical session a real success that enable developing countries to undertake effective actions to respond to climate change and its devastating impacts, now, up to and beyond 2012.

        I thank you.