Transcript An overview of the role played by Africa and G77+ China to

An overview of the strategy to advance the
cause for developing countries
G77+ China and Africa
National Consultative Seminar on climate change
Cape town, 28-29 October 2011
Thokozani Simelane
Building tomorrow today; working towards a national consensus on
climate change in the African Continent
Pillars of negotiations
What G77 +China and Africa are pursuing?
Reach consensus on:
a) Adaptation
b) Finance
c) Technology transfer
d) REDD + (Reduction of emission from
deforestation and desertification)
e) Mitigation
Africa’s approach!
Africa’s position
Africa is seeking a balanced and ambitious outcome, that is based
on evidence and science, that honors the promises countries made
to each other in the UN Climate Convention and Kyoto Protocol
Africa’s opinion is that there is a need to agree to a level of
cooperative global efforts that cuts global emissions to safe levels
for Africa and the World.
There is a need to close the mitigation gap by ensuring that the
developed countries take on fair and appropriate contributions to
the global effort
There is a need to close the finance gap by ensuring that
developed countries meet their commitments to enable the
adaptation and mitigation efforts in developing countries to ensure
that these are protected from the worst effects of climate change
What Africa seeks to achieve?
a) A goal that keeps Africa and the world safe
b) A fair contribution by the wealthy countries
c) Adequate finance for efforts by poorer
countries
What Africa is demanding
• Africa calls for all countries to honor the deal that
was struck in the 2007 Bali Road Map
• Africa is of the view that 100% of the of global
emissions must be covered under the three
pillars agreed:a) Firstly the developed country Kyoto Parties honor
their Kyoto commitments
b) The US must take on comparable commitments
under the Convention
c) All developing countries must take on “nationally
appropriate” mitigation actions
What has influenced Africa’s position?
– Country positions
– Continental positions
– Economic blocs
G77 + China
The main sticking point with regard to COP and G77 +
China has been a demand by some of the developed
nations that developing economies like China, India,
Brazil and South Africa be required to commit to
legally binding emissions reduction targets
G77+ China’s demand
G77+ China remain opposed to attempts to phase
out the Kyto Protocol
Challenge: Group of influential industrialized
countries including Japan, Russia, Canada and US
have indicated that they will not sign up to a second
commitment of the Kyoto Protocol when it expires in
2012
Instead they are calling for a new international
treat to curb green house emissions
G77+ China’s position
The centrality of the UNFCCC must be preserved and
respected with negotiations being conducted within
the framework of UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change
The process must be open, democratic, party driven,
transparent, inclusive, legitimate and accountable
and centered on the implementation of the Bali
Action Plan
Counter action
The EU is leading proposal for two parallel treaties
that extends the Kyoto Protocol for those covered by
the agreement, while also imposing binding
emissions targets on countries that currently face
solid emissions reduction commitments
Here China is exposed and is likely to oppose!
Key concerns –general overview
a)
b)
c)
d)
Legal status of the agreement
What need to be achieved during COP 17
Future relationship between UNFCC and Kyoto
Emission reduction targets: Peak emissions and
2020 targets
e) International consultations and analysis of
mitigation actions
f) Financing
g) Timeline and work programme
What Africa need to do?
1) Africa need to develop self reliance, safeguarding
and maximizing the potential and available,
technical, financial and human resources that
could be at her disposal
2) There is a need for Africa to work out clear
alternatives and strategies, building on its
common position that would encourage more
focused leadership of the climate agenda
Thank You