President of COP21/CMP11, Excellencies, Distinguished representatives, Ladies and gentlemen,

1. The Group of 77 and China would like to share its views on the issues that are up for discussion in the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. Top of the agenda is the status of ratification of the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol.

Mr. President,

2. The Kyoto Protocol remains a key component of the international climate regime and the essential and legally binding basis for addressing pre-2020 mitigation ambition. Parties are well aware that for the Doha Amendment to enter into force at least three fourths of the Parties need to accept/ratify the amendments. The agreement on the second commitment of the Kyoto Protocol was part of the Durban package and critical to the establishment of the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action. It is concerning to the Group that only 54 Parties have so far ratified the amendment to the Kyoto Protocol agreed in Doha, including those of Annex B. This Group wants to urge all Parties to the Kyoto Protocol to ratify the Amendment as soon as possible. We are equally concerned that the necessary rules that are needed to allow implementation of the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol have not been adopted by the CMP. It is our hope that CMP11 will adopt these rules as they have been negotiated almost fully, with very few outstanding issues remaining. The Group would like to caution against reopening agreed text, as well as attempting to renegotiate the rules in a manner that would lead to further lowering of ambition in the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

Mr. President,

3. The G77 and China is also concerned about the manner in which the discussions are proceeding in the agenda item on issues related to the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). We note the difficulties being encountered in reaching consensus on issues related to modalities and procedures for the CDM. We urge Parties to consider adopting text on issues which have been resolved, as this will allow for the enhancement of implementation of CDM projects in developing countries. Negotiations can then continue on other more difficult issues under this agenda item.

We would also like to encourage Parties to accellerate the voluntary cancellation of certified emission reduction units as another way of increasing ambition in the pre-2020 period. We thank the Executive Board of the CDM for championing this issue.

Mr. President,

4. The G77 and China takes note of the report of the Adaptation Fund Board. It is our view that the issue of addressing the diversification of the revenue streams of the Adaptation Fund should be given urgent priority, since the global carbon market, on which the Fund depends, has collapsed due to the low levels of ambition of Annex I commitments for 2020. This Fund is practically empty, yet we know that this is the only Fund that gives poorer countries direct access. We call for voluntary pledges by developed countries to capitalise this Fund. We would also like to encourage the continuation of discusions on developing operational linkages between the Adaptation Fund and the Green Climate Fund.

Mr. President,

5. Finally, the G77 and China reiterates its understanding of the current mitigation gap in the pre-2020 period stemming, in large part, from Annex I commitments being far lower than required by science. We are fully aware that some of the commitments that have been put forward for attainment in 2020 will be achieved way before that. We, therefore, call on Annex I Parties to revisit their commitments with a view to increasing their quantified emission limitation and reduction commitments (QELRCs) under the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol at least 25-40% by 2020, as provided for in the Doha amendments.

The G77 and China is ready to work constructively with you in seeking solutions to all the issues that we have outlined above.

I thank you.