Transcript Bali A. Climate Change in the ESCWA Region Displays Four

STRATEGIES FOR ADAPTATION &
MITIGATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN
THE ESCWA REGION
By
BADER OMAR AL DAFA
USG & EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
UN-ESCWA
REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES IN ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE
REGIONAL COMISSIONS SIDE-EVENT
12 December 2007
Grand Hyatt – Bali
A. Climate Change in the ESCWA Region
Displays Four Defining Characteristics
I.
Asymmetry between contribution and impact.
II.
The region is likely to experience the entire
spectrum of CC consequences.
III. A region that is perennially crisis prone. CC will
exacerbate the struggle over resources and add
new crises.
IV. A region that is highly dependent on natural
capital; namely: abundant oil & gas and scarce
land & water- CC will compromise all of these
resources.
I. Asymmetry between Contribution and Impact
1. Despite the fact that ESCWA countries do
not contribute significantly to Global
Warming, they will be disproportionately
affected by CC.
o
The ESCWA region comprises around 3 % of the
world’s population
o
It contributes 3% to the world’s CO2 emissions,
unlike the rest of the regions which contribute far
beyond their population shares
II. Likely to Experience the Entire Spectrum
of CC Consequences
1. Drier & warmer weather: reduces quantity and
quality of agricultural products & threatens food
security.
2. Spread of many types of Pests: increases breeding
seasons and pathogen growth rates.
3. Reduced biodiversity and further desertification.
4. Increased forest wildfires.
5. Severe weather episodes: impact on water quality
and quantity.
6. Rise of sea water levels: threat of sea water
intrusion and land losses:
o
Low-lying coastal zones: Nile Delta, marsh-lands in
South Iraq.
o
Key economic sectors are threatened: fish
aquaculture, agriculture & tourism installations.
o
Quality & quantity of groundwater supplies are
reduced.
III. A Crisis Prone Region will be Further
Destabilized
1. Water scarcity is critically exacerbated.
o
80% of renewable fresh water resources originate from outside the
region
o
11 out of 13 member countries lie below the water poverty line of
1000 m3/p/year
o
Reduction in the flow of Euphrates and Tigris by around 30-50%
o
An increase by 30% OR a decrease by 70% in the flow of the Nile
2. Inter & intra-regional conflicts: competition over
varying & declining natural resources.
3. Higher unemployment due to loss of agriculture.
4. Displacement & mass immigration by cross-border
movements of environmental refugees.
POTENTIAL IMPACT OF CC ON WATER RESOURCES IN ESCWA REGION
IV. Heavy Dependence on Natural Resources
1. Non-renewable resources.
o
Oil and water never mix except in the ESCWA
region. CC is the mixer.
2. Producer vs. consumer responsibility.
o
The region produces the oil, the consumers create
the CO2 emissions
B. Factors Influencing the Position of ESCWA
Member Countries in Addressing CC
1. Justifiable fear for losing rent on their oil.
2. Inadequate resources to cope with the
disruption. in climate in the non-oil
economies.
3. Fundamental feeling of unfairness.
4. Keen not to be portrayed as spectators.
5. Common but differentiated responsibilities.
C. Scope of ESCWA’s support to its Member
Countries
1. Multi-disciplinary capacity in:
o
Developing innovative policy options
o
Promoting integrated sustainable development strategies
o
Building Capacity and increasing awareness
o
Reducing disaster risk
o
Increasing the resilience of communities
2. Focus on inter and intra-regional
cooperation opportunities: joint
management of trans-boundary shared water
resources.
D. ESCWA’s Proposed Approach in Addressing
CC in the Region
IN ADAPTATION:
1. Prevention of losses by building or
modifying infrastructures
2. Reduction of losses by reallocating water
resources and redesigning crop mix
3. Sharing or spreading losses by designing
social safety nets
4. Changing locations and rehabilitation
IN MITIGATION:
1. Promoting climate-friendly policies & technologies.
2. Promoting economic incentives.
3. Encouraging carbon trading, carbon marketing.
4. Promoting renewable energy technologies: solar &
wind turbine.
5. Supporting industrial, residential and commercial
sectors in reducing energy consumption
6. Assisting transport sectors in switching to less
carbon-intensive fuel & encouraging mass
transport systems.
Thank You